Recent from talks
Vezina Trophy
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy (/vɛzənə/ VEH-zə-nə) is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two 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 and was awarded to the top goaltender. From 1946–47 to 1981–82, the trophy went to the goaltender(s) of the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season; since the 1981–82 season, the William M. Jennings Trophy has been awarded for this accomplishment.
The most recent winner is Andrei Vasilevskiy who won his second Vezina Trophy for the 2025–26 season.
The Vezina Trophy was named in honor of Georges Vezina, an exceptional goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens. Vezina collapsed during a game in 1925 and was diagnosed as having tuberculosis, of which he died in 1926. Upon Vezina's death, the trophy was donated to the League by the Canadiens' owners, Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau and Joe Cattarinich to honour Vezina permanently. It was first awarded at the end of the 1926–27 NHL season to George Hainsworth who had come to Montreal to succeed Vezina.
The trophy was accepted by the league at its May 15, 1927, meeting in Montreal. The criteria for winning was variously reported. The Montreal Gazette and The Globe and Mail reported that it was 'to be awarded each year to the goaltender in the National Hockey League having the best (goals against) average,' while the Toronto Star reported that the trophy went to the 'most valuable' goaltender in the league. 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. However, later reports state that the trophy was based on the lowest goals against average (GAA).
The 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 Memorial Trophy. The hockey media closely follow a tight "Vezina Trophy race," 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.
In February 1946, the NHL stated that the trophy was to go to the team that allowed the fewest goals during the regular season. The goaltender playing the most games for that team would be awarded the trophy. Manager Tommy Gorman of the Montreal Canadiens stated that if the trophy was awarded to his team, management would decide which of the Habs' two goaltenders (Paul Bibeault and Bill Durnan) would receive the trophy. However, at a banquet that October, NHL President Clarence Campbell indicated that while the league was considering changing the voting methods of the Calder, Hart, and Lady Byng Trophies, the criteria for the Vezina were not changing.
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 in the league; however, there were two notable exceptions. George Hainsworth was awarded the inaugural trophy, while Clint Benedict had the lowest GAA in 1926–27. Hainsworth's Canadiens allowed fewer goals as a team than Benedict's Maroons. Wilf Cude had the lowest GAA in 1933–34 in 30 games split between the Detroit Red Wings and Canadiens, but the Vezina was awarded to Charlie Gardiner, who started all 48 games for the Chicago Black Hawks, the team that allowed the fewest goals.
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 two 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.
Hub AI
Vezina Trophy AI simulator
(@Vezina Trophy_simulator)
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy (/vɛzənə/ VEH-zə-nə) is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two 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 and was awarded to the top goaltender. From 1946–47 to 1981–82, the trophy went to the goaltender(s) of the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season; since the 1981–82 season, the William M. Jennings Trophy has been awarded for this accomplishment.
The most recent winner is Andrei Vasilevskiy who won his second Vezina Trophy for the 2025–26 season.
The Vezina Trophy was named in honor of Georges Vezina, an exceptional goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens. Vezina collapsed during a game in 1925 and was diagnosed as having tuberculosis, of which he died in 1926. Upon Vezina's death, the trophy was donated to the League by the Canadiens' owners, Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau and Joe Cattarinich to honour Vezina permanently. It was first awarded at the end of the 1926–27 NHL season to George Hainsworth who had come to Montreal to succeed Vezina.
The trophy was accepted by the league at its May 15, 1927, meeting in Montreal. The criteria for winning was variously reported. The Montreal Gazette and The Globe and Mail reported that it was 'to be awarded each year to the goaltender in the National Hockey League having the best (goals against) average,' while the Toronto Star reported that the trophy went to the 'most valuable' goaltender in the league. 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. However, later reports state that the trophy was based on the lowest goals against average (GAA).
The 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 Memorial Trophy. The hockey media closely follow a tight "Vezina Trophy race," 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.
In February 1946, the NHL stated that the trophy was to go to the team that allowed the fewest goals during the regular season. The goaltender playing the most games for that team would be awarded the trophy. Manager Tommy Gorman of the Montreal Canadiens stated that if the trophy was awarded to his team, management would decide which of the Habs' two goaltenders (Paul Bibeault and Bill Durnan) would receive the trophy. However, at a banquet that October, NHL President Clarence Campbell indicated that while the league was considering changing the voting methods of the Calder, Hart, and Lady Byng Trophies, the criteria for the Vezina were not changing.
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 in the league; however, there were two notable exceptions. George Hainsworth was awarded the inaugural trophy, while Clint Benedict had the lowest GAA in 1926–27. Hainsworth's Canadiens allowed fewer goals as a team than Benedict's Maroons. Wilf Cude had the lowest GAA in 1933–34 in 30 games split between the Detroit Red Wings and Canadiens, but the Vezina was awarded to Charlie Gardiner, who started all 48 games for the Chicago Black Hawks, the team that allowed the fewest goals.
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 two 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.
Recent media