[2024 NHL Awards] Bobrovsky, Demko, Hellebuyck named Vezina Trophy finalists

[Rubik]

****

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/2024-nhl-vezina-trophy-finalists-announced

 

Panthers, Canucks, Jets goalies up for award given to top player at position

 

 

By David Satriano

@davidsatriano NHL.com Staff Writer

9:25 PM

 

Sergei Bobrovsky, Thatcher Demko and Connor Hellebuyck were named finalists for the Vezina Trophy on Monday.

 

The winner of the award, given annually to the goalie voted the best at his position by NHL general managers, will be announced at a later date.

 

Bobrovsky went 36-17-4 with a 2.37 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and tied for the NHL lead with six shutouts in 58 games for the Florida Panthers this season. He was third in goals-against average and tied for seventh in save percentage among goalies to play at least 25 games, and allowed two goals or fewer in 32 starts.

 

Bobrovsky helped the Panthers (52-24-6) win the Atlantic Division; they finished second in the League allowing 200 goals, including shootout-deciding goals (2.44 per game).

 

A three-time finalist, Bobrovsky has won the award twice, with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012-13 and in 2016-17.

 

Hellebuyck went 37-19-4 with a 2.39 GAA, .921 save percentage and five shutouts in 60 games for the Winnipeg Jets. He ranked second in wins, second in save percentage and fourth in goals-against average, and made the second-most saves (1,656), behind Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators (1,672).

 

Hellebuyck won the William M. Jennings Trophy, presented annually to the goalies who play a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. Winnipeg allowed an NHL-low 199 goals, including shootout-deciding goals (2.43 per game) and finished second in the Central Division (52-24-6).

 

A four-time finalist, Hellebuyck won the Vezina in 2019-20, was runner-up in 2017-18 and finished third last season.

 

Demko (35-14-2, 2.45 GAA, .918 save percentage, five shutouts in 51 games) finished tied for sixth in wins and fifth in goals-against average, and was leading the NHL in wins when he sustained a knee injury on March 9 that caused him to miss 14 games.

 

A first-time finalist, he helped the Canucks (50-23-9) win the Pacific Division, their first division title in 10 years, and finish with 109 points, 26 more than in 2022-23. Vancouver was tied for fifth in goals-against per game this season (2.70).

 

"He's our rock,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said of Demko. “All year, even last year when I got here, I knew I had something special. Very business-like, works his [rear end] off. He's a student of the game, he wants it. He's working double time as it is now and he's around a lot and the guys can feel his energy. It's too bad he got hurt because of course everyone knew he was going to be a nominee. That's a no-brainer.”

 

Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins won the Vezina Trophy last season.

 

NHL.com independent correspondent Kevin Woodley contributed to this report

[Rubik]

Sportsnet article:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/demko-hellebuyck-bobrovsky-named-vezina-trophy-finalists/

Demko, Hellebuyck, Bobrovsky named Vezina Trophy finalists

 

Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers are the three finalists for the 2023-24 Vezina Trophy, the NHL announced Monday.

 

The Vezina is given to “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position,” according to the NHL, and is voted on by the league's GMs.

 

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record this season, setting career-bests with a 2.45 goals-against average and .918 save percentage with five shutouts in just 51 starts.

 

Hellebuyck went 37-19-4 with a 2.39 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and five shutouts, winning the Jennings Trophy as the goaltender on the team who allowed the fewest regular-season goals. He also helped the Jets earn a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth for the sixth time in the past seven years.

 

Bobrovsky had a record of 36-17-4, posting a 2.37 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and registering six shutouts in 58 games, backstopping the Panthers to a second Atlantic Division title in three seasons.

[-AJ-]

Hellebucyk wins this in a landslide.

[Bob Long]

Hellechoke wins it, but really happy for Demko. Great motivation for the rest of this run and next year. 

[Coconuts]

Hellebuyck was in a tier of his own throughout most of the regular season, getting nominated is huge though and could contribute to Demko winning a Vezina down the road. Assuming he can stay healthy. 

[Mike Vanderhoek]

1 hour ago, -AJ- said:

Hellebucyk wins this in a landslide.

shouldn't have though. He is not far and above better than the other two finalists that is for sure.

[Alflives]

[-AJ-]

2 minutes ago, Mike Vanderhoek said:

shouldn't have though. He is not far and above better than the other two finalists that is for sure.

 

His numbers in the regular season are pretty much better in every measurable way, so even though he might not be far and away the best, he leads in pretty much every category and it's difficult to see a statistical case for anyone but him as the best.

[grumpyone]

on numbers alone, it's a tight race.

unfortunately too many voters are eastern time zone based, therefore they never stay up late enough to actually see Demko play. Therefore Hellabuck most likely wins based on recent history/memory. 

 

just to make it to top 3 in the league though is AWESOME. 

[Miss Korea]

Less nominations more health please

[boziffous]

One thing I noticed is that Demko is the only one of the three nominated that put up better stats than the backup goalies on their own team. To me it shows us just how important Demko is for the Canucks.