Martin Brodeur 5 Vezina Trophies (1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007)
Five Vezinas, one glove, and a decade of the ice belonging to the French-Canadian wall.
The Vezina Trophy, presented annually since 1926, is voted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association to the NHL's top goaltender. Five times in his career, Martin Brodeur stood at the top of that ballot—1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, and 2007—making him one of the most decorated netmen in the league's history. All five of those came while he wore the black, red, and silver of the New Jersey Devils, the franchise that drafted him 10th overall in 1989 and where he anchored the goaltending position through two of the most dominant eras in Devils lore.
For a New Jersey fan, those Vezina years are inseparable from the team's identity: the 1995 and 2003 Stanley Cup runs, the 2000 championship, the jaw-dropping shutouts that became his trademark. Brodeur's five Vezinas are not just a personal trophy shelf; they are the statistical backbone of the Devils' golden age and the reason the franchise's goaltending standard is measured against a single, almost mythical name.
Lore & Background
In the mid-1990s, the New Jersey Devils were a team built on speed, grit, and a goaltender who seemed to make the impossible look routine. Brodeur's 1995 Vezina arrived in the same season he helped the Devils capture the Stanley Cup, though the Conn Smythe that year went to Claude Lemieux and the Hart Trophy to Eric Lindros—Brodeur never won either award in his career. The 1996 follow-up Vezina told the league that the 1995 season was no fluke. For two straight years, the Devils' black-and-red mask was the last thing an opposing winger saw before the puck kissed the back of the net.
The 2003 and 2004 Vezinas belonged to a different era: a more physical, more methodical Brodeur who had matured into the league's most complete goaltender. The 2003 season, capped by a Stanley Cup, is still replayed in Devils lore as the pinnacle of what a single player can do in a playoff run. The 2004 Vezina confirmed that his dominance was not a product of one hot season but a sustained, decade-spanning standard.
The 2007 Vezina, won in a New Jersey Devils sweater, is the one that cements the fan narrative and elevates it. It proved that Brodeur's excellence was tethered to a single locker room, a single coaching staff, and a single city for his entire career. He was simply the best goaltender in the NHL, and the vote reflected that. For Devils fans, it is a proud footnote; for the history of the position, it is the capstone on a record that may never be equaled.
Reader's Guide
Individual Awards — Vezina Trophy (NHL's top goaltender, voted by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association)
1995 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — First of five Vezinas; he also captured the Conn Smythe and Hart in the same season, a rare triple sweep of the league's top individual honours. Still matters: the only season in NHL history where a goaltender collected all three in one year.
1996 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — Back-to-back Vezina; anchored a Devils squad that pushed deep into the postseason. Still matters: silenced the argument that 1995 was a one-off and cemented his status as the league's undisputed No. 1.
2003 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — Third Vezina, paired with a second Conn Smythe during a Stanley Cup championship run. Still matters: the 2003 Cup is widely regarded as one of the greatest single-goaltender performances in playoff history.
2004 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — Fourth Vezina and his second Hart Trophy. Still matters: proved his dominance was a sustained, decade-spanning standard rather than a mid-90s flash.
2007 — Martin Brodeur (NY Rangers) — Fifth Vezina, won after his move to New York. Still matters: confirms his legacy transcends any single franchise; the best is the best regardless of the jersey.
Franchise Records (New Jersey Devils / NHL)
Career wins by a goaltender — 692 — Brodeur's all-time NHL record, the vast majority accumulated in black, red, and silver. Still matters: a number that may never be touched.
Career shutouts — 112 — Brodeur's all-time NHL record. Still matters: the gold standard for a goaltender's ultimate skill, and the Devils' most cited statistical legacy.
Did You Know?
- Brodeur was selected 10th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, a pick that became one of the most consequential in franchise history.
- His #31 jersey was retired by the Devils, joining the small group of players whose numbers will never be reissued in New Jersey.
- Brodeur won four Stanley Cups with the Devils (1995, 2000, 2003, and 2007), making him the backbone of the franchise's championship era.
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