Pittsburgh Penguins History: Best Thirty-Eight Game Goaltender Performances
By Rob Joncas
A look at who was the best Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender to play 38 games.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray played in 38 games this season, but where does it rank amongst the other Penguins goalies that played 38 games in a season?
With the NHL’s regular season in the books, and the Pittsburgh Penguins completing 69 of 82 games, with Matt Murray playing the bulk of the games, making 38 appearances.
Murray joins three other Penguins goaltenders that played 38 games in a season, and here is a look back at who was the cream of the crop.
Denis Herron
Herron was a three-time a Penguin, appearing with the club from 1972-75 then again from 1976-79, but it was during his third stint with the club where he met the criteria to make our list.
Herron appeared in 38 games for the Penguins in the 1983-84 season, and put together a record of 8-24-2, with a goals-against-average (GAA) of 4.10.
Herron made 1055 saves on 1193 shots, which translated to 107 goals against.
Ken Wregget
Wregget is Penguins royalty and should be considered amongst the best goaltenders to play for the team.
Look no further than his stellar postseason performances, especially during the Penguins run to the 1996 Conference Finals for proof.
Wregget earned a GAA of 3.24 and a record of 25-9-2 through 38 GP in the 1995-96 season. Wregget also amassed 14 penalty minutes (PIM) and made 1011 saves on 1219 shots for 118 goals against.
Marc-Andre Fleury
You would be hard-pressed to find a better example in professional hockey of player that is so revered by his teammates and opponents alike than Fleury.
Fleury’s career reads like a true redemption story and has been filled with as many twists and turns as a fantastical spy novel. One thing is for sure, Fleury is hall-of-fame bound.
Fleury went 18-10-7 with a GAA of 3.02 with one shutout in 38 GP during the 2016-17 season.
Fleury made 1074 saves on 1181 shots and allowed 107 goals and also earned 6 PIM.
Matt Murray
Try and find a more polarizing player in Penguins history than Murray. Penguins fans have cannibalized the potential free agent dating back to the 2017 NHL expansion draft, which saw Fleury depart the club in a rather ceremoniously way.
Of the four goaltenders, Murray owns the best GAA (2.87) for a Penguins goaltender that appeared in 38 games.
Despite being an “off” season for the two-time Stanley Cup winner, Murray put together a record of 20-11-5, with one shut-out and 2 PIM.
Murray made 948 stops on 1055 shots and allowed 107 goals.
Who was favorite goaltender to make our list and did any of the names surprise you?