Over the next week, the NHL will be releasing the finalists for all of the major regular season awards. First up is the Vezina Trophy, which is given to the best goaltender in the NHL and is voted on by the league’s general managers.
The finalists this season are Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights, Philipp Grubauer of the Colorado Avalanche, and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Fleury, 36, has been written off several times in his long career but seems to just get better with age. He posted the best regular season of his career in 2020-21, recording a .928 save percentage while splitting the net with Robin Lehner. The tandem already won the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league, and Fleury personally ranked among the top of almost every category. Despite winning nearly 500 games in the NHL, Fleury has never been a Vezina finalist before.
Grubauer, 29, is also a finalist for the first time. The Avalanche netminder posted a .922 save percentage in 40 appearances, leading the league in shutouts with seven. His record was impeccable, losing only nine games in regulation all season. Though Grubauer has put up numbers like this before, he has never carried a heavier workload. His career to this point may be easy to overlook, but among goaltenders with at least 200 starts, Grubauer’s .920 save percentage would put him fifth all-time.
The two new finalists will have to slay a giant if they want the award though, as Vasilevskiy is back again. The Lightning goaltender has been a Vezina finalist for four consecutive seasons, winning the award in 2019. For the fourth year in a row, he had led the NHL in wins, this time taking home 31 of his 42 appearances. His .925 save percentage matched his career-high (the number that won him the Vezina) and his goals-against average dropped even further. Even though he’s only 26, it seems clear that Vasilevskiy is destined to go down as one of the best goaltenders the NHL has ever seen.
Think flurry wins it this year. Best season to date for him. Just add another feather to the cap for marc
Side note I think the team you play for plays a huge role in your numbers. Lightening are loaded on all four lines and have been for the past 3/4 years has to tell how good andrei is with so much help and defense in front of him.
No way he split too much time
I really like Grubauer, but I think this one has to go to Fleury. I tend to agree with the above poster to an extent in that despite clearly being an outstanding goaltender, Vasilevskiy has a stacked team in front of him every night. The GK and Avs have great teams as well, but I find it more impressive when a goalie puts up those numbers with less (but still great) in front of him.
The Lightning may be able to do what they’re doing with Braden Holtby in net for them who has declined to a below average goaltender at this point.
What you are both missing is Vassy did this with the Lightning’s top 2 forwards out until the playoffs & 3+ new defenseman to work in. Vassy was left on an island with multiple odd man rushes & not clearing the front of the crease multiple times a game. Vassy’s backup had an .875 save % while both Avs & GK had .913. While I like Fleury & Grubauer, they’re not in the same league
Hard to argue against vas, but if you look at what Johansson, miska and even dubnyk did (or didn’t do); Grubauer looks pretty dang good. That said, I think many voters won’t appreciate Phillip. Vasilevskiy is a Goliath, and fleury is a big time fan favorite of many hockey circles. If you watched these guys play this year its a toss up. Should be interesting.
I didn’t watch enough non-Pens games this year to say who should win, but MAF just keeps adding to his HOF resume either way.
“His record was impeccable, losing only nine games in regulation all season.l
Impeccable (adjective) – flawless, faultless, unblemished, spotless, stainless, untarnished….
Great
Great season, but 9 losses isn’t exactly impeccable.
Also think the Flower wins this one, but Grubby will be lifting Lord Stanley. Odd season, Fleury has a superb season and then watches Lehner get torched by the Avs in game 1.