Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets has been awarded the Vezina Trophy for the 2024-2025 NHL season, marking the third time in his career he has received the honor. The announcement was made Thursday evening at the NHL Awards. This win places him in an elite group of goaltenders with three or more Vezina wins, alongside Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur, Ken Dryden, Tony Esposito, Dominik Hasek, Jacques Plante, and Patrick Roy.
Hellebuyck's outstanding performance this season solidified his place as one of the league's top goaltenders. The 32-year-old led the league with 47 wins, a career-high, and played a crucial role in the Jets securing their first-ever Presidents' Trophy with 116 points. His stellar stats included a league-leading 2.00 goals-against average and eight shutouts in 63 games. Additionally, his .925 save percentage was the second-best in the NHL.
"It's an honor to be standing here, accepting this award," Hellebuyck said upon receiving the trophy. "There are so many talented goalies in this league, and to be recognized as the best among them is truly humbling."
His Vezina win wasn't the only accolade Hellebuyck received. He also took home the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player deemed most valuable to his team. This accomplishment makes Hellebuyck only the fifth goalie in NHL history to win both the Hart and Vezina Trophies in the same season, joining Jacques Plante (1961-62), Dominik Hasek (1996-97, 1997-98), Jose Theodore (2001-02), and Carey Price (2014-15). He is also only the eighth goaltender ever to win the Hart Memorial Trophy. The last time a goalie won both awards was when Carey Price did it in 2015.
While Hellebuyck's regular-season performance was exceptional, his playoff performance saw a slight dip. He posted a 6-7 record with a 3.08 goals-against average and an .866 save percentage as the Jets advanced past the St. Louis Blues in a seven-game series, only to be eliminated by the Dallas Stars in the second round.
The Vezina Trophy is voted on by the NHL's 32 general managers, while the Hart Trophy is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Hellebuyck beat out Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy and Los Angeles Kings’ Darcy Kuemper for the Vezina. Other finalists for the Hart Trophy included Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov had previously won the Ted Lindsay Award, which is given to the league MVP based on a vote amongst the NHL Players' Association members.
Hellebuyck's journey to becoming a three-time Vezina winner and Hart Trophy recipient is a testament to his dedication and skill. From his college days at UMass Lowell, where he also won the Hart and Vezina Trophies, to his stellar NHL career, Hellebuyck has consistently proven himself as an elite goaltender. His ability to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a Presidents' Trophy and his individual accomplishments have solidified his place among the greats in NHL history.
