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Vezina Trophy
Hhof vezina.jpg
Sport Ice hockey
Given for National Hockey League's top goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position"
History
First award 1926–27 NHL season
Most recent Linus Ullmark
Boston Bruins

The Vezina Trophy is a special award given every year to the best goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL). Goaltenders are like the main defenders of the net in ice hockey. All 32 general managers from NHL teams vote to pick the winner at the end of each season. The trophy is named after Georges Vezina, a famous goalie for the Montreal Canadiens who played from 1910 to 1925. He sadly passed away in 1926. The Vezina Trophy was first given out after the 1926–27 NHL season.

For a long time, from 1946 to 1981, the trophy went to the goalie (or goalies) on the team that let in the fewest goals during the regular season. But since the 1981–82 season, the William M. Jennings Trophy is given for that achievement. Now, the Vezina Trophy is truly for the goalie judged to be the best. The most recent winner is Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins from the 2022–23 NHL season.

History of the Vezina Trophy

The Vezina Trophy was created to honor Georges Vézina, an amazing goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens. In 1925, during a game, Vezina became very sick. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis and passed away in 1926.

After Vezina's death, the owners of the Canadiens team, Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau, and Joe Cattarinich, gave the trophy to the NHL. They wanted to remember Vezina forever. The award was first given out at the end of the 1926–27 NHL season. The first winner was George Hainsworth, who took over as goalie for the Canadiens after Vezina.

When the trophy was first introduced, there were different ideas about how to choose the winner. Some newspapers said it was for the goalie with the best "goals against average" (meaning they let in the fewest goals per game). Others said it was for the "most valuable" or "most outstanding" goalie. However, it later became clear that it was mostly based on having the lowest goals against average.

The Vezina Trophy was very important back then. It was one of only three main individual awards in the NHL, along with the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Hockey fans and media would closely watch the "Vezina Trophy race" each season.

Changes to the Award Criteria (1946-1981)

In 1946, the NHL changed the rule for the Vezina Trophy. It would now go to the goalie of the team that allowed the fewest goals during the regular season. The goalie who played the most games for that team would get the award.

Before 1950, it was common for one goalie to play almost every minute of every game for their team. So, the Vezina usually went to the goalie with the best individual goals against average. However, as teams started using more than one goalie, the Vezina didn't always go to the goalie with the best individual stats. It went to the goalie on the team that was best at preventing goals.

Starting with the 1964–65 NHL season, the NHL allowed teammates to share the Vezina Trophy. For example, if two goalies on the same team helped their team let in the fewest goals, they could both win. This happened with Terry Sawchuk and Johnny Bower of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sawchuk insisted that Bower also get his name on the trophy. The NHL then changed the rule to allow any goalie who played at least 25 games for the team with the fewest goals against to qualify.

This rule meant the Vezina went to the goalie(s) of the best defensive team, not necessarily the best individual goalie. Sometimes, the goalie voted as the "First Team All-Star" (the best goalie that year) was different from the Vezina winner. For instance, in 1979, Don Edwards and Bob Sauve shared the Vezina, but Tony Esposito was named the First Team All-Star.

The Vezina Trophy Today (1981-Present)

Since the 1981–82 NHL season, the Vezina Trophy has been given to the most outstanding goaltender. This is decided by a vote from the general managers of all the NHL teams. Billy Smith of the New York Islanders was the first winner under this new system.

The William M. Jennings Trophy was created to take over the old Vezina rule. It is now given to the goalie (or goalies) who play at least 25 games for the team that allows the fewest goals.

The voting for the Vezina Trophy happens at the end of the regular season. Each of the 32 general managers ranks their top three goalies. The top three goalies with the most votes are named as finalists. The winner is then announced at the NHL Awards ceremony after the playoffs.

Records and Special Achievements

Jacques Plante holds the record for winning the most Vezina Trophies, with seven wins. Bill Durnan and Dominik Hasek are next, with six wins each. Hasek has won the most awards under the current system, where general managers vote for the best individual goalie. Goalies for the Montreal Canadiens have won the Vezina Trophy 29 times, which is more than any other team.

Only four players have won both the Vezina Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy (for the league's most valuable player) in the same season:

Two other goalies won both trophies in different seasons: Roy Worters (Hart in 1928, Vezina in 1930) and Al Rollins (Vezina in 1950, Hart in 1953).

Vezina Trophy Winners

Here are the goalies who have won the Vezina Trophy over the years.

Winners from 1927 to 1981

During this time, the Vezina Trophy was given to the goalie (or goalies) of the team that allowed the fewest goals during the season. From 1965 to 1981, teammates could share the award if they played at least 25 games for that team.

Season Winner Team Win #
1926–27 George Hainsworth Montreal Canadiens 1
1927–28 George Hainsworth Montreal Canadiens 2
1928–29 George Hainsworth Montreal Canadiens 3
1929–30 Tiny Thompson Boston Bruins 1
1930–31 Roy Worters New York Americans 1
1931–32 Charlie Gardiner Chicago Black Hawks 1
1932–33 Tiny Thompson Boston Bruins 2
1933–34 Charlie Gardiner Chicago Black Hawks 2
1934–35 Lorne Chabot Chicago Black Hawks 1
1935–36 Tiny Thompson Boston Bruins 3
1936–37 Normie Smith Detroit Red Wings 1
1937–38 Tiny Thompson Boston Bruins 4
1938–39 Frank Brimsek Boston Bruins 1
1939–40 David Kerr New York Rangers 1
1940–41 Turk Broda Toronto Maple Leafs 1
1941–42 Frank Brimsek Boston Bruins 2
1942–43 Johnny Mowers Detroit Red Wings 1
1943–44 Bill Durnan Montreal Canadiens 1
1944–45 Bill Durnan Montreal Canadiens 2
1945–46 Bill Durnan Montreal Canadiens 3
1946–47 Bill Durnan Montreal Canadiens 4
1947–48 Turk Broda Toronto Maple Leafs 2
1948–49 Bill Durnan Montreal Canadiens 5
1949–50 Bill Durnan Montreal Canadiens 6
1950–51 Al Rollins Toronto Maple Leafs 1
1951–52 Terry Sawchuk Detroit Red Wings 1
1952–53 Terry Sawchuk Detroit Red Wings 2
1953–54 Harry Lumley Toronto Maple Leafs 1
1954–55 Terry Sawchuk Detroit Red Wings 3
1955–56 Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 1
1956–57 Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 2
1957–58 Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 3
1958–59 Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 4
1959–60 Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 5
1960–61 Johnny Bower Toronto Maple Leafs 1
1961–62 Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 6
1962–63 Glenn Hall Chicago Black Hawks 1
1963–64 Charlie Hodge Montreal Canadiens 1
1964–65 Johnny Bower Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Terry Sawchuk 4
1965–66 Gump Worsley Montreal Canadiens 1
Charlie Hodge 2
1966–67 Glenn Hall Chicago Black Hawks 2
Denis DeJordy 1
1967–68 Gump Worsley Montreal Canadiens 2
Rogatien Vachon 1
1968–69 Glenn Hall St. Louis Blues 3
Jacques Plante 7
1969–70 Tony Esposito Chicago Black Hawks 1
1970–71 Eddie Giacomin New York Rangers 1
Gilles Villemure 1
1971–72 Tony Esposito Chicago Black Hawks 2
Gary Smith 1
1972–73 Ken Dryden Montreal Canadiens 1
1973–74 Tony Esposito Chicago Black Hawks 3
Bernie Parent Philadelphia Flyers 1
1974–75 Bernie Parent 2
1975–76 Ken Dryden Montreal Canadiens 2
1976–77 Ken Dryden Montreal Canadiens 3
Michel Larocque 1
1977–78 Ken Dryden Montreal Canadiens 4
Michel Larocque 2
1978–79 Ken Dryden Montreal Canadiens 5
Michel Larocque 3
1979–80 Don Edwards Buffalo Sabres 1
Bob Sauve 1
1980–81 Denis Herron Montreal Canadiens 1
Michel Larocque 4
Richard Sevigny 1

Winners from 1981 to Present

Since the 1981–82 season, the Vezina Trophy is given to the goalie voted as the most outstanding in the league.

     Player is still active in the NHL      Player elected to Hockey Hall of Fame      Player not yet eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame

Season Winner Team Win #
1981–82 Smith, BillyBilly Smith New York Islanders 1
1982–83 Peeters, PetePete Peeters Boston Bruins 1
1983–84 Barrasso, TomTom Barrasso Buffalo Sabres 1
1984–85 Lindbergh, PellePelle Lindbergh Philadelphia Flyers 1
1985–86 Vanbiesbrouck, JohnJohn Vanbiesbrouck New York Rangers 1
1986–87 Hextall, RonRon Hextall Philadelphia Flyers 1
1987–88 Fuhr, GrantGrant Fuhr Edmonton Oilers 1
1988–89 Roy, PatrickPatrick Roy Montreal Canadiens 1
1989–90 Roy, PatrickPatrick Roy Montreal Canadiens 2
1990–91 Belfour, EdEd Belfour Chicago Blackhawks 1
1991–92 Roy, PatrickPatrick Roy Montreal Canadiens 3
1992–93 Belfour, EdEd Belfour Chicago Blackhawks 2
1993–94 Hasek, DominikDominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres 1
1994–95 Hasek, DominikDominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres 2
1995–96 Carey, JimJim Carey Washington Capitals 1
1996–97 Hasek, DominikDominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres 3
1997–98 Hasek, DominikDominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres 4
1998–99 Hasek, DominikDominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres 5
1999–2000 Kolzig, OlafOlaf Kolzig Washington Capitals 1
2000–01 Hasek, DominikDominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres 6
2001–02 Theodore, JoseJose Theodore Montreal Canadiens 1
2002–03 Brodeur, MartinMartin Brodeur New Jersey Devils 1
2003–04 Brodeur, MartinMartin Brodeur New Jersey Devils 2
2004–05 Season cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout
2005–06 Kiprusoff, MiikkaMiikka Kiprusoff Calgary Flames 1
2006–07 Brodeur, MartinMartin Brodeur New Jersey Devils 3
2007–08 Brodeur, MartinMartin Brodeur New Jersey Devils 4
2008–09 Thomas, TimTim Thomas Boston Bruins 1
2009–10 Miller, RyanRyan Miller Buffalo Sabres 1
2010–11 Thomas, TimTim Thomas Boston Bruins 2
2011–12 Lundqvist, HenrikHenrik Lundqvist New York Rangers 1
2012–13 Bobrovsky, SergeiSergei Bobrovsky Columbus Blue Jackets 1
2013–14 Rask, TuukkaTuukka Rask Boston Bruins 1
2014–15 Price, CareyCarey Price Montreal Canadiens 1
2015–16 Holtby, BradenBraden Holtby Washington Capitals 1
2016–17 Bobrovsky, SergeiSergei Bobrovsky Columbus Blue Jackets 2
2017–18 Rinne, PekkaPekka Rinne Nashville Predators 1
2018–19 Vasilevskiy, AndreiAndrei Vasilevskiy Tampa Bay Lightning 1
2019–20 Hellebuyck, ConnorConnor Hellebuyck Winnipeg Jets 1
2020–21 Fleury, Marc-AndreMarc-Andre Fleury Vegas Golden Knights 1
2021–22 Shesterkin, IgorIgor Shesterkin New York Rangers 1
2022–23 Ullmark, LinusLinus Ullmark Boston Bruins 1

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See also

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