By definition, a one-year wonder is a player who has one solid season and then is never heard from again. I’m not going to lie, it was difficult to find 15 NHL goalies who meet that definition, so I expanded it just a bit. Here are 15 of the biggest one-year goalie wonders in NHL history.
Who are the 15 goalie one-year wonders in the NHL?
Andrew Hammond
Andrew Hammond was a late bloomer, beginning his career in 2014-15 at 26 years of age, with a record of 20-1-2 with a 1.79 GAA. Finishing 15th for the Hart Trophy and 7th for the Vezina as a rookie, Hammond looked destined for stardom. He would play another 42 games over parts of 4 seasons before ending his career.
Jim Carey
After a stellar 28-game showcase during the 1994-95 NHL season, Jim Carey was named the starting goalie for Washington in 1995-96. He would go on to win 35 games with nine shutouts, be named to the NHL first All-Star team, and win the Vezina. He was traded to Boston but faltered and was out of the NHL 2 years later.
Steve Penney
Named to the All-Rookie team and a finalist for the Calder and Vezina Trophies in 1984-85, Steve Penney appeared ready to backstop Montreal to a Stanley Cup. He played 18 games the next year before suffering an injury. While rehabbing, he was replaced by Patrick Roy, and after 15 games over the next two years, he was out of the league.
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Andrew Raycroft
It might be a stretch to consider a player with an 11-year career a one-year wonder, but Andrew Raycroft meets the criteria… kinda. He won the Calder Trophy as a rookie with Boston in 2003-04, and two years later won 37 games. Despite that early success, he was relegated to backup goalie status before retiring in the NHL.
Scott Foster
Meet Scott Foster, the one-game wonder! A former player in the Western Ontario Hockey League and at Western Michigan University, Foster was signed to be the Blackhawks’ emergency backup goaltender for a game in 2018. Foster was forced into action, saved all seven shots he faced, and never played again.
Brian Boucher
Brian Boucher was named to the All-Rookie team and finished in the top 10 for both the Vezina and Calder Trophies, but failed to live up to the hype. Viewed as the long-term answer to the Flyers, he never matched his early success. Boucher did hang around as a serviceable backup for another ten years.
Dan Blackburn
After starting goalie Mike Richter suffered an injury, the Rangers turned to Dan Blackburn to save the team. Over the next two NHL seasons, he played 63 games, but NY wanted a more experienced goalie. Blackburn was essentially buried in the minors by the Rangers before suffering an injury and retiring from hockey in 2005.
Pascal LeClaire
A 1st round draft pick by the Blue Jackets, Pascal LeClaire played sparingly over his first 3 seasons in the league. In the 2007-08 season, he was given his chance to start, finishing with 24 wins and a 2.25 GAA. LeClaire faltered the next season, traded to Ottawa, and was out of the league two years later.
Andre Racicot
Drafted in the 4th Round by the Montreal Canadiens, Andre Racicot was put in a bad position from day one. The Habs’ current starting goalie was just entering his prime years as an NHL player and was named Patrick Roy. Racicot played sparingly over 5 seasons, but had his most success in 1992-93, his next to last year in the league.
Scott Darling
Scott Darling showed promise while starting 64 games with a 2.37 GAA over 3 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks before getting his time to shine with the Hurricanes in 2017-18. He started 40 games for Carolina but didn’t match his performance in Chicago. Only eight more games the next year, and Darling was out of the league.
Ben Scrivens
Originally called up to the Maple Leafs in an emergency situation, Ben Scrivens went on to start 12 games in 2011-12. Promoted to backup goalie the next year, he was subsequently traded to Los Angeles, and then Edmonton, where he would start 57 games in the 2014-15 NHL season. Another trade to Montreal brought an end to Scrivens’ career.
Jeff Zatkoff
After bouncing around the minors for several years, Jeff Zatkoff finally made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2013-14 season. He won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Rangers in 2016 and, as a result, earned a Stanley Cup ring. Zatkoff was traded to Los Angeles the next year, and his career fizzled out shortly after.
Anton Khudobin
This entry might be cheating just a little bit. Anton Khudobin played 260 games with 114 wins, a 2.52 GAA, and a .916 save percentage, over 14 years with the Wild, Bruins, Hurricanes, Ducks, Stars, and Blackhawks. So why is he here? He was a decent NHL goalie who spent 14 years with six clubs and was primarily a backup goaltender.
Jim Craig
Jim Craig became an American sports icon as a result of the 1980 Winter Olympics. He was 6-0 with a 2.14 GAA and .916 save percentage, backstopping the US team to a Gold Medal. Life in the NHL was different. Craig never started more than 23 games in a season and only played a total of 30 games across 3 seasons.
Manon Rheaume
Manon Rhueame had a very successful amateur career, winning two gold medals at the IIHL Women’s World Championships and a Silver medal at the ‘98 Olympics, before playing in the International Hockey League from 1192-1997. In 1992 and 1993, Rheaume was granted tryouts with Tampa Bay, resulting in playing parts of two preseason games for the Lightning.
