90s era expansion goalies: the good, the bad, and the confusing

Arguably the most important position in the game, obtaining a franchise goalie is an integral part of a team's success. The six expansion teams in the 1990s had varying experiences when it comes to the goalies they selected in the expansion draft, with those experiences very much a part of an early successes (or more likely failures) of these teams. Let’s take a look at each team’s experience in turn, beginning with San Jose in 1991.

1991: San Jose

The 1991 dispersal/expansion draft was a weird one. The new San Jose Sharks were allowed to pick 14 skaters and two goalies from the Minnesota North Stars’ roster, and after that the teams went back and forth selecting players until San Jose had 30 players on its roster. Through this process, San Jose selected five goalies from the North Stars. Two of them, Bryan Schoen and Scott Cashman, never made the NHL. Brian Hayward was at the end of an injury plagued career, playing in only 25 games over two seasons before retiring, however, he did record the win in San Jose’s first victory. Jarmo Myllys played 27 games in the first season, winning only three before being traded to Toronto for cash.

Arturs Irbe was the big catch, playing five seasons with the Sharks, with 1994 being a banner year where he played in the all-star game and finished fifth in Vezina voting. He was a major contributor to the Sharks’ upset of Detroit in the first round of the playoffs that season as well.

Outside of the dispersal draft, both San Jose and Minnesota were also able to select 10 players each from existing NHL rosters; each NHL team was able to protect two goalies. The Sharks selected Jeff Hackett from the New York Islanders. He posted a 13-57-2 record over two seasons as the nominal starter before being traded to Chicago for a draft pick in 1993.

1992: Ottawa and Tampa Bay

For the 1992 expansion draft, teams were allowed to protect two goalies each, severely limiting the player pool. Teams were required to make available a goalie with one NHL game of experience, leading to schenanigans such as Washington signing a 40-year old financial planner who hadn't played in the NHL since 1979. As such, Ottawa and Tampa Bay each selected only two goalies. 

Ottawa first selected Peter Sidorkiewicz from Hartford. The Senators’ starter in the first season won only eight of 64 games, and led the league in losses and goals against. He was rewarded for the impossible task he was given by being the team’s representative in the all-star game that season. Mercifully Sidorkiewicz was traded in 1993 to New Jersey for Craig Billington and Troy Mallette. Mark Laforest (New York Rangers) was Ottawa’s second goalie seleced, and he played in five games for the team in what would be his final NHL season.

Tampa Bay’s first goalie chosen was Wendell Young from Pittsburgh. He won nine games in 40 appearances over two seasons before he was traded back to the Penguins in 1995; Young went on to have a significant minor league career. The Lightning’s second goalie selected was Frederic Chabot from Montreal, who was traded back to the Canadiens a day later for goalie Jean-Claude Bergeron. Bergeron won 14 games in 53 appearances over three seasons with Tampa before signing with Los Angeles as a free agent.

1993: Florida and Anaheim

After the trying starts for San Jose, Ottawa and Tampa Bay the NHL changed the expansion draft rules for 1993, allowing teams to protect only one goalie. As a result, Florida and Anaheim’s franchises got off to much better starts.

Case in point, Florida selected John Vanbiesbrouck from Vancouver. In five seasons with the Panthers he won 106 games, and in his second season played in the all-star game, was a second team all-star, and a finalist in both Vezina and Hart Trophy voting. Beezer played in two other all-star games and led the Panthers to the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals. He left for Philadelphia as a free agent in 1998. The Panthers second goalie chosen was Mark Fitzpatrick (Quebec), whose career is detailed below, forming an effective tandem with Vanbiesbrouck for five seasons before being traded to Tampa Bay. The Panthers’ final goalie selection was used on Daren Puppa (Toronto), who was selected by Tampa Bay the following day in phase two of the expansion draft.

As an aside, in the 1993 expansion draft San Jose, Ottawa and Tampa Bay were each allowed to select up to two players from Florida and Anaheim.

Anaheim fared almost as well as Florida, select Guy Hebert from St. Louis with their first goalie pick. He played eight seasons with the Mighty Ducks, winning 173 games. Hebert played in the 1997 all-star game, twice finished top six in Vezina voting and led the NHL in shots against and saves in 1999. In March 2007 he was selected off waivers by the New York Rangers. The Mighty Ducks’ second goalie selected was Glenn Healy from the New York Islanders, who like Daren Puppa with Florida, was scooped by Tampa Bay in phase two of the expansion draft. Anaheim’s final goalie selection was Ron Tugnutt from Edmonton. Tugnutt was Hebert’s backup in Mighty Ducks' inaugural season, winning 10 games. In February 1994 he was traded to Montreal for Stephan Lebeau, who scored 34 points in 60 games with the Mighty Ducks before leaving to play in Europe.

600- Checklist

601 - Peter Douris

For a guy who only scored only 121 career points, Douris receives a second card in the set. And it is not like he even switched teams during the season, as his first card in the set is featured here. Let's chalk this one up to poor quality control at Upper Deck. This Reddit thread tries to unravel the mystery.

602 - Mark Fitzpatrick

A goaltender, Fitzpatrick was drafted 27th overall by Los Angeles in 1987 after winning a Memorial Cup with Medicine Hat in the WHL. He returned to the Tigers for the 1987-88 season, won another Memorial Cup, and was named a tournament all-star and tournament top goalie.

Fitzpatrick turned pro in the 1988-89 season, splitting time between the AHL and the NHL. In February of that season he was traded to the New York Islanders with Wayne McBean and Doug Crossman for Kelly Hrudey. Split between the two teams, Fitzpatrick posted a 9-12-5 record, 3.98 goals against and .880 save percentage. The following season he became the starter for the Isles, earning a 19-19-5 record across 47 games, and finishing second in the NHL with three shutouts. 

Early in the 1990-91 season Fitzpatrick contracted Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, a potentially fatal neurological disease, limiting his season to two games. He returned to play 30 games the following season in a secondary role to Glenn Healy, earning himself the Masterton Trophy. In June 1993 he was traded to Quebec for Ron Hextall and a swap of first round picks (the Isles selected Todd Bertuzzi, the Nordiques selected Adam Deadmarsh). Fitzpatrick was left unprotected by the Nords in the expansion draft and was selected by the Florida Panthers.

Fitzpatrick’s five seasons in Florida are arguably the best of his career, albeit serving in a backup role to John Vanbiesbrouck. He appeared in 119 games with a 43-42-22 record, 2.71 goals against and .903 save percentage. During the Panthers’ run to the 1996 Cup Finals Fitzpatrick appeared in two games in relief, allowing six goals.

In January 1998 he was traded to Florida’s interstate rival Tampa Bay in a four player swap. In his one season with the Lightning he posted a 7-24-1 record, recording the second most losses in the league for an individual goalie. Fitzpatrick’s final two NHL seasons were split between Chicago and Carolina, playing in 30 games total, along with some appearances in the IHL. 

In 12 NHL seasons Fitzpatrick played in 329 games with a 113-136-49 record, 3.12 goals against and .896 save percentage. 

YouTube clip: Kerry Fraser ruining a goalie fight between Mark Fitzpatrick and Bill Ranford during a line brawl between the Caps and Panthers in a April 1997 game. 

603 - Randy Gilhen

A centre, Gilhen was drafted 109th overall by Hartford in 1982. After playing the 1982-83 season in the WHL (and getting in two games with the Whalers), he played the next five seasons in the minors with five different franchises across two leagues. Gilhen signed with his hometown WInnipeg Jets in November 1985, playing in 15 games between 1986 and 1988.

1988-89 represented Gilhen’s true rookie season, playing in 54 games, scoring five goals and eight points. Just as quickly as he cracked the Jets’ lineup he was traded to Pittsburgh in the 1989 off-season in a six-player deal. In his second season with the Penguins he reached career-highs in goals (15) and points (25) while winning the Stanley Cup. He was left unprotected in the aforementioned bizarre 1991 expansion draft and was claimed by Minnesota before being shipped to Los Angeles with Charlie Huddy and Jim Thomson for Todd Elik.

Gilhen played 33 games with the Kings in the 1991-92 season before a trade to the New York Rangers for Corey Millen. His stay on Broadway lasted 73 games over two seasons, with 10 goals and 19 points; in March 1993 Gilhen was dealt to Tampa Bay for Mike Hartman. During the 1993 offseason he would be claimed for the second time in an expansion draft, this time being selected by the Florida Panthers. After 20 games in Miami he was traded back to Winnipeg in a lopsided deal that landed the Panthers Stu Barnes.

After significant movement throughout his career, Gilhen played his final three NHL seasons with the Jets, scoring 10 goals and 22 points in 102 games. He added two seasons with Manitoba in the AHL before retiring at the conclusion of the 1997-98 season.

In 11 NHL seasons Gilhen played in 457 games, scoring 55 goals and 115 points. He lives in Winnipeg to this day, working in the medical device business.

YouTube clip: fighting the Red Wings’ Marc Potvin during a March 1991 game during his time with Pittsburgh 

604 - Corey Millen

A centre, Millen was drafted 57th overall by the New York Rangers in 1982 straight out of high school. Following the draft he played four seasons at the University of Minnesota and represented the United States in two Olympics. Millen turned pro in 1987, playing two seasons in Switzerland with Ambri-Piotta. 

He returned to North America in 1989-90, playing primarily in the minor leagues; however he did appear in eight regular seasons games (scoring seven points) and six playoff games for the Rangers. In December 1991 Millen was traded to Los Angeles for Randy Gilhen. Split between the two teams he played in 57 games, scoring 21 goals and 46 points. The following season he set a career-high with 23 goals, to go along with 39 points, in only 42 games. Millen played in 23 games during the Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup Finals, contributing two goals and six points.

In June 1993 he was traded to New Jersey for a draft pick. In his only full season as a Devil he played in a career high 78 games, scoring 20 goals and 50 points. Millen was on the move again in February 1995, going to Dallas for Neal Broten. He lasted 41 games over two seasons with the Stars, spending some time in the IHL. Millen’s final trade saw him go to Calgary in the Joe Nieuwendyk - Jarome Iginla swap as the forgotten third player. His final NHL season came with the Flames in 1996-97, scoring 26 points in 61 games.

From 1997 to 2002 he played with Kolner Haie in Germany, leading the league in scoring in 2001 and winning a league title in 2002. Millen played one final season in Switzerland in 2002-03 before retiring.

In eight NHL seasons Millen played in 335 games, scoring 90 goals and 209 points. He won two Spengler Cups in his career, in 1988 with the US Selects and in 2000 with Kolner Haie. In retirement he has coached in both the NAHL and NCAA; since 2020 he has been coach/general manager of St. Cloud in the NAHL.

YouTube clip: scoring on a nice individual effort during his time with Kings in a game against Calgary: