Scoring a goal is rare enough for many NHL players, but for a goaltender, finding the back of the net is one of the most unusual accomplishments in hockey.
As of October 2026, 18 different NHL goaltenders have been credited with at least one goal in league history, combining for 21 goalie goals across regular-season and Stanley Cup Playoff competition.
The latest goalie to join the exclusive group is New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, adding another name to one of the NHL’s most unusual statistical categories.
How Many Goals Have NHL Goalies Scored?
NHL goaltenders have been credited with 21 total goals, including:
- 19 regular-season goals
- 2 Stanley Cup Playoff goals
- 18 different goaltenders credited with a goal
Not every goalie goal was scored by actually shooting the puck the length of the ice. Under NHL scoring rules, a goalie can also receive credit for a goal when he is the last player on his team to touch the puck before the opposing team accidentally puts it into its own empty net.
That distinction makes directly shooting and scoring a goalie goal even rarer.
Igor Shesterkin Joins NHL Goalie Goal History
New York Rangers star Igor Shesterkin became the 18th different NHL goaltender credited with a goal when he scored against the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 1, 2026.
Shesterkin didn’t simply receive credit because of an own goal. He fired the puck down the ice and into Tampa Bay’s empty net.
The goal made Shesterkin the 12th NHL goalie to actually shoot the puck into the opposing net for a goal.
Which NHL Goalie Has Scored the Most Goals?
Martin Brodeur holds the NHL record for the most goals credited to a goaltender with three.
Brodeur’s ability to handle the puck was one of the defining characteristics of his Hall of Fame career with the New Jersey Devils, and his three credited goals remain the benchmark for NHL goalies.
However, not all three were direct shots into the opposing net.
Ron Hextall Made Goalie-Scoring History
Former Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ron Hextall occupies a particularly important place in NHL history.
Hextall became the first NHL goalie to deliberately shoot the puck into the opposing team’s net for a goal during the 1987-88 season.
He then accomplished something even more remarkable by scoring during the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1989.
Hextall remains the only NHL goaltender to have directly shot and scored a goal in both the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Why Are Goalie Goals So Rare?
Even when the opposing team pulls its goalie for an extra attacker, several factors make a goalie goal extremely difficult.
A goaltender must gain control of the puck, have enough time and space to shoot, clear opposing players, send the puck virtually the entire length of the ice and hit an empty net.
There is also significant risk involved. A failed attempt can become an icing call, turnover or scoring opportunity for the opposing team.
For that reason, most goalies will prioritize safely clearing or passing the puck rather than attempting to score.
Can an NHL Goalie Be Credited With a Goal Without Shooting It?
Yes.
A goalie doesn’t necessarily have to shoot the puck into the net to receive credit for a goal.
If an opposing team pulls its goalie and then accidentally sends the puck into its own net, the goal is credited to the last player on the other team who touched the puck. If that player happened to be the goaltender, the goalie receives the goal.
This explains why the number of NHL goalies credited with goals is higher than the number who have actually shot the puck into the opposing net.
NHL Goalie Goals Remain One of Hockey’s Rarest Feats
With only 18 different goaltenders credited with goals in NHL history, a goalie goal remains one of the rarest and most memorable plays in professional hockey.
Martin Brodeur leads all NHL goalies with three credited goals, Ron Hextall established the standard for goalies deliberately shooting and scoring, and Igor Shesterkin became the newest member of the club in October 2026.
Considering the thousands of NHL games played throughout league history, seeing a goalie put his name on the scoresheet as a goal scorer remains a genuine hockey rarity.