NHL Awards: Vezina Finalists Announced
The NHL has announced its finalists for the Vezina Trophy, awarded “to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at his position” and decided by a vote of all 30 general managers. The nominees are:
- Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)
- Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings)
- Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators)
This season, Lundqvist won 39 games, a career-best, and played 62. More career-bests came in his goals against average (1.97) and his save percentage (.930 percent). He also tallied up eight shutouts and was in the top four among all goalies for GAA, save percentage and shutouts. The Rangers credit his play as one of the reasons they finished atop the Eastern Conference this year.
Quick also had a standout season. He started in 69 of the Kings’ games and was in net for all but five of the team’s 40 wins. Like Lundqvist, he too spent a lot of time around the top of the rankings: the league best in shutouts (10), second for GAA (1.95) and fifth for save percentage (.929 percent). He also did all of this behind a team that wasn’t offensively gifted in the regular season–29th place in goals per game.
Rinne played the most games of any goalie at 73 and led the league with 43 wins. Facing the most shots in the game (2,153 total), he stayed strong with a 2.39 GAA, .923 save percentage and five shutouts.
Representatives from all three teams praised their netminders’ abilities and how they better the team from all the way back in the cage.
The winner of the Vezina will be announced on June 20. The next NHL Awards finalist announcement will be for the Norris Trophy on April 26.
