Like fine wine, Dwayne Roloson seems to continue to get better with age. The Tampa Bay Lightning are apparently goaltender connoisseurs, as they picked Roloson from the vine on Long Island earlier in 2010-11 and he has been a steady presence since his arrival. Dwayne’s experience in the post-season (he helped lead the Oilers to the Cup final in 2006) coupled with his focused approach and ability to elevate his game in pressure situations has been exactly what the Lightning have needed so far in the 2011 NHL playoffs. With a solid leadership group, a stingy defensive approach and that “je ne sais quoi” intangible that one team always seems to find every year come playoff time, Roloson and the Lightning have harnessed the confidence and momentum that winning in the playoffs provides as they continue to post wins at both home and on the road. The veteran goaltender has looked extremely comfortable, undoubtedly drawing on his past experiences in the playoffs to help him perform at his highest level. His best is scary-good and if the Lighting and Roloson continue to operate the way they have to this point in the playoffs, it should come as no surprise to anyone if the 41-year old ‘tender backstops this team to the Stanley Cup final.
- Dwayne and the Lightning are riding a stellar eight-game winning streak at the moment in the NHL Playoffs (this has Dwayne tied with Jacques Plante for the most consecutive wins in the playoffs for a goalie over the age of 40)
- He is an impressive 9-3-0 with a 2.01 GAA and a .941 save percentage over the 12 games the Lightning have played since the first round
- He became the oldest goaltender to record a playoff shutout this April when he blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins during the Lightning’s opening round series
BIOGRAPHY:
- Born in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada on October 12, 1969
- Signed as an undrafted free agent with the Calgary Flames in 1994 following a strong career with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell of the NCAA
- Has been a member of the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders & Tampa Bay Lightning over the course of his career
- Played in the 2004 NHL All-Star Game, representing Minnesota, and the same season in which he recorded the best save percentage among all NHL goalies
- Played a crucial role in the Oilers run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006
- Has represented Canada internationally, including 2007, when he backstopped his country to a gold medal in the IIHF World Championship
