Vezina Trophy

Vezina Trophy. Awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position, the Vezina Trophy is one of the league's oldest and most prestigious individual honors. It is named in memory of Georges Vézina, the legendary Montreal Canadiens goaltender whose career was tragically cut short by illness. The winner is selected by a vote of the general managers of all 32 NHL clubs, and its history reflects the evolution of the goaltending position itself.

History

The trophy was donated in 1927 by the owners of the Montreal Canadiens, Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau, and Joe Cattarinich, to honor their former star goaltender, Georges Vézina. Vézina had collapsed during a game in 1925 and was later diagnosed with tuberculosis, passing away in 1926. Initially, the Vezina Trophy was awarded to the goaltender(s) of the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season, a rule that remained until the 1981–82 NHL season. This often led to multiple winners from the same team, such as the famed Chicago Black Hawks duo of Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante. Following the 1981-82 season, the NHL introduced the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed and redefined the Vezina Trophy as an award for the most outstanding individual goaltender.

Trophy winners

A diverse group of goaltenders from various franchises have won the award, representing a who's who of hockey's netminding elite. Early winners include icons like George Hainsworth of the Montreal Canadiens and Tiny Thompson of the Boston Bruins. In the Original Six era, legends such as Terry Sawchuk of the Detroit Red Wings and Johnny Bower of the Toronto Maple Leafs were recipients. The award has since been won by dominant figures from subsequent generations, including Patrick Roy of the Colorado Avalanche, Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils, and Dominik Hašek of the Buffalo Sabres. Recent winners in the 21st century include Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens, Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets.

Selection process

At the conclusion of the regular season, the general managers of each of the 32 NHL teams cast votes to determine the winner. Each voter ranks their top three candidates, with a first-place vote worth five points, a second-place vote worth three points, and a third-place vote worth one point. The goaltender who accumulates the highest point total is awarded the Vezina Trophy. The voting is conducted before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin, ensuring the award is based solely on regular-season performance. The winner is traditionally announced during the NHL Awards ceremony held after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Multiple winners

Several goaltenders have distinguished themselves by winning the award multiple times, underscoring sustained excellence. Jacques Plante leads all goaltenders with seven wins, earned with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers. Bill Durnan of the Montreal Canadiens and Dominik Hašek of the Buffalo Sabres each won six times. Ken Dryden of the Montreal Canadiens and Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils each claimed the honor five times. Other notable multiple winners include Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have each won twice, demonstrating the award's geographic spread across the modern NHL.

See also

* List of NHL awards * Hart Memorial Trophy * James Norris Memorial Trophy * Calder Memorial Trophy * Ted Lindsay Award * Conn Smythe Trophy

Category:National Hockey League trophies and awards Category:National Hockey League lists