John Vanbiesbrouck, New York Rangers, 1985-86
John Vanbiesbrouck was a rookie in 1984-85, appearing in 42 games and sharing goaltending duties with veteran Glen Hanlon. However, when the playoffs started, Hanlon played all but 26 seconds of five games in the Patrick Division Semifinals won by the New York Islanders.
We’re including the “Beezer” because the next season marked his first as the Rangers’ main guy in the crease and because he was a Stanley Cup rookie that postseason. He didn’t disappoint.
Vanbiesbrouck won the Vezina Trophy, finished fifth in voting for the Hart Trophy, and led the Blueshirts (78 points) to playoff upsets of Philadelphia (110 points) and Washington (107 points). The Flyers and Caps had the NHL’s highest point totals behind the Edmonton Oilers (119 points).
In the Conference Finals, Vanbiesbrouck posted a 2.90 GAA and save percentage of .900, but Patrick Roy was an absolute beast for Montreal as the Canadiens won in five games.
Next, a rival goalie who fought as well as he played his position, and even chipped in on offense with a goal and 27 assists.
Ron Hextall, Philadelphia Flyers, 1986-87
His grandfather was Bryan Hextall Sr., the late Hall of Fame winger who led the Rangers in scoring four times and the NHL once, and scored in overtime of Game Six of the 1940 Finals to oust Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens.
His father, Bryan, played 549 NHL games, including 21 for the Rangers. And his uncle, Dennis, appeared in 681 league matches, including 13 with the Blueshirts.
To say Ron Hextall comes from a hockey family would be an understatement. To say he wasn’t one of the best all-time rookies in NHL history would be inaccurate.
No Rangers fan will readily admit to admiring Hextall. Why would they? He played for bitter rivals Philadelphia and the Islanders, and was among the most-volatile (and dirty) players in NHL history (as evidenced by his league-record 584 career penalty minutes among goalies).
But he deserves credit for a great rookie campaign in which he nearly helped the Flyers knock off the dynastic Oilers.
In his first season playing for the team that calls Broad Street in South Philly home, Hextall led all goaltenders with 66 appearances, 37 wins, and save percentage of 90. He also led in minutes (3,792), shots against (1,929) and saves (1,739), and was rewarded with the Vezina Trophy. He narrowly lost the Calder Trophy to Luc Robitaille.
In the postseason, Hextall helped the Flyers take out the Rangers, Islanders and Roy’s Canadiens before falling in seven to the high-octane Oilers in the Finals. Edmonton scored 372 goals during the season, 54 more goals than the next best team.
Hextall had a 3.09 GAA average and .903 SP in the Finals. In six games of the Patrick Division Semifinals against the Rangers, he posted a .929 SP and two shutouts, including one in the series-clincher at Madison Square Garden.