San Jose Sharks: Top Five Goalies In Franchise History

The San Jose Sharks have built a remarkably defined list of outstanding goaltenders in 27 seasons in the National Hockey League. With Martin Jones holding down the starting position in the 2018-2019 season, which Sharks goaltenders in franchise history stand out as the top five?

The San Jose Sharks goaltending has fluctuated going back to their inaugural season in 1991. A big reason as to why San Jose has appeared in the playoffs 20 out of the 27 years in the NHL is because of their dynamic success at tending the twine.

It is no secret that the biggest factor to finding success in the game is goaltending. It’s quite simple. Without consistent goaltending, teams won’t find themselves winning too many contests in an 82-game season and the potential postseasons that ensue.

The San Jose Sharks have had 28 goaltenders in the team’s history, 12 of which dawned a teal sweater for at least three years.

In order to determine the order for the top five goalies, I looked at each goaltender’s win/loss record, goals against average, save percentage, personal accomplishments, and overall appreciation from the organization and fan base.

For consideration, I only included the statistics and information based on their time in San Jose – meaning all factors with other teams and leagues do not count toward the rankings.

Without further ado, here are the top five goaltenders in San Jose Sharks history.

5. Vesa Toskala

Vesa Toskala entered the Sharks organization as the 90th overall pick in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. Amongst a loaded roster of talented goaltenders with names like Evgeni Nabokov and Mikka Kiprusoff, Toskala worked his way up through the Sharks organization and made his debut in teal in 2001. The Finnish netminder played with the Sharks through the 2006-2007 season, although he did not play during the 2004-2005 season.

Toskala earned a 65-28-10 record with an impressive 2.34 GAA and .914 save percentage in his five years with the San Jose Sharks. Toskala holds the best goals against average in franchise history for Sharks goaltenders who have played in at least 100 games.

Vesa Toskala racked up eight shutouts, half of which came during arguably his best season with the Sharks. Toskala was the main man in goal and led the Sharks to the postseason in his final year with San Jose. He started 11 games, posting a 2.45 GAA and .910 save percentage during that 2006 Stanley Cup playoff run that reached the Western Conference Semifinals.

Toskala finished off his time north of the border with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames before officially retiring on October 2, 2012.

4. Arturs Irbe

Arturs Irbe was the heart and soul in net for the San Jose Sharks in the early stages of the rising franchise in Silicon Valley. Irbe was the driving force to San Jose’s first-ever playoff run.

Irbe began his 13-year NHL career in 1991 with the San Jose Sharks that spanned to 1996 before signing as a free agent with the Dallas Stars. Irbe, born in the USSR, was a 10th round pick by the Minnesota North Stars in 1989.

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Luckily for Irbe, the Sharks gave him a shot and it proved out to be worth it. Two years later, the Latvian goaltender turned in his best season (1993-1994) as a Shark, and would finish top five in Vezina Trophy consideration.

Irbe posted a 2.84 goals against average and a .899 save percentage in 74 games started, all of which ranked among the top 10 at the time. His 1994 campaign also granted Irbe a spot on the All-Star team and led San Jose through the playoffs where he went 7-7 and established a 3.72 GAA and .875 save percentage.

Irbe played 183 games for San Jose, the fourth most among goaltenders in franchise history and composed a 57-91-26 record. He fought to sustain a respectable 3.47 GAA during a time when the Sharks came into the league as an expansion team that struggled early on.

Because he kept the young Sharks in so many games, Irbe quickly transformed into one of the most popular players. Irbe represented San Jose as the first goaltender to give them a legitimate shot to fight night in and night out.

2. Antti Niemi

Antti Niemi’s time in teal was a roller coaster – a ride that started off with tremendous loops and exceptional acceleration. However, like with every ride, there comes the finish line and Niemi’s story fell just short of a happy ending.

Niemi gave the Sharks hope when he joined Team Teal after winning the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, but that slowly dissipated by not satisfying expectations in the postseason.

During his five-year career with the San Jose Sharks, Niemi enjoyed some regular-season prosperity. Niemi went 123-69-28 with 20 shutouts and putting up a remarkable 2.40 GAA and .917 save percentage during the regular season with San Jose. His worst goals against average was 2.59, which came in his final year with the Sharks. Not too shabby!

Niemi could have made a strong case for the number one spot if it wasn’t for his poor performance in the postseason. The Finnish netminder has a record of 19-20 and his GAA jumped to 2.79 through tough stretches in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Niemi skated with the Sharks until he was traded to Dallas for a late draft pick in 2015. The 35-year-old goaltender currently serves as a backup to Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens.

1. Evgeni Nabokov

Last, but not least, all Sharks fans’ favorite netminder: Evgeni Nabokov.

Nabby holds almost every record for goaltenders in Sharks history: Games played (563), wins (293), shutouts (50), saves (13,463), and points (10). The Kazakhstani-Russian goaltender was a 9th-round selection by the San Jose Sharks in 1994 and he did not disappoint as a highly touted sleeper pick.

In his 10 seasons with San Jose, the two-time All-Star put up a 2.39 GAA and .912 save percentage. After joining the team in 1999, he became the favorite for the starting position – a role he did not relinquish for nine out of the ten years.

Nabokov dazzled his rookie year (2000-2001), earning a 2.19 GAA and .915 save percentage in 66 games. At the age of 25, he went on to win the first Calder Trophy by a goaltender in Sharks history ahead of phenomenal seasons from forwards Brad Richards and Martin Havlat.

Nabokov is also the only goaltender in San Jose’s 27 years of existence in the NHL to score a goal.

On March 12, 2002, Nabokov fired the puck right down the ice and picked the corner, sealing a 7-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Along with that goal, Nabokov tallied 9 assists for a franchise-high 10 points at the goalie position.

Nabby weathered the storm throughout his playoff career with a 40-38 record, 2.29 GAA, and .913 save percentage. Nabokov led his team to the playoffs in nine seasons, but never reached the Western Conference Finals or the Stanley Cup.

With the endless chants of “Nabby! Nabby!” that buzzed throughout The Tank during his time and the No. 20 jerseys that still rise throughout the sea of teal, Nabokov, without a doubt, the best goaltender in the history of the San Jose Sharks.