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William M. Jennings Trophy: What It Is + Every Winner

The William M. Jennings Trophy is awarded annually to the goaltender or goaltenders who play at least 25 games for the team that allows the fewest goals during the regular season. It's essentially the NHL's team-defense and goaltending tandem award, recognizing that keeping pucks out requires both elite goaltending and strong defensive structure. Introduced in the 1981-82 season, the Jennings replaced the Vezina's original "fewest goals against" criteria. This allowed the Vezina to become a more individual goaltending award while the Jennings recognized team defensive excellence. Named after William M. Jennings, a longtime New York Rangers executive and influential governor in NHL expansion, the trophy often goes to tandems or trios, underlining that team structure, systems, and goaltending depth all matter in keeping pucks out.

January 25, 2026

How the Award Works

The Jennings has straightforward criteria but often results in multiple winners:

Eligibility Requirements:

Goalie must play minimum 25 games
Must play for team with fewest goals against in regular season
All qualifying goalies on that team share the trophy
Team defense and system matter as much as individual saves

Why Tandems Win Often:

Modern NHL uses goalie rotation
Load management prevents injuries
Both goalies benefit from same defensive structure
Sharing workload maintains performance

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Record Holders

Several goaltenders have won the Jennings multiple times, showing sustained team defensive excellence:

Patrick Roy: 5 Jennings Trophies

Teams: Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche
Three straight with Brian Hayward in Montreal (1987-89)
Elite team defense across two franchises
Also won 3 Vezinas under modern format

Martin Brodeur: 5 Jennings Trophies

Team: New Jersey Devils
Benefited from trap defense system
Individual excellence plus team structure
Also won 4 Vezinas

Ed Belfour: 4 Jennings Trophies

Teams: Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars
Elite goaltending across multiple systems
Won with different defensive structures

Dominik Hasek: Multiple Jennings

Team: Buffalo Sabres primarily
Individual brilliance elevated team defense
Often won despite mediocre offensive support

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Recent Winners (2010-2026)

Recent Jennings winners show the evolution from tandems to workload distribution:

2024-25: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) Back-to-back Jennings as workhorse starter.

2023-24: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) Elite individual performance plus team defense.

2022-23: Linus Ullmark & Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) Tandem won during record-breaking Bruins season.

2021-22: Frederik Andersen & Antti Raanta (Carolina Hurricanes) Carolina's defensive system enabled tandem success.

2020-21: Marc-Andre Fleury & Robin Lehner (Vegas Golden Knights) Tandem approach during pandemic-shortened season.

2019-20: Tuukka Rask & Jaroslav Halak (Boston Bruins) Veteran tandem with strong defensive structure.

2018-19: Robin Lehner & Thomas Greiss (NY Islanders) Trotz's defensive system elevated tandem performance.

2017-18: Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings) Solo winner with elite Kings defense.

2016-17: Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) Capitals' team defense enabled Jennings win.

2015-16: Frederik Andersen & John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks) Young tandem benefited from Ducks' defensive play.

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Notable Tandem Winners

Some of the most successful Jennings partnerships in NHL history:

Patrick Roy & Brian Hayward (Montreal, 1987-89) Three consecutive Jennings during Montreal's strong defensive era.

Linus Ullmark & Jeremy Swayman (Boston, 2023) Modern tandem during Bruins' historic regular season.

Robin Lehner & Thomas Greiss (NY Islanders, 2019) Barry Trotz's defensive system maximized tandem.

Corey Crawford & Ray Emery (Chicago, 2013) Blackhawks' Cup-winning season featured strong tandem.

Roberto Luongo & Cory Schneider (Vancouver, 2011) Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks had elite goaltending duo.

Complete Winner List (1982-2026)

2020s:

2024-25: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg)
2023-24: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg)
2022-23: Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman (Boston)
2021-22: Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta (Carolina)
2020-21: Marc-Andre Fleury, Robin Lehner (Vegas)

2010s:

2019-20: Tuukka Rask, Jaroslav Halak (Boston)
2018-19: Robin Lehner, Thomas Greiss (NY Islanders)
2017-18: Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles)
2016-17: Braden Holtby (Washington)
2015-16: Frederik Andersen, John Gibson (Anaheim)
2014-15: Corey Crawford, Carey Price (Chicago/Montreal)
2013-14: Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles)
2012-13: Corey Crawford, Ray Emery (Chicago)
2011-12: Brian Elliott, Jaroslav Halak (St. Louis)
2010-11: Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider (Vancouver)

2000s:

2009-10: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey)
2008-09: Tim Thomas, Manny Fernandez (Boston)
2007-08: Chris Osgood, Dominik Hasek (Detroit)
2006-07: Niklas Backstrom, Manny Fernandez (Minnesota)
2005-06: Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary)
2003-04: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey)
2002-03: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey)
2001-02: Patrick Roy (Colorado)
2000-01: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo)

1990s:

1999-00: Roman Turek (St. Louis)
1998-99: Ed Belfour, Roman Turek (Dallas)
1997-98: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey)
1996-97: Martin Brodeur, Mike Dunham (New Jersey)
1995-96: Chris Osgood, Mike Vernon (Detroit)
1994-95: Ed Belfour (Chicago)
1993-94: Dominik Hasek, Grant Fuhr (Buffalo)
1992-93: Ed Belfour (Chicago)
1991-92: Patrick Roy (Montreal)
1990-91: Ed Belfour (Chicago)

1980s:

1989-90: Andy Moog, Reggie Lemelin (Boston)
1988-89: Patrick Roy, Brian Hayward (Montreal)
1987-88: Patrick Roy, Brian Hayward (Montreal)
1986-87: Patrick Roy, Brian Hayward (Montreal)
1985-86: Bob Froese, Darren Jensen (Philadelphia)
1984-85: Tom Barrasso, Bob Sauve (Buffalo)
1983-84: Al Jensen, Pat Riggin (Washington)
1982-83: Rollie Melanson, Billy Smith (NY Islanders)
1981-82: Rick Wamsley, Denis Herron (Montreal)

Why the Jennings Matters

The Jennings Trophy recognizes that team defense wins championships. While the Vezina honors individual goaltending excellence, the Jennings celebrates the combination of goaltending, defensive structure, and team buy-in that keeps pucks out of the net.

For teams building toward playoff success, Jennings-caliber defense typically correlates with deep postseason runs. Championships require the ability to shut down opponents in tight games, and teams that allow the fewest goals during the regular season often carry that defensive discipline into the playoffs.

The trophy also validates the modern tandem approach to goaltending, showing that load management and rotation can produce better overall team defensive results than relying on a single workhorse netminder.

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