St Louis Blues: Top 30 Goaltenders in Franchise History

Feb 3, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Curtis Sanford (30) during warm-ups before a game against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

19. Curtis Sanford

2002-07; 73 games, 26-26-10 record, .901 save percentage, 2.79 GAA, 4 shutouts

Sanford played during a bad era of St Louis Blues hockey, but he’s one of the most dependable backup goalies that the organization has ever had. He helped lift the Blues up as a rookie during a hectic 2002-03 season where the club used seven different goalies, playing in eight games and amassing a 5-1 record.

As if that wasn’t enough, he came to the rescue again during the 2005-06 season. Sanford ended up starting 31 games after veteran trade acquisition Patrick Lalime, who had been one of the league’s best goalies before the lockout, was immensely disappointing and amassed a 4-18-8 record with a 3.64 GAA and .881 save percentage.

Sanford, in contrast, was a solid 13-13-5 with a 2.66 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Though he was sidelined in March by a sprained MCL, Sanford succeeded when he was given the starting opportunity, and perhaps if the Blues had turned to him earlier, they wouldn’t have been so bad in 2005-06.

Sanford spent one more nondescript season, 2006-07, with the Blues as Manny Legace’s backup before joining the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent.

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