TORONTO - Patrick Roy. Ed Belfour. Curtis Joseph. Martin Brodeur.
The first two are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Brodeur might one day have his own wing in the joint when all is said and done. And there are those of us who believe Cujo belongs there too, although there are legitimate arguments to be made both for and against him.
Just call it the Golden Age of Canadian goaltending.
It started when Roy’s Cinderella rookie season culminated with magical Stanley Cup run with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986. In the subsequent 27 years, these four goalies took turns thrilling fans and frustrating shooters en route to piling up an impressive cache of hockey hardware.
But now, with Roy, Belfour and Joseph well-entrenched in retirement and the seemingly ageless Brodeur appearing to be near the end of his illustrious career, a position that once was considered Canada’s strength is being perceived in some circles as its weakness.
