The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, announced that Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is among the three finalists for the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy, which is awarded “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position”.
Hellebuyck, the 2020 Vezina Trophy winner, finished top-five among NHL goaltenders in wins (T-3rd: 37), save percentage (T-4th: .920) and shutouts (T-5th: 4). The Commerce, Michigan native backstopped the Jets to a place in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading the league in percentage of his teams’ wins (80.4%), games started (64) and he was tied for the most games played (64). Hellebuyck also ranked second overall in minutes played (3,778), shots against (1,964) and saves (1,807).
Hellebuyck, 29, was one of five goalies in the NHL to face 40-or-more shots on 10 or more occasions and he posted a league-best 8-1-1 record in those contests. He also recorded a .950 SV% when facing 40-plus shots, the best among the five goalies who played in 10 games of that nature.
Hellebuyck, Winnipeg’s fifth round pick (130th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft, is a Vezina Trophy finalist for the third time in six seasons (winner in 2019-20 and runner-up in 2017-18) and is seeking to become the second goalie in the past decade to win the trophy multiple times (Sergei Bobrovsky in 2013 and 2017).