41 Days to Go: Shutouts, Made in America

Our countdown to the start of the season continues, with 41 days to go.

Now that Jonathan Quick has broken virtually every franchise goaltending record for the Los Angeles Kings, he has to look at different targets. One target he caught last year: himself, as he broke his own single-season record for wins. Another one: the American record for all-time shutouts. In blanking the Chicago Blackhawks on March 14, Quick earned his 41st career shutout and set a new mark for goaltenders born in the USA. (His reaction was typically unassuming.)

If he goes at the same pace, Quick could set this bar really, really high. As of the end of 2016, here’s what the American-born standings look like. (Teams listed are those each player earned at least one shutout for. Birthplaces from nhl.com.)

American-Born NHL Shutout Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	BORN	G	SO
Jonathan Quick	LAK	Milford, Conn.	475	42
John Vanbiesbrouck	NYR/FLA/PHI/NYI/NJD	Detroit, Mich.	882	40
Frank Brimsek	BOS/CHI	Eveleth, Minn.	514	40
Tom Barrasso	BUF/PIT/CAR/STL	Boston, Mass.	777	38
Ryan Miller	BUF/VAN/STL	East Lansing, Mich.	655	36
Craig Anderson	CHI/FLA/COL/OTT	Park Ridge. Ill.	466	33
Tim Thomas	BOS	Flint, Mich.	426	31
Guy Hebert	STL/ANA	Troy, N.Y.	491	28
Mike Karakas	CHI/MTL	Aurora, Minn.	336	28
Mike Richter	NYR	Abington, Pa.	666	24

With both Miller and Anderson past their 35th birthday, it’s not even a guarantee that either will even get to 42 at this point. Cory Schneider probably will, but he has just 22 so far, and he’s only three months younger than Quick! (I know what you’re thinking… John Gibson has six.)

It’s not an unbreakable record by any means, but the stage is set for Quick to hold this record for a long time. If he can do what he’s done that last three years for the life of his contract, he’ll put that record out in the distance. How far out? He’d crack the all-time top ten in shutouts in the deal’s final season in 2023. Pretty good.

Next up: This is 40.

American-Born NHL Shutout Leaders

Talking Points