We’ve visited the Jack Adams Award, the Lady Byng Memorial Award and the Rocket Richard Trophy. Next up on the list is the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the goaltender who is “adjudged to be the best at this position”. Unlike the Jack Adams and Lady Byng which are decided either by the NHL media or players, the Vezina Trophy is decided by the General Managers of the 31 NHL teams.
Last year’s winner was Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Russian international has to be in the running again this season. With a .917 save percentage, 2.56 goals against average, 35 wins and 3 shutouts, Vasilevskiy has earned his reputation as one of, if not the, best goaltenders in the league.
He may however be pipped at the post in the votes by Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. Hellebuyck has a better save percentage (.922) and more shutouts (6) while his goals against average (2.57) is literally whiskers away from Vasilevskiy. He also has 31 wins on a Winnipeg team that saw its defense torn to shreds in the summer. Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot all left by trade or to free agency and what’s going on with Dustin Byfuglien is anyone’s guess.
While that isn’t the fault of Tampa or Vasilevskiy, it’s crazy to think that playing behind a defenseman of Victor Hedman’s caliber might actually cost him back to back Vezina Trophy wins. But on the other side of the coin if the Jets don’t make the playoffs despite Hellebuyck standing on his head for most of the season (they currently hold the top wildcard spot in the west) can the GM’s really vote him in?
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Vasilevskiy would join fellow Russian Sergei Bobrovsky with two wins should he be the GM’s pick, while for Connor Hellebuyck it would be his first Vezina Trophy won after being a finalist in 2018.
