NHL.com discusses the winner of the 2023 Vezina Trophy

Earlier than the awards, NHL.com writers will focus on the winners of probably the most awards. At this time, Editor-in-Chief Invoice Value, Affiliate Managing Editor Adam Kimmelman, and Employees Author John Lane focus on the winner of the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded yearly to goaltenders by NHL common managers.

[RELATED: Complete list of 2023 NHL Awards finalists | 2023 Jack Adams award winner debated]

This 12 months there have been three finalists. linus ullmark boston Bruins, Connor Hellebuyck winnipeg jets and Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders.

kimmelman: Voting the Vezina Trophy to Ullmark stands out as the best determination NHL common managers will make all season. All of the Bruins goalie did was tie Alexander Georgiev First in Colorado Avalanche wins (40), main goaltenders have a minimum of 40 video games in objectives towards (1.89) and save proportion (.938). Ullmark was one of many foremost causes the Bruins set NHL data for wins (65) and factors (135) in an everyday season. He’s been nice each early (an eight-game hitting streak to begin the season) and late (7-1-0 in his final eight begins), and pretty much as good as he’s been on the street (save proportion of .931 in 22 video games). ) at dwelling (.943 in 27 video games). Different goalkeepers had good seasons. Ullmark had a exceptional one.

Route: At first look, the choice to vote for Ullmark was a simple one. Going deeper, the issue stage is way more troublesome. Just like the Islanders and Sorokin, it might be argued that the Jets wouldn’t have gotten anyplace close to the Stanley Cup playoffs with out Hellebuyck’s intense efforts all season, particularly for a staff that didn’t clinch a playoff spot till I play 81 regardless of an important flight. Goalscorers (Mark Scheifele42; kyle connor31; Pierre-Luc Dubois, 27) and a defenseman (Josh Morrissey) who many consider ought to have been a Norris Trophy finalist. Hellebuyck began 13 straight video games from March 16 to April 11, going 8-5-0 with a 1.93 GAA, a .927 save proportion and a shutout, together with two wins towards the Jets’ arch-rival Nashville Predators. . He capped that streak with 33 saves in a playoff-clinching win over the Minnesota Wild. That included 12 first-period saves as Winnipeg was outshot 12-4 however held a 2-0 lead. Hellebuyck equalized the season jake ottinger Dallas Stars and Igor Shesterkin The New York Rangers are tied for third within the NHL in wins (37) and jeremy swayman — Backup to Ullmark — ranks fourth in save proportion (.920) amongst goaltenders who’ve performed a minimum of 20 video games. It was exceptional day after day for the Jets, particularly when it mattered most.

Video: [email protected]: Ulmark stretches with Blogger

Value: Sure John, I agree, Adam actually made the straightforward name, and I wouldn’t be stunned if Ullmark was on stage in Nashville subsequent Monday. However simply as you may’t low cost what Hellebuyck means to the Jets, you are able to do the identical for Sorokin, who has been the Islanders’ finest participant this season. Japanese Convention playoffs. Sorokin went 31-22-7 with a 2.34 GAA, .924 save proportion, and an NHL-best six shutouts in 62 video games (60 begins). He ranks third in save proportion and sixth in GAA amongst goaltenders with a minimum of 20 video games performed and third in video games performed. And he needed to work up these numbers, posting a minimum of 30 saves in 25 video games and going 5-0-2 when he posted a minimum of 40 saves in a sport. With the Islanders rating twenty second within the NHL in goals-against-2.95 common, the second-lowest of the 16 groups that made the postseason (Wild, 2.91 per sport), it’s clear Sorokin was put quite a lot of belief.

kimmelman: All of them make a superb case, however Ullmark was the underside line on the most effective regular-season staff in NHL historical past. He began 14 video games after the Bruins loss and went 12-2-0 with a 1.80 GAA, a .934 save proportion and one shutout. His play is a giant motive Boston has misplaced two video games all season: 0-2-1 from Jan. 26-29 and 0-2-0 from March 12-14. Ullmark has not been good this season. His numbers are a number of the finest within the NHL since 2005-06. Amongst goaltenders who performed a minimum of 20 video games in a season over the previous 18 seasons, his save proportion was tied for fifth and his GAA tied for seventh. Ullmark had an NHL-best .944 save proportion on par this season, fifth-best since 2005-06, however he confronted 1,209 photographs on par; Tim Thomas (.947 on 1,486 photographs) was the one goaltender with a greater save proportion in 2011-12. Ullmark was the final line of protection on the best common season staff of all time and a key motive the Bruins misplaced two straight video games all season. Nevertheless you wish to add it, Ullmark was the most effective goalie within the league, among the best in virtually 20 years.

Video: [email protected]: Hellebuyck makes an important save along with his stick

Route: The ethical of my story is that voting for the most effective goalie within the NHL will not be simple, particularly since Ullmark Adam had what is known as a exceptional season. If I needed to decide a favorite, it will be Ullmark. If requested to choose a winner, it’s Hellebuyck, for the easy motive (like Sorokin and the Islanders, to Invoice’s level) the place would the Jets be with out him? Under common scorers of 42 and 31 objectives and a loopy thought given Norris is the most effective defenseman not named finalist. I interviewed Hellebuyck For Psychological Well being Consciousness Month He has this season, his eighth within the NHL, one in all his finest as a result of he’s in a greater place mentally and the finer particulars of his place have turn into second nature. Hellebuyck confronted the third most photographs (1,964) and made the second most saves (1,807) within the NHL, main the league in photographs towards in every of the earlier 4 seasons, going 5–0. 1 of six video games with a minimum of 40 saves his sport is nuanced. His efficiency was superb. The outcomes are Vegan-worthy.

Value: Once more, Ullmark will most probably win the award, and you’ll’t go mistaken with Hellebuyck both, however I feel Sorokin is the principle motive the Islanders made the postseason this 12 months. Take into account this: On February 1, the Islanders completed tenth within the Japanese Convention (25-22-5) with 30 video games to play. Since then, Sorokin has began 24 video games, going 15-6-3 with a .926 save proportion (finest amongst goaltenders with a minimum of 24 video games in that span) and a 2.29 GAA, and the No. 1 in that span. This was for a staff chasing its playoff run, nothing within the postseason with an NHL report to fret about. The Islanders wanted to win, and that’s what they did with Sorokin within the internet. Once more, I perceive it is a season-long award and Ullmark clearly has the higher numbers, however by way of crucial time Sorokin is healthier and that has to depend for one thing.

VIDEO: [email protected]: Sorokin assaults Letong with a paddle save