WINNIPEG JETS’ CONNOR HELLEBUYCK NAMED 2024 VEZINA TROPHY WINNER
At the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on Thursday, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy for the League’s best goaltender.
This is the second Vezina Trophy for Hellebuyck, who also took home the award in 2019-20.
Hellebuyck was outstanding in 2023-24, pushing the Jets to new heights among the leaders of the Central Division. In the regular season, the 31-year-old goaltender started 60 games, third among all goalies. He recorded the second-most wins, going 37-19-4 with a 2.39 goals-against average and helping the Jets finish second in the Central. His .923 save percentage ranked second among goalies who played more than 20 games.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Hellebuyck went up against the smoking hot Colorado Avalanche in the first round. He, along with the entire Winnipeg team, really struggled. The Avs rolled in five games, leaving Hellebuyck with a 1-4 record, a 5.23 goals-against average and a .870 save percentage. He has gone 18-27 with three shutouts in 45 career playoff games.
Over 505 career regular-season games, Hellebuyck has been one of the best goalies in the NHL. In nine seasons with the Jets, the Michigan native is 275-173-41 with an elite .917 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average.
Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy over other finalists Sergei Bobrovsky (Florida Panthers) and Thatcher Demko (Vancouver Canucks).
After an excellent regular season with 36 wins and a .915 save percentage, Bobrovsky led the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup, going 16-8 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.32 goals-against average in the playoffs. He was largely believed to be the favorite for the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP until Connor McDavid took over the series.
Demko was right behind Bobrovsky with 35 wins for the Canucks. The 28-year-old finished the season 35-14-2 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average. He was injured in the first game of the playoffs.
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