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Vezina Trophy: What It Is + Every Winner

The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL's best goaltender, as voted by the league's general managers. Named after Georges Vézina, the legendary Montreal Canadiens netminder who played from 1910 to 1925, the award has undergone significant changes in its criteria over nearly a century of NHL history. The trophy recognizes excellence between the pipes, honoring goaltenders who combine save percentage, wins, workload and overall performance to dominate the most demanding position in hockey.

January 25, 2026

History and Evolution

From 1927 to 1981, the Vezina was awarded to the goaltender or goaltenders of the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. This made it a team stat rather than an individual honor, and tandem goalies often shared the award.

In 1982, the format shifted dramatically to recognize the goalie judged to be the best at his position, regardless of team success. The William Jennings Trophy took over the "fewest goals against" distinction, while the Vezina became a true individual achievement award based on merit rather than team defense.

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The Voting Process

At the conclusion of the regular season, NHL general managers cast ballots to determine the winner. The GMs consider multiple factors:

Save percentage and goals-against average
Total wins and games played
Performance in key situations
Overall impact on team success
Consistency throughout the season

The Vezina winner is announced at the NHL Awards ceremony following the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with three finalists named beforehand.

Record Holders

Jacques Plante dominated the old format with seven Vezina wins (1956-60, 1962, 1969), the most in trophy history. His innovative use of the goalie mask revolutionized the position while his statistical dominance set the standard for excellence.

Under the modern format (since 1982), several goaltenders have won multiple times:

Dominik Hasek (6 wins: 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)
Martin Brodeur (4 wins: 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008)
Carey Price (1 win in the new format, though he won the Jennings multiple times)

Hasek's six modern Vezinas remain untouchable, with his acrobatic brilliance on mediocre Buffalo teams proving individual goaltending could transcend roster quality.

If you can name trophy winners off the top of your head, you'll crush Gridzy. Today's grid might literally be built around what you just read.

Complete List of Vezina Trophy Winners (1927-2026)

1927-1981: Team-Based Era

1927: George Hainsworth (Montreal Canadiens) Hainsworth's 1.52 GAA in the trophy's inaugural season set an incredible standard.

1928: George Hainsworth (Montreal Canadiens) Back-to-back Vezinas with 13 shutouts in 44 games.

1929: George Hainsworth (Montreal Canadiens) Three consecutive wins with a microscopic 0.92 GAA and 22 shutouts.

1930: Tiny Thompson (Boston Bruins) Thompson's 2.19 GAA led Boston's stingy defense.

1931: Roy Worters (New York Americans) Worters won despite the Americans' weak roster.

1932: Charlie Gardiner (Chicago Black Hawks) Gardiner's 1.85 GAA carried Chicago.

1933: Tiny Thompson (Boston Bruins) Thompson's second Vezina with a 1.76 GAA.

1934: Charlie Gardiner (Chicago Black Hawks) Gardiner won the Stanley Cup months before his tragic death.

1935: Lorne Chabot (Chicago Black Hawks) Chabot posted a 1.80 GAA for Chicago.

1936: Tiny Thompson (Boston Bruins) Thompson's third Vezina extended Boston's goaltending excellence.

1937: Normie Smith (Detroit Red Wings) Smith's 2.13 GAA led Detroit's Cup-winning team.

1938: Tiny Thompson (Boston Bruins) Four Vezinas total for Thompson.

1939: Frank Brimsek (Boston Bruins) "Mr. Zero" won as a rookie with 10 shutouts.

1940: Dave Kerr (New York Rangers) Kerr's 1.54 GAA remains one of the lowest ever.

1941: Turk Broda (Toronto Maple Leafs) Broda's 2.06 GAA started his Vezina collection.

1942: Frank Brimsek (Boston Bruins) Brimsek's second Vezina with a 2.35 GAA.

1943: Johnny Mowers (Detroit Red Wings) Mowers posted a 2.47 GAA during wartime.

1944: Bill Durnan (Montreal Canadiens) Durnan's first of six Vezinas began his dominance.

1945: Bill Durnan (Montreal Canadiens) Back-to-back Vezinas with a 2.42 GAA.

1946: Bill Durnan (Montreal Canadiens) Three consecutive Vezinas with a 2.60 GAA.

1947: Bill Durnan (Montreal Canadiens) Four straight wins with a 2.30 GAA.

1948: Turk Broda (Toronto Maple Leafs) Broda's second Vezina with a 2.38 GAA.

1949: Bill Durnan (Montreal Canadiens) Durnan's fifth Vezina with a 2.10 GAA.

1950: Bill Durnan (Montreal Canadiens) Six Vezinas total before Durnan's retirement.

1951: Al Rollins (Toronto Maple Leafs) Rollins posted a 1.77 GAA.

1952: Terry Sawchuk (Detroit Red Wings) Sawchuk's first Vezina with a 1.90 GAA and 12 shutouts.

1953: Terry Sawchuk (Detroit Red Wings) Back-to-back Vezinas with a 1.90 GAA again.

1954: Harry Lumley (Toronto Maple Leafs) Lumley's 1.86 GAA earned his only Vezina.

1955: Terry Sawchuk (Detroit Red Wings) Third Vezina for Sawchuk with a 1.94 GAA.

1956: Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens) Plante's first of seven Vezinas began his legendary run.

1957: Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens) Back-to-back Vezinas during Montreal's dynasty.

1958: Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens) Three consecutive Vezinas with a 2.11 GAA.

1959: Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens) Four straight wins with a 2.16 GAA.

1960: Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens) Five consecutive Vezinas, unprecedented dominance.

1961: Johnny Bower (Toronto Maple Leafs) Bower's 2.50 GAA ended Plante's streak.

1962: Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens) Plante's sixth Vezina with a 2.37 GAA.

1963: Glenn Hall (Chicago Black Hawks) Hall's 2.55 GAA earned his first Vezina.

1964: Charlie Hodge (Montreal Canadiens) Hodge posted a 2.26 GAA filling in for injured Plante.

1965: Johnny Bower & Terry Sawchuk (Toronto Maple Leafs) First shared Vezina with a combined 2.38 GAA.

1966: Gump Worsley & Charlie Hodge (Montreal Canadiens) Shared with a combined 2.58 GAA.

1967: Glenn Hall & Denis DeJordy (Chicago Black Hawks) Shared with a combined 2.38 GAA.

1968: Gump Worsley & Rogatien Vachon (Montreal Canadiens) Shared with a combined 2.26 GAA.

1969: Jacques Plante (St. Louis Blues) & Glenn Hall (St. Louis Blues) Plante's seventh Vezina, shared with Hall, 2.07 GAA combined.

1970: Tony Esposito (Chicago Black Hawks) Esposito's 2.17 GAA with 15 shutouts.

1971: Ed Giacomin & Gilles Villemure (New York Rangers) Shared with a combined 2.30 GAA.

1972: Tony Esposito & Gary Smith (Chicago Black Hawks) Esposito's second Vezina, shared.

1973: Ken Dryden (Montreal Canadiens) Dryden's first solo Vezina with a 2.26 GAA.

1974: Bernie Parent & Tony Esposito (Philadelphia/Chicago) Parent won with Philadelphia's defense.

1975: Bernie Parent (Philadelphia Flyers) Parent's second consecutive Cup and Vezina.

1976: Ken Dryden (Montreal Canadiens) Dryden's second Vezina with a 2.03 GAA.

1977: Ken Dryden & Michel Larocque (Montreal Canadiens) Shared with a combined 2.14 GAA.

1978: Ken Dryden & Michel Larocque (Montreal Canadiens) Dryden's fourth Vezina, second shared with Larocque.

1979: Ken Dryden & Michel Larocque (Montreal Canadiens) Dryden's fifth and final Vezina.

1980: Bob Sauve & Don Edwards (Buffalo Sabres) Shared with a combined 2.36 GAA.

1981: Richard Sevigny, Denis Herron & Michel Larocque (Montreal Canadiens) Last Vezina under old format, shared three ways.

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1982-Present: Individual Excellence Era

1982: Billy Smith (New York Islanders) First winner under new format during Islanders' dynasty.

1983: Pete Peeters (Boston Bruins) Peeters posted a .902 save percentage, elite for the era.

1984: Tom Barrasso (Buffalo Sabres) Won Calder and Vezina in same season at age 19.

1985: Pelle Lindbergh (Philadelphia Flyers) Lindbergh's tragic death months later shocked hockey.

1986: John Vanbiesbrouck (New York Rangers) Vanbiesbrouck's .887 save percentage led the league.

1987: Ron Hextall (Philadelphia Flyers) Won Vezina and Conn Smythe as a rookie.

1988: Grant Fuhr (Edmonton Oilers) Fuhr's 40 wins during Edmonton's dynasty.

1989: Patrick Roy (Montreal Canadiens) Roy's first Vezina with a .908 save percentage.

1990: Patrick Roy (Montreal Canadiens) Back-to-back Vezinas with elite playoff performances.

1991: Ed Belfour (Chicago Black Hawks) Belfour won as a rookie with a .910 save percentage.

1992: Patrick Roy (Montreal Canadiens) Roy's third Vezina with a .914 save percentage.

1993: Ed Belfour (Chicago Black Hawks) Belfour's second Vezina with 41 wins.

1994: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) Hasek's first Vezina began his era of dominance.

1995: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) Back-to-back Vezinas with a .930 save percentage.

1996: Jim Carey (Washington Capitals) Carey's surprising win with 35 wins.

1997: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) Third Vezina with a .930 save percentage.

1998: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) Fourth Vezina and second Hart Trophy.

1999: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) Fifth Vezina with a .937 save percentage.

2000: Olaf Kolzig (Washington Capitals) Kolzig's 41 wins earned his only Vezina.

2001: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) Sixth and final Vezina with a .921 save percentage.

2002: Jose Theodore (Montreal Canadiens) Won Hart and Vezina in the same season.

2003: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) Brodeur's first Vezina with 41 wins.

2004: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) Back-to-back Vezinas with league-best save percentage.

2005: (Lockout, no winner)

2006: Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames) Kiprusoff's .923 save percentage led the league.

2007: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) Brodeur's third Vezina with 48 wins.

2008: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) Fourth Vezina with a league-leading .920 save percentage.

2009: Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins) Thomas posted a .933 save percentage at age 35.

2010: Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) Miller's 41 wins carried Buffalo to the playoffs.

2011: Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins) Second Vezina with .938 save percentage during Cup run.

2012: Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) "The King" posted a .930 save percentage.

2013: Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) Bobrovsky's first Vezina with a .932 save percentage.

2014: Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins) Rask led the league with a .930 save percentage.

2015: Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens) Price's historic season: .933 save percentage, Hart Trophy.

2016: Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) Holtby won 48 games with a .922 save percentage.

2017: Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) Bobrovsky's second Vezina with a .931 save percentage.

2018: Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators) Rinne posted a .927 save percentage at age 35.

2019: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) Vasilevskiy's first Vezina with 39 wins.

2020: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) Hellebuyck posted a .922 save percentage.

2021: Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas Golden Knights) Fleury's first Vezina at age 36 with a .928 save percentage.

2022: Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers) Shesterkin's .935 save percentage dominated the league.

2023: Linus Ullmark (Boston Bruins) Ullmark posted a .938 save percentage with 40 wins.

2024: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) Hellebuyck's second Vezina with a .921 save percentage.

2025: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) Third Vezina puts Hellebuyck among modern elites.

2026: [Current season; update when announced]

Notable Trends and Records

Most wins (all-time): Jacques Plante (7, old format)

Most wins (modern format): Dominik Hasek (6)

Youngest winner: Tom Barrasso (19 years old, 1984)

Oldest winner: Marc-Andre Fleury (36 years old, 2021)

Hart and Vezina same season: Only seven goalies have won both (most recently Carey Price, 2015)

The Ultimate Goaltending Honor

The Vezina Trophy remains goaltending's ultimate individual honor, evolving from a team stat to a true measure of excellence between the pipes. From Jacques Plante's pioneering mask to Dominik Hasek's acrobatic saves to Connor Hellebuyck's modern dominance, the Vezina celebrates those who master hockey's most demanding and isolated position, where single saves can decide championships and careers are defined by split-second decisions under impossible pressure.

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