Vezina Trophy
Established	1926–27 NHL season
Current holder(s)	Tim Thomas
Awarded to the	National Hockey League's top goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position"

The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position".^[1] At the end of each season, the thirty NHL general managers vote to determine the winner. It is named in honour of Georges Vezina, goaltender of the Montreal Canadiens from 1910 until 1925, who died in 1926 of tuberculosis. The Trophy was first awarded after the 1926-27 NHL season. Prior to 1981–82, the trophy went to the goalkeeper(s) of the team allowing the fewest number of goals during the regular season;^[1] now, the William M. Jennings Trophy is awarded for this.

History[link]

The Vezina Trophy was named in honour of Georges Vezina, an exceptional goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens. Vezina collapsed during the first game of the 1925–26 NHL season, was diagnosed as having tuberculosis, and died from it a few months later.^[2] The following season, the Canadiens' owners, Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau and Joe Cattarinich donated the trophy to the National Hockey League to honour Vezina permanently. Accepted by the league in May 1927, the Trophy was first awarded to George Hainsworth who had come to Montreal to succeed Vezina. Until 1981–82, the goalkeeper(s) of the team allowing the fewest number of goals during the regular season were awarded the Vezina Trophy. ^[1]

At first, the media presented varying accounts as to the meaning of the trophy. When the trophy was first donated in May 1927, the Montreal Gazette reported that it was 'to be awarded each year to the goalkeeper in the National Hockey League having the best (goals against) average,'^[3] while the Toronto Star reported that the trophy went to the 'most valuable' goaltender in the league.^[4] When Hainsworth won his third Vezina at the end of the 1928-29 NHL season, the trophy was reported to be for the 'most outstanding' goaltender in the league.^[5] However, later reports confirm that the trophy was based on the lowest goals against average,^[6][7] and that it had always been awarded this way.^[8]

Media confusion over the criteria of the trophy continued into the 1940s. In February of 1946, the Ottawa Citizen reported that the trophy's criteria was amended to go to the starting goaltender of the team allowing the fewest number of goals during the regular season,^[9] however this is how the trophy had always been awarded. At a banquet the following October, National Hockey League President Clarence Campbell indicated that the league was considering changing the voting methods of the Calder Memorial Trophy, the Hart Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy, but that the criteria for the Vezina was not changing.^[10]

Despite having the same criteria as the modern William M. Jennings Trophy, the old Vezina Trophy was quite prestigious, as it was one of the three major personal awards given out by the National Hockey League at the time, along with the Hart Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy.^[11] The hockey media would closely follow a tight "Vezina Trophy race,"^[12] such as in 1940–41 when Frank Brimsek, Turk Broda, and Johnny Mowers were separated by only three goals entering the final weekend of the season.^[12][13]

The National Hockey League lengthened the schedule to 70 games starting in 1949–50. Before then, it was very common for a goaltender to play every minute of his team's season, and only three Vezina winners - Frank Brimsek in both 1938–39 (43 of 48 games) and 1941–42 (47 of 48 games) and Bill Durnan in 1944–45 (40 of 50 games) failed to start every game for their respective clubs.

Since it was common for goaltenders to start every game before 1950, the Vezina usually went to the goaltender with the lowest personal goals against average (GAA) in the league. However, on two occasions it did not. Clint Benedict had the lowest GAA in 1926–27 but he missed two games and his backup let in enough goals for George Hainsworth to win the inaugural trophy, as Hainsworth's Montreal Canadiens allowed one fewer goal than Benedict's Montreal Maroons. Wilf Cude had the lowest GAA in 1933–34 in 30 games split between two clubs, but the Vezina was awarded to Charlie Gardiner who started all 48 games for the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that allowed the fewest goals.

As teams started to regularly use more than one goaltender in a season, it became more common for the goaltender with the lowest GAA to not be a member of the team that allowed the fewest goals. The Vezina continued to be awarded to the goaltender who started the most games for the team that allowed the fewest goals, but the Vezina winners of 1954–55, 1960–61, 1962–63 and 1963–64 did not have the lowest GAAs.

The National Hockey League began allowing teammates to split the Vezina trophy following the 1964-65 NHL season. The Toronto Maple Leafs allowed 173 goals against, barely beating out the Montreal Canadiens' 175 goals against and the Chicago Blackhawks' 176 goals against. Terry Sawchuk played 36 games for the Leafs with a GAA of 2.56, while his teammate Johnny Bower played 34 games with a league-leading GAA of 2.38, but Sawchuk was to be the sole winner under the old criteria. During the season, the two agreed to split the $1000 prize money that came with the trophy if either of them won. At the end of the season, Sawchuk publicly stated that he would refuse the trophy if Bower would not also have his name inscribed.^[14] The NHL subsequently changed the rule to allow any goaltender who played a minimum of 25 games to qualify for the Vezina if his team allowed the fewest goals against, and applied this rule retroactively to Sawchuk and Bower.^[15] Under this criteria, Turk Broda would have shared the Vezina that Al Rollins won in 1950–51. This criterion was in place until 1980–81.^[1]

The old Vezina criteria had the trophy going to the goaltender(s) of the team that was best at preventing goals, not necessarily the best individual performance. The best goaltender, as voted by the media, was the NHL First Team All-Star. These often differed, such as in 1979–80 when Don Edwards and Bob Sauve shared the Vezina while Tony Esposito was named to the First Team.

As of the 1981-82 NHL season, the Vezina Trophy has been given to the most outstanding goaltender as voted by the general managers of the NHL teams.^[16] Billy Smith of the New York Islanders was the first winner of the Vezina under the current system. The William M. Jennings Trophy, given to the goaltender(s) who play(s) more than 25 games for the team that allows the fewest goals, serves the function of the old Vezina.

The voting is conducted at the end of the regular season by the 30 general managers of the teams in the National Hockey League, and each individual voter ranks their top three candidates on a 5-3-1 points system.^[17] Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL Awards ceremony after the playoffs.

Notes[link]

• Jacques Plante holds the record for winning the most Vezinas with seven, followed by Bill Durnan and Dominik Hasek both of whom have won six. Hasek has won the most awards under the current system of voting for the best individual goalie.^[1]
• Players for the Montreal Canadiens have won the Vezina 28 times.^[1]
• Under the criteria from 1965 to 1981, there would often be multiple winners from the same team during one season.
• During the 1973–74 NHL season, the Chicago Black Hawks and the Philadelphia Flyers finished tied for the fewest goals against; therefore their respective goaltenders Tony Esposito and Bernie Parent were both awarded the trophy, the only time that it would be shared between two players from different teams.^[1]
• There are only three players that have won both the Vezina and Hart Memorial Trophy for the same season: Jacques Plante for 1961–62; Dominik Hasek twice for 1996–97 and 1997–98; and Jose Theodore for 2001–02. Two other Vezina winning goaltenders have also won the Hart Memorial Trophy: Roy Worters and Al Rollins. Chuck Rayner was the only goaltender to win the Hart Memorial Trophy, but never the Vezina.^[18]

Winners[link]

1927–1964[link]

Patrick Roy, three-time winner.

Dominik Hasek, six-time winner.

Jose Theodore, one-time winner.

Martin Brodeur, four-time winner.

Miikka Kiprusoff, one-time winner.

Tim Thomas, two-time winner.

When introduced, the Vezina Trophy was awarded to the starting goaltender of the team that allowed the fewest goals during the regular season.

1965–1981[link]

In 1965, the NHL Governors began allowing teammates to share the Vezina Trophy. From 1965-1981, the Vezina was awarded to any goaltenders who played 25 or more games for the team allowing the fewest goals against.

1982–present[link]

The NHL adopted the current criteria for the Vezina Trophy beginning in 1981-82. The William M. Jennings Trophy was created as a new award for the goaltender(s) playing 25 or more games for the team allowing the fewest goals against.

2011–12 finalists[link]

The finalists for the award for the 2011–12 season were announced on April 25, 2012. The trophy winner will be announced on June 20, 2012 at the NHL Awards ceremony.^[19]

• Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (fourth nomination)
• Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (first nomination)
• Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators (second nomination)

See also[link]

• List of National Hockey League awards
• List of NHL players
• List of NHL statistical leaders
• William M. Jennings Trophy

References[link]

Henrik Lundqvist
Lundqvist during the 2011-12 NHL Season
Born	(1982-03-02) 2 March 1982 (age 30) Åre, Sweden
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team Former teams	New York Rangers Frölunda HC (SEL)
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	205th overall, 2000 New York Rangers
Playing career	2001–present

Henrik Lundqvist (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈhɛnrɪk ˈlɵndkvɪst]; born 2 March 1982) is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was nominated for the Vezina Trophy in his first three seasons in the NHL, finishing third all three times, and is the only goaltender in NHL history to record 30 wins in each of his first seven seasons. His dominating play during his rookie season resulted in the New York media and Rangers fans giving him the nickname "King Henrik".^[1] During the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, he led the Swedish men's team to their second Olympic gold medal.

Before joining the Rangers, Lundqvist played for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien. During his years in Sweden, he developed into the league's finest goaltender, winning the Honken Trophy three consecutive seasons; 2003, 2004 and 2005. In 2005 he also won two of the most prestigious awards in Swedish ice hockey, the Golden Puck and the Golden Helmet.

Lundqvist is considered a butterfly style goalie, though unorthodox because of the aggressive way he performs the butterfly.^[2] He is best known for his sensational quickness, athleticism and strong positional play.^[3]

Early life[link]

Henrik and identical twin brother Joel were born to Eva Johansson and Peter Lundqvist. They grew up in Åre, Jämtland, an area where alpine skiing is the most popular winter activity, but Henrik and Joel chose to play ice hockey over the more popular winter sports. During the winters their kindergarten teachers used the kindergarten's 9 meters × 3 meters (30 ft × 10 ft) sandpit to freeze an outdoor ice rink where the twins would frequently skate. Their interest in hockey grew even larger when their father Peter took the twins to see Västra Frölunda HC play in Scandinavium, Gothenburg. Henrik has said that he and Joel were very competitive growing up, in sports as well as school.^[4] Peter worked for a company who sponsored Frölunda, and Henrik and Joel saw many games in Scandinavium and Frölunda became their favourite team. In 1990 Henrik and Joel joined Järpens IF and started playing organized hockey for the first time. During one practice when the coach asked if anyone wanted to be a goaltender Joel grabbed and raised Henrik's arm and said that his brother would like to. In 1993 the family moved to Båstad, Scania, in southern Sweden to support their older sister Gabriella's tennis career. Henrik and Joel joined local team Rögle BK, and were both selected for Scania's regional team in Sverigepucken in 1995. Henrik was selected to play for Scania in TV-pucken in 1996, and in 1997 when Joel was also selected. During the 1997–98 season Henrik and Joel were extensively scouted by Frölunda, and while playing for Rögle in the 1998 Scandinavium Cup in Gothenburg, Frölunda's junior team manager and U16 coach Janne Karlsson contacted their father, who told Henrik and Joel about Frölunda's interest in them while driving home to Båstad.^[5]

Professional career[link]

Frölunda (2000–2005)[link]

Medal record
Swedish Championships
v t e Frölunda HC The Club Club History All-time roster Drafted players Seasons Records Head coaches Captains Culture and lore Goa Gubbar Arenas Ullevi Frölundaborg Scandinavium Coaches Eriksson Lundvall Leachman Lundvall Eriksson Bownass Lundvall Strömberg Henriksson Karlsson Lunde Henriksson Jönsson Mattsson Bergman Evensson Åhlberg Esbjörs Boork Labraaten Falk Boustedt Evensson Karlsson Lundh Bäckman Melin Dahlén Johansson General Managers Norberg Retired numbers 13 14 19 29 Affiliates Borås HC (Allsvenskan) Swedish Champions 1965 2003 2005   Frölunda HC seasons 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11
Gold	2005	Ice hockey
Gold	2003	Ice hockey