The NHL’s Most Impactful Backup Goalies
Throughout NHL history, certain goaltenders have built their legacies as elite backups rather than long-term starters who deliver when it matters most. These netminders thrived in supporting roles, stepping in under pressure and, in some cases, carrying their teams deep into the playoffs after beginning the year on the bench.
In this guide, we spotlight twelve of the best NHL backup goalies, looking at the moments and numbers that defined their impact. Each proved that you do not need to be the regular starter to change a season, or even win a Stanley Cup.
Ken Dryden (Montreal Canadiens, 1971)
Ken Dryden’s legend began in unlikely fashion. In 1971, the 23-year-old had played just six regular-season games before taking over the net for the Canadiens in the playoffs. He delivered one of the most remarkable postseason performances ever, leading Montreal to the Stanley Cup and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Dryden went 12-8 with a 3.01 goals-against average, beating the heavily favoured Boston Bruins, then the Minnesota North Stars, before edging Chicago in the Stanley Cup Final.
At the time, Dryden was backing up veteran Rogie Vachon, yet he quickly became the driving force behind a championship run. His composure and consistency set the standard for what a reserve netminder could accomplish, and his impact still sparks debate about the best backup goalie in NHL history. When discussing the Best NHL backup goalies, Dryden’s 1971 playoff run remains the gold standard for how a backup can seize the crease and change everything.
Michel “Bunny” Larocque (Montreal Canadiens, 1970s)
While Ken Dryden was the headline name in Montreal, Michel “Bunny” Larocque defined what it meant to be a dependable backup. As Dryden’s understudy in the late 1970s, Larocque averaged about 28 games a season and delivered elite results in limited action. He won four Vezina Trophies in an era when the award went to the goaltender on the team that allowed the fewest goals, and he even led the league with a 2.09 goals-against average in 1976-77 despite playing only 26 games. He was also part of four consecutive Stanley Cup champions from 1976 to 1979.
Over a three-season stretch (1975–76 to 1977–78), Larocque went 57-6-11, one of the best runs you will find from a true No. 2 goalie. Playing behind a dynasty certainly helped, but Larocque consistently handled his assignments and kept momentum whenever called upon. His career stands as a model of how valuable a steady, composed backup can be to a championship team.
Ross Brooks (Boston Bruins, 1972-1975)
Ross Brooks remains one of the most efficient backups the league has seen. After more than a decade in the minors, he joined the Bruins at age 35 and delivered stunning results in limited duty. Over three seasons, he managed a 37-7-6 record with a 2.63 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. His .800 career winning percentage is the highest in NHL history among goaltenders with more than 50 games, a mark that still brings talk about the Best backup goalie in NHL history.
In 1973–74, he went 16–3–0, and the following season he finished 10–3–3. He went unbeaten in his first 14 NHL decisions (11–0–3), tying an NHL record at the time. Playing behind a strong Bruins roster helped, but Brooks handled his assignments with precision and consistency. In just 54 NHL games, he built a career that shows how a reliable backup can quietly secure points and strengthen a contender.
Wayne Stephenson (Philadelphia Flyers, 1975-76)
Wayne Stephenson’s impact came in a single defining season that still gets talked about. Entering 1975-76 as the backup to Bernie Parent, he was forced into the starting role after Parent suffered a neck injury. Stephenson responded by playing 66 games and going 40–10–14, helping Philadelphia collect 118 points and reach the Stanley Cup Final. His goals-against average was 2.58 that season, a mark that underscored his reliability in a demanding era.
In the 1976 playoffs, Stephenson guided the Flyers back to the Final before falling to Montreal. He proved that a team’s second option in net can steady a contender over an entire season. That campaign remains one of the strongest examples among the best NHL backup goalies, showing how quickly a trusted reserve can become indispensable when opportunity arrives.
Andy Moog (Edmonton Oilers, 1980s)
Andy Moog possessed starter-level talent, yet he carved out his early legacy as a trusted backup on the Oilers dynasty. Serving behind Grant Fuhr, Moog helped Edmonton capture three Stanley Cups in 1984, 1985 and 1987, stepping in whenever needed and even taking over during stretches of the 1984 playoffs when Fuhr was injured. He reached six Stanley Cup Finals in his career, a good sign of how often his teams trusted him in high-stakes moments.
His postseason composure and consistency made him one of the best NHL backup goalies of his era. Moog later proved his quality again with the Boston Bruins, earning the Jennings Trophy in 1990 while sharing duties. Although he won more than 370 career games and earned All-Star recognition, it was his ability to deliver under pressure as a championship-calibre number two that opens conversations about the best backup goalie in NHL history.
Bill Ranford (Edmonton Oilers, 1990)
Bill Ranford went from supporting cast to main man when Edmonton needed him most. After serving as Grant Fuhr’s backup during the 1988 championship season, Ranford took over in 1990 following Fuhr’s shoulder injury and never gave the crease back. He started every playoff game, posted a 16–6 record with a 2.53 goals-against average, and captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP while leading the Oilers to another Stanley Cup.
His run featured clutch performances in every round, including a standout showing in the Final against the Boston Bruins. Ranford recorded eight straight playoff wins at one point and finished with a .912 save percentage, an elite mark for that era. By the end of the postseason, even a healthy Fuhr remained on the bench as Ranford completed one of the most memorable playoff ascents by a goaltender, transforming an opportunity into championship history.
Jamie McLennan (1990s and 2000s journeyman)
Jamie McLennan built his reputation through consistency and longevity rather than a single playoff spotlight. Over parts of 11 NHL seasons, he became the definition of reliability in a supporting role, appearing in 254 games and rarely exceeding 30 starts in a year. With a 2.68 career goals-against average, he delivered steady results for multiple franchises and quietly earned recognition among the best NHL backup goalies of his era.
His strongest campaign came in 2002-03 with the St. Louis Blues, where he went 16-10-4 with a 2.16 GAA in limited duty. Earlier in his career, he won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1997–98 after recovering from bacterial meningitis, a moment that reflected the resilience he carried into every crease appearance. Though he never chased headlines or postseason MVP honours, McLennan’s eleven seasons with 12 to 27 games played highlight why he is often mentioned in discussions about the best backup goalie in NHL history as a model of durability, professionalism, and trustworthiness.
Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes, 2006)
Cam Ward delivered one of the most memorable playoff breakthroughs by a young goaltender in modern NHL history. As a 22-year-old rookie with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-06, he entered the postseason as the backup to Martin Gerber before taking over in the opening round. Ward seized the crease and carried Carolina to the Stanley Cup, finishing the playoffs with a 15-8 record and a 2.14 goals-against average. His performance earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy, making him one of the few rookies ever to claim playoff MVP honours.
Ward actually won more games in that postseason than he had during the regular season, when he recorded 14 victories in limited action. He got two shutouts and allowed just one goal in Game 7 of the Final, securing a 3-1 championship win. His composure under pressure drew comparisons to historic rookie runs by Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy. By the end of that spring, Ward had transformed from understudy to Cup-winning star, leaving an imprint that still stands as one of the most dramatic turnarounds by a backup in NHL playoff history.
Chris Osgood (Detroit Red Wings, 2008)
By 2008, Chris Osgood was a veteran who had already won Stanley Cups, yet he entered the season slotted behind Dominik Hasek on the Detroit Red Wings depth chart. Osgood thrived in limited action during the regular season, posting a 27–9–4 record and a 2.09 goals-against average before ultimately taking over the starting role. When Detroit stumbled early in the playoffs, head coach Mike Babcock turned to Osgood, and he responded with a dominant 14-4 postseason record, a 1.55 GAA, and three shutouts on the way to the Stanley Cup.
Osgood led all playoff goaltenders in goals-against average and shutouts that spring, and he ran off nine straight wins before his first loss came in the Western Conference Final. He was widely discussed as a Conn Smythe candidate, while also sharing the Jennings Trophy with Hasek for the league’s lowest goals against. Although he had previously won championships in Detroit, the 2008 run defined him as a veteran backup who seized control when it mattered, anchoring a title team with calm, efficient play.
Jaroslav Halak (Montreal Canadiens, 2010)
During the 2009-10 season, Jaroslav Halak split time with Carey Price before taking control of the crease for the Montreal Canadiens when it mattered most. Entering the playoffs as the eighth seed, Montreal leaned on Halak to upset the top-seeded Washington Capitals, and he delivered a historic stretch. Over the final three games of that series, Halak stopped 131 of 134 shots, including 53 saves in Game 6 and 41 in Game 7, shutting down Alex Ovechkin and one of the league’s most explosive offences.
Halak followed that performance by eliminating the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in another seven-game battle, finishing the 2010 playoffs with a .923 save percentage and 2.55 GAA across 18 starts. Although the Canadiens fell in the Eastern Conference Final, Halak’s run remains one of the most remarkable by a goalie who began the year as a backup, earning his place among the most impactful postseason performers in franchise history.
Ray Emery (Chicago Blackhawks, 2013)
During the lockout-shortened 2013 season, Ray Emery delivered one of the most dominant campaigns ever by a No. 2 goalie for the Chicago Blackhawks. Backing up Corey Crawford, Emery went 17–1–0 in 21 appearances with a 1.94 GAA, .922 save percentage, and three shutouts. He opened the year 12–0–0, setting an NHL record for a goalie’s season start, and finished among league leaders in multiple categories despite limited starts. Alongside Crawford, he captured the Jennings Trophy as Chicago posted the league’s best team defence.
Although Crawford handled the playoff workload en route to the Stanley Cup, Emery’s regular-season excellence gave Chicago stability and flexibility all year. His .944 winning percentage ranks among the most efficient seasons by any backup, underscoring how vital elite depth in goal can be for a championship contender.
Anton Khudobin (Dallas Stars, 2020)
In 2020, Anton Khudobin delivered one of the defining performances among the best NHL backup goalies of the modern era. Serving as the understudy to Ben Bishop during the regular season for the Dallas Stars, Khudobin stepped in when Bishop was sidelined in the playoff bubble. He appeared in 24 of Dallas’s 27 postseason games, posting a 14-10 record with a 2.69 GAA and .917 save percentage while guiding the Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. His .950 save percentage in the Western Conference Final against Vegas highlighted just how locked in he became at the biggest moments.
Khudobin’s run, punctuated by his famous “We’re not going home!” celebration, remains one of the clearest modern examples in any debate about the best backup goalie in NHL history. Though Dallas fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Final, Khudobin’s composure, athleticism, and timely saves carried an underdog deep into September and proved how a trusted No. 2 can transform into a postseason backbone overnight.