Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck shortlisted as finalist for Vezina Trophy
Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy round out finalists for prestigious award
A little over an hour before he was due to slide into position between the pipes to take on Minnesota, the NHL announced Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck is one of three finalists up for the Vezina Trophy.
Hellebuyck, Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne and the Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy are the three finalists competing for the prestigious award.
The league gives out the award each year to "the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position as voted by the general managers of all NHL clubs," according to NHL.com.
Hellebuyck would become the first goalie to win the award as Jet.
Winnipeg-born goalie Terry Sawchuk won it four times in his career, but he never played for the Jets.
The Jets' fifth-round 2012 draft pick has wowed fans all season long. He won 44 of 67 games — tying for most wins in the league and setting a club record.
Hellebuyck finished the season with a goals against average of 2.36 and 0.924 save percentage, another club record.
He was third in the league in shutouts (six) and tied the NHL's single-season record for wins at home.
The Jets awarded Hellebuyck the DeKalb Three Stars Award just over a week ago. The in-house award goes to the player on the team who netted the most "Three Stars" of the game honours during the regular season.
The NHL announced the trio of Vezina finalists shortly before the beginning of Game 4 between the Wild and Jets in Minnesota.
The Jets lead the first-round playoff series 3-1 and will head back to Bell MTS Place for Game 5 on Friday.
The Vezina winner will be announced June 20 during the NHL Awards show at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story indicated Terry Sawchuk was a former Jets goalie. In fact, Sawchuk was born in Winnipeg, but never played for the Jets.Apr 17, 2018 7:38 PM CT