The top-10 goalies to have debuted during the 1999-2000 season and beyond

They say you have to be at least a little bit crazy to volunteer to take up mantle in a goal crease and allow opposing players to wire a hard rubber disc at you at high speeds 30+ times per game. Nevertheless, goalies do this every day to hopefully build up a resume good enough to one day land a goaltending gig in the National Hockey League.

We have seen some great netminders assume their position between the posts and display their guts and their passion, throwing themselves in front of pucks, sometimes being fired at 100+ mph at hockey's highest level - particularly in the last 20+ years, when the flex on sticks has increased. At the end of the day, we'd be doing NHL goalies a disservice if we didn't stop to appreciate them now and again.

On Saturday, The NHL Network released a list of the top-10 goaltenders, according to their records, to have debuted during the 1999-2000 season or later - and boy, oh boy, were we ever treated to some fantastic netminders over the last 21-22 years. The list, as they have it, breaks down as follows:

1. Marc-Andre Fleury

2. Roberto Luongo

3. Henrik Lundqvist

4. Andrei Vasilevskiy

5. Tim Thomas

6. Jonathan Quick

7. Carey Price

8. Corey Crawford

9. Tuukka Rask

10. Braden Holtby

While it is easy to look at this list and make an argument as to why you think some of these goaltenders deserve to be ranked higher or lower, I think it's a pretty safe bet that every guy on this list deserves to be somewhere in the top-10.

Guys who have won Stanley Cups, especially multiple Cups, probably do deserve to take up the higher spots. Then again, it's difficult to look at guys like Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundqvist, who have both been very, very close to winning Stanley Cups, excluded from the top-5 simply because the teams in front of them couldn't get it done.

The 2000's certainly have been a wonderful time to be a hockey fan, specifically if you enjoy watching acrobatic goaltenders deliver 10-bell saves on a routine basis.

There's also a certain passing of the torch here with Andrei Vasilevskiy listed as number 4. The 27-year-old netminder is the youngest on this list and is sure to usher in the next wave of exceptional goaltenders, which could include names like Spencer Knight, Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin and Carter Hart.

It's humbling to look at a list like this, which contains so many ace goaltenders and to think that most of these guys either have already retired or will retire in the coming years.

Nevertheless, it's fun to look back on their body of work with admiration and respect and speculate on who the next crop that has a chance to fill their shoes will be.

MUST READ

52 minutes ago  |  By Daniel Lucente Chicago Bears Fire Head Coach Matt Eberflus After the Official City Account Demands He Be Replaced

1 hour ago  |  By Julien Trekker New York Rangers Reportedly Pursuing Trade for 100-Point Western Conference Forward

2 hours ago  |  By Julien Trekker Toronto Maple Leafs Run Into Major Obstacle With Mitch Marner Contract Talks

4 hours ago  |  By Daniel Lucente Controversial Joel Quenneville Linked to Atlantic Team for Head Coaching Role

15 hours ago  |  By Tyler Ball New York Rangers Reportedly Place Another Core Player on the Trade Block per Darren Dreger

17 hours ago  |  By TJ Tucker Insider reveals Mikko Rantanen's massive ask on his next contract

18 hours ago  |  By Tom Banks Ottawa Senators' Adam Gaudette Snaps at Reporter After Disrespectful Question

20 hours ago  |  By Tom Banks Patrick Roy's Latest Interview Exposes Rising Tensions Between Him and GM Lou Lamoriello

MORE STORIES