Kevin Weekes builds the ideal NHL goaltender

NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, in conjunction with the new Canada Post goaltender stamp series, provides his insight into the position he played for 11 seasons in the League.

This week, Weekes discusses what the ideal NHL goalie would look like.

There have been hundreds of goalies to play in the NHL. I was fortunate to play against a lot of guys that I idolized, with tons of guys that I admired and respect, and also see it through the unique perspective of a longtime NHL goalie and now the lead analyst on NHL Network.

People always ask me who the best goalie is of all time. My immediate answer would be Martin Brodeur or Dominik Hasek. But I'm a creative guy so I like to get creative.

That being said, this would be my ultimate goalie:

Puck handling: Martin Brodeur

His ability to lead a forecheck by himself was incredible. His puck-handling was so good that they had to create a rule to curb his ability to handle the puck. Brodeur had two goals and 45 career assists during the regular season and had a goal and 13 points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Glove hand: Grant Fuhr

Fuhr was such a unique player because he caught with his right hand. Not only did that present a different look for shooters, but he would bait shooters into shooting there and then make jaw-dropping, windmill glove saves. Nobody made a glove save like Grant Fuhr.

Skating ability: Tom Barrasso

How else would an 18-year-old goalie from Catholic Memorial High School in Massachusetts make a seamless major leap to the NHL as rookie of the year with the Buffalo Sabres without his unique skating ability?

Intensity: Henrik Lundqvist

From his smashing debut on Broadway to becoming the most consistent NHL goalie over the past 10 years. Having played with Henrik, I can tell you his intensity and competitiveness are legendary.

Vision: Ed Belfour

They called him The Eagle for a reason. It wasn't just his piercing eyes, it was his impeccable eyesight and concentration which helped him make a lot of saves.

Durability: Curtis Joseph

Undrafted but undaunted. In my mind, he is a Hall of Fame goalie. Had a unique ability to not only play on teams where he was outshot, but also be able to handle that workload and play tons of games under those circumstances.

Instinct/game IQ: Dominik Hasek

Have you ever played chess with somebody who is two or three moves ahead of you? That's what some NHL shooters have told me that it's like when playing with Hasek. His instincts, his intuitive feel for the position and his goalie IQ were simply second to none.

Big-game ability: Patrick Roy

From his days a precocious rookie to the end of his amazing Hall of Fame career, the bigger the game, the bigger the stakes, the better he played. Who could forget the 10 overtime wins he had on the road to the 1993 Stanley Cup?

Rhythm/tempo: Carey Price

Every goalie plays with their own rhythm but none play with a rhythm that's as artistic as Price. It mirrors that of an elegant ballroom dancer.

Explosiveness/athleticism: Jonathan Quick

The Connecticut born goalie grew up idolizing the great Mike Richter and it's no coincidence that the raw explosiveness and power of Quick reminds us of that from the great New York Ranger.

Size: Ben Bishop

The great size of Bishop. My, my, my, how times have changed. We now have a 6-foot-7 goalie who is agile and still his frame fills up the entire net, which makes it daunting for opposing shooters.

There are so many great goalies that have and do play in the NHL, so thanks to all you NHL fans for allowing me to get creative and building my goalie ideal from scratch.