Cam Ward

On the road to the 2006 Stanley Cup, Ward set several milestones- all of which were last achieved by Roy in 1986. He became the first rookie goalie in 20 years to record a shutout in the Stanley Cup Finals, the first rookie in 20 years to start a game in the Finals, and one of eleven rookies to record a shutout in the Finals. He tied the rookie record for wins in the playoffs, previously held by only Roy and Ron Hextall, and became the first rookie goalie to win the Conn Smythe Trophy since Hextall in 1987.

Great Rookie Tenders with Stanley Cup Success.

Cam Ward #30 Goaltender Carolina Hurricanes Height: 6-1 Weight: 200
Shoots: Left
Born: Feb 29, 1984 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Draft: 2002 - 1st round (25th overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes


Dream comes true for Ward
By Larry Wigge | NHL.com columnist
June 21, 2006

A piece taken from this article:

But seeing a rookie goalie like Ward overcome the usual nerves and pressures that normally requires a veteran netminder's poise and guile to take a team all the way to a championship becomes more than just a sidelight to the story behind the success of the Hurricanes this season. Especially when you consider that Ward is only the fourth rookie goaltender to win a Stanley Cup, joining Frank McCool with Toronto in 1945, Ken Dryden with Montreal in 1971 and Patrick Roy, also with Montreal, in 1986.

Great Rookie seasons, Do outstanding Rookie Netminders bring Stanley Cup Success?

The idea that a never before seen talent could come into a side, a National League and have the impact of heavily contributing to a teams Stanley Cup success is a romantic idea I would like to research, the undiscovered talent that shuts out the leagues celebrated legends. As I am also really interested in finding out more about net minders, where better to start than Ed Belfour and one of the greatest rookie seasons in NHL history.




In the 1989-90 season, Belfour began with the Canadian national men's hockey team, but was recalled by the Blackhawks for their postseason and set a 4-2 postseason mark with a 2.49 GAA. The next season, Belfour became the starting goalie, and turned in what many consider to be one of the best rookie seasons in NHL history. He notched 43 victories in 74 games (both NHL rookie and Blackhawk team records), finished the season with a 2.47 GAA and 4 shutouts. For his success, he received the Calder Memorial Trophy for outstanding play by a rookie, the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender and the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest team goals-against. He was also nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player, unprecedented at that time for a goaltender and rookie (Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues won the award). He would win the Vezina Trophy again in 1993 and the Jennings Trophy in 1993, 1995, and 1999.

Belfour helped lead the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Finals in the 1991-92 season, where they eventually lost in 4 games to the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Mario Lemieux.


Great season, but no Stanley Cup.

Is it just about whose between the pipes?

Doing this research I have found that in many cases great net minders definitely contribute to their teams championship succeeds, if not being the complete reason. However, in some cases great net minders have got their teams to the final and been denied the ultimate gaol. So, what else plays a part if not the greatest of net minders? In the next part of this research idea I am going to return to Ed Belfour and then further explore the impact of Great Rookies and draft picks, does getting the draft pick right or finding new undiscovered talent move a side closer to Stanley Cup success?