John "Beezer" Vanbiesbrouck

Last updated

BIOGRAPHY

BORN: Detroit, Michigan, September 4, 1963.
HOME:
HEIGHT: 5'8"-5'9".
WEIGHT: 172-176 lbs.
UNIFORM #: 34 (NY Rangers, Florida, Philadelphia, United States)
CATCHES: Left
SALARY (1996-97): $2,200,000

STYLE: Inverted-V.
STRENGTHS: Strong technical game, lightning-quick reflexes, anticipation and confidence. Very agressive. Plays breakaways very well. Very active and competent with stick. Good conditioning, good attitude.
WEAKNESSES: Stick side low. Small size limits net coverage. Is now entering his post-prime, and when reflex goaltenders go, they go fast.
Name pronounced van-BEES-bruk

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"John Vanbiesbrouck played better than ever the last month of the regular season and in the playoffs. Everyone on the club knew he was the main reason the team advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. After earning his second All-Star berth, Vanbiesbrouck struggled in January and February, getting pulled in six of 17 starts. Speculation swirled that the franchise's most popular player might be replaced by Mark Fitzpatrick. But Vanbiesbrouck rebounded to finish the year with a 26-20-7 record. He was outstanding throughout the playoffs, making the impossible save look routine." (The Sporting News Hockey Yearbook 1996-97, p. 58)

"Last year will be a tough act to follow. As The Beezer goes, so go the Panthers." (ESPN Hockey 96, p. 77)

"The Panthers' main strength has come from their goaltending since acquiring Vanbiesbrouck and [G Mark] Fitzpatrick in the 1993 expansion draft. Vanbiesbrouck posted a 27-19-10 record last season with a career-best 2.29 goals-against average. His 91.9 save percentage was sixth best in the league." (The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p. 117)

"The Panthers are blessed to have not one, but two excellent netminders. Vanbiesbrouck is one of the league's best and backup Fitzpatrick had an equally strong season. It's the best one-two punch in the NHL." (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 109)

"Bobby Clarke was widely criticized for signing Vanbiesbrouck and not Curtis Joseph or Mike Richter on the free-agent market. The critics were proven right when he stumbled during the first round of the playoffs against Toronto. A good goals-against average, an average save percentage. A smart goalie with good reflexes. Gets victimized by giving up too many soft goals. He will be the No. 1 goaltender and will play a lot until one of the kids on the Phantoms is ready." (The Sports Forecaster 1999-2000, p. 115)

"A butterfly goalie, Vanbiesbrouck covers his angles well and is still quite quick. Nonetheless, the former Vezina Trophy winner isn't the netminder he once was. Entering his 19th season, "Beezer", who reached the 800-game plateau last year, lost his No. 1 status to the brilliant Brian Boucher as the season wore on in Philly. Now with the Isles, "Beezer" will most likely see as many shots per game as he once did while with the expansion Panthers a few years back. A mature vet, he'll prove to be a steadying influence." (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 94)


TRANSACTIONS:

ACCOLADES:

VEZINA TROPHY BALLOTING (1983-84 to PRESENT):

PTS1st2nd3rdRANKSHARE
1985-866093610.57
1986-87610160.06
1987-881212160.11
1988-89610140.06
1991-92701460.06
1993-9464610420.49
1994-951111360.08
1995-961120170.08
1996-97100170.01

ALL-STAR TEAM BALLOTING (1983-84 to PRESENT):

PTS1st2nd3rdRANKSHARE
1985-861852222910.62
1987-881303490.04
1988-891001100.00
1991-92100190.00
1993-941046201420.39
1995-96100180.00
1996-97401140.02

INJURIES:

FIRSTS:

RECORDS:

PENALTY SHOTS:

DISCIPLINE:

DID YOU KNOW?

SEASON RECORDS:

REGULAR SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   T    GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
80-81 Sault St. Marie Greyh.OMJHL 56   2941  31  16   1   203   4.14                    0
81-82 Sault St. Marie Greyhou.OHL 31   1686  12  12   2   102   3.63                    0
      New York Rangers NHL         1     60   1   0   0     1   1.00      30   .967     0   0   0     0    30.00 1016.67
82-83 Sault St. Marie Greyhou.OHL 62   3471  39  21   1   209   3.61                    0
83-84 Tulsa Oilers CHL            37   2153  20  13   2   124   3.46                    3
      New York Rangers NHL         3    180   2   1   0    10   3.33      85   .882     0   0   0     2    28.33  929.58
84-85 New York Rangers NHL        42   2358  12  24   3   166   4.22    1346   .877     1   0   5    17    34.25  933.75
85-86 New York Rangers NHL        61   3326  31  21   5   184   3.32    1625   .887     3   0   3    16    29.31  935.63
86-87 New York Rangers NHL        50   2656  18  20   5   161   3.64    1369   .882     0   0   1    18    30.93  933.94
87-88 New York Rangers NHL        56   3319  27  22   7   187   3.38    1700   .890     2   0   5    46    30.73  941.22
88-89 New York Rangers NHL        56   3207  28  21   4   197   3.69    1666   .882     0   0   2    30    31.17  933.70
89-90 New York Rangers NHL        47   2734  19  19   7   154   3.38    1362   .887     1   0   2    24    29.89  936.75
90-91 New York Rangers NHL        40   2257  15  18   6   126   3.35    1154   .891     3   0   3    18    30.68  941.94
91-92 United States CANADA CUP     1     60   1   0   0     3   3.00      16   .813     0
      New York Rangers NHL        45   2526  27  13   3   120   2.85    1331   .910     2   0   3    23    31.26  962.53
92-93 New York Rangers NHL        48   2757  20  18   7   152   3.31    1525   .900     4   0   1    18    33.19  955.64
93-94 Florida Panthers NHL        57   3440  21  25  11   145   2.53    1912   .924     1   0   0    38    33.35  979.74
94-95 Florida Panthers NHL        37   2087  14  15   4    86   2.47    1000   .914     4   0   1     6    28.95  961.92
95-96 Florida Panthers NHL        57   3177  26  20   7   142   2.68    1473   .904     2   0   2    10    27.82  949.96
96-97 Florida Panthers NHL        57   3347  27  19  10   128   2.29    1582   .919     2   0   2     8    28.36  966.36
97-98 Florida Panthers NHL        60   3451  18  29  11   165   2.87    1638   .899     4   0   3     6    28.48  946.73
      United States OLYMPIC        1      1   0   0   0     0   0.00       1  1.000     0   0   0     0
98-99 Philadelphia Flyers NHL     62   3712  27  18  15   135   2.18    1380   .902     6   0   1    12    22.31  939.35
99-00 Philadelphia Flyers NHL     50   2950  25  15   9   108   2.20    1143   .906     3   0   1     6    23.25  944.26
00-01 New York Islanders NHL      44   2390  10  25   5   120   3.01    1177   .898     1   0   0     8    29.55  947.29
      New Jersey Devils NHL        4    240   4   0   0     6   1.50      93   .935     1   0   0     0    23.25  974.23
01-02 New Jersey Devils NHL        5    300   2   3   0    10   2.00     117   .915     0   0   0     4    23.40  953.53
TWENTY (20) NHL SEASONS          882  50474 374 346 119  2503   2.98   24708  0.899    40   0  35   306    29.37  947.65

POST-SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
80-81 Sault St. Marie Greyh.OMJHL 11    457   3   3   24   3.15                    1
81-82 Sault St. Marie Greyhou.OHL  7    276   1   4   20   4.35                    0
82-83 Sault St. Marie Greyhou.OHL 16    944   7   6   56   3.56                    1
83-84 New York Rangers NHL         1      1   0   0    0   0.00       0    ---     0   0   0     0    -----  ------
      Tulsa Oilers CHL             4    240   4   0   10   2.50                    0
84-85 New York Rangers NHL         1     20   0   0    0   0.00      12  1.000     0   0   0     0    36.00 1060.00
85-86 New York Rangers NHL        16    899   8   8   49   3.27     477   .897     1   0   2     2    31.84  950.33
86-87 New York Rangers NHL         4    195   1   3   11   3.38     110   .900     1   0   0     2    33.85  956.41
88-89 New York Rangers NHL         2    107   0   1    6   3.36      55   .891     0   0   0     0    30.84  942.31
89-90 New York Rangers NHL         6    298   2   3   15   3.02     153   .902     0   0   0     4    30.81  953.30
90-91 New York Rangers NHL         1     52   0   0    1   1.15      22   .955     0   0   0     0    25.38  996.85
91-92 New York Rangers NHL         7    368   2   5   23   3.75     179   .872     0   0   0     2    29.18  920.15
95-96 Florida Panthers NHL        22   1331  12  10   50   2.25     735   .932     1   0   1    20    33.13  987.19
96-97 Florida Panthers NHL         5    327   1   4   13   2.39     184   .929     1   0   0     0    33.76  985.62
98-99 Philadelphia Flyers NHL      6    369   2   4    9   1.46     146   .938     1   0   0     2    23.74  977.92
ELEVEN (11) NHL POSTSEASONS       71   3967  28  38  177   2.68    2073  0.915     5   0   3    32    31.35  966.87

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