Martin Brodeur Vezina Trophy

Lore & Background

The Vezina Trophy was named in honor of Georges Vezina, an exceptional goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens. Vezina collapsed during a game in 1925 and was diagnosed as having tuberculosis, of which he died in 1926. Upon Vezina's death, the trophy was donated to the League by the Canadiens' owners, Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau and Joe Cattarinich to honour Vezina permanently. It was first awarded at the end of the 1926–27 NHL season to George Hainsworth who had come to Montreal to succeed Vezina. The trophy was accepted by the league at its May 15, 1927, meeting in Montreal. The criteria for winning was variously reported. The Montreal Gazette and The Globe and Mail reported that it was 'to be awarded each year to the goaltender in the National Hockey League having the best (goals against) average,' while the Toronto Star reported that the trophy went to the 'most valuable' goaltender in the league. When Hainsworth won his third Vezina at the end of the 1928–29 NHL season, the trophy was reported to be for the 'most outstanding' goaltender in the league. However, later reports state that the trophy was based on the lowest goals against average (GAA). The Vezina Trophy was quite prestigious, as it was one of the three major personal awards given out by the National Hockey League at the time, along with the Hart Trophy and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The hockey media closely follow a tight 'Vezina Trophy race,' such as in 1941–42, when Frank Brimsek, Turk Broda, and Johnny Mowers were separated by only three goals entering the final weekend of the season.

Reader's Guide

As of the 1981–82 NHL season, the Vezina Trophy has been given to the most outstanding goaltender as voted by the general managers of the NHL teams. Billy Smith of the New York Islanders was the first winner of the Vezina under the current system. The William M. Jennings Trophy, given to the goaltender(s) who play(s) a minimum of 25 games for the team that allows the fewest goals, serves the function of the old Vezina. The voting is conducted at the end of the regular season by the 32 general managers of the teams in the National Hockey League, with all individual voters ranking their top three candidates on a 5–3–1 points system. Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL Awards ceremony after the playoffs.

Did You Know?

• Jacques Plante holds the record for winning the most Vezinas with seven, followed by Bill Durnan and Dominik Hasek, who have won six each.
• Hasek has won the most awards under the current criterion of voting for the best individual goalie.
• Chuck Rayner is the only goaltender who has won the Hart Memorial Trophy (which he did in 1949–50) but never won the Vezina Trophy.

Origins and Memorial Purpose

Early reports regarding its criteria were inconsistent; some publications claimed it honored the goaltender with the best goals-against average, while others suggested it recognized the most valuable or outstanding netminder. Despite these initial ambiguities, the award quickly became one of the league's three major personal honors, sitting alongside the Hart and Lady Byng Trophies.

Evolving Criteria and Team Dependency

The National Hockey League decreed that the award would go to the goaltender of the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. This rule meant the trophy often bypassed the league's statistically best individual netminder in favor of a player on the strongest defensive squad. This led to a rule change allowing teammates to split the award if they both met minimum game requirements, acknowledging that defensive success was often a collective effort rather than solely an individual feat.

Shared Honors and Unique Exceptions

The history of the Vezina Trophy includes unique instances where the award was shared, reflecting the league's adaptability to complex scoring scenarios. This rule applied retroactively to Terry Sawchuk and Johnny Bower of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had already agreed to share the prize money during the season. Consequently, Tony Esposito and Bernie Parent both received the Vezina, marking the only time players from opposing franchises shared the honor. These exceptions underscored that while the award was theoretically about preventing goals, the criteria often prioritized team defense over individual statistical dominance, sometimes resulting in a disconnect between the Vezina winner and the media-voted First Team All-Star goaltender.

Transition to Individual Merit

The era of the Vezina Trophy being strictly tied to team defensive statistics concluded after the 1980–81 season. This shift introduced a voting system where thirty-two general managers determine the winner based on who is adjudged to be the best at their position. Concurrently, the William M. Jennings Trophy was established to specifically recognize the goaltenders of the team allowing the fewest goals, separating the two distinct achievements. Since this pivotal change, the Vezina has returned to its roots as a true individual accolade, celebrating personal skill and performance over team metrics. This modern format continues today, with recent winners like Andrei Vasilevskiy earning the honor based on their superior play throughout the season, ensuring the legacy of Georges Vezina is upheld by recognizing the very best netminder in the league.