Where does Curtis Joseph fit in the pantheon of all-time great goaltenders?
A couple of weeks ago the hockey world feted Martin Brodeur after he set the all-time record for wins. This week Joseph, in what almost certainly will be his final NHL season, found himself one loss away from tying the all-time loss record (352) held by Gump Worsley. Joseph’s defeats are offset by 453 victories, good for fourth on the all-time list. The personable netminder, who was never drafted, is surrounded by Hall of Famers among the top-10 winningest goalies, but never having won a Cup or having appeared in a Stanley Cup final will likely cost Joseph an invitation to the Hall when he’s eligible. But regardless of how it shakes out for Joseph, he will leave the game having enjoyed some great moments, including one of the greatest saves in playoff history during his Edmonton Oilers’ upset of Dallas in Game 7 of the 1997 playoffs, a save that robbed Joe Nieuwendyk; Todd Marchant scored the game-winner for the Oilers in overtime. Joseph also will leave the game as one of hockey’s sta
