"Having coached the NHL's all-time wins leader and having played in front of a few other greats, Calgary Flames head coach Brent Sutter has a pretty good idea of what it takes to be an elite goaltender.

Watching Martin Brodeur from behind the bench in New Jersey, working with the Flames' Miikka Kiprusoff behind the scenes, sharing locker-room talk with the likes of Billy Smith, Eddie Belfour, and Kelly Hrudey, the 49-year-old Sutter suggests one common thread unites them all.

"Very competitive," Sutter said with conviction as his team prepares for a three-game road trip during which it's very likely Kiprusoff will join the 300-win club.

"Their personalities are different, but they're very competitive guys. All five of them. And they wanted to be the best.

"They were guys that every game, you knew you could count on them.""