No. 3: Vezina Trophy
- Nominees:
- Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins
- Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
- Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders
- Toronto Maple Leafs Nominee:
- Ilya Samsonov
- Christmas Winner:
- Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins
Ullmark leads the NHL is save percentage, goals against average and is currently 18-1-1 on the season. He’s pretty much playing like the greatest goalie to ever live right now so it seems impossible to give this award to anyone else, yet.
It’ll be impossible for Ullmark to keep this record and stats up for the rest of the season, so I do think when it’s all set-and-done that he won’t win the actual award, and instead it’ll go to Sorokin.
The New York Islanders are not a good hockey team, but Sorokin is keeping them afloat. If the Islanders somehow make the playoffs, I can see voters picking him because his stats are incredible too.
As for the Leafs, although it’s a toss-up, I’d say that Samsonov is currently the team’s Vezina Trophy nominee. Him and Murray have both been fantastic all year, but Samsonov’s stats are a little better and he seems more reliable at the moment.
We’ll see how the rest of the season unfolds, but maybe one of Murray or Samsonov will fall into a nomination by year’s end.