The NHL has revealed more finalists for their end-of-season awards. The league announced Thursday afternoon three goalies up for the Vezina Trophy on Thursday. The award is given to “the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position,” as chosen by NHL general managers.

Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, the New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin, and Boston’s Linus Ullmark topped voters’ ballots.

Only Hellebuyck has been a finalist for the Vezina before, taking home the trophy in 2020.

Ullmark is the likely favorite, having led the league in save percentage (.938), GAA (1.89), and total wins (tied, 40) during the Bruins’ historic campaign. He and backup goaltender Jeremy Swayman have already won the Jennings Trophy this season, letting in the fewest goals in the regular season with 177.

In February, Ullmark also became the 13th NHL goalie in history to score a goal.

Hellebuyck contributed heavily to a turbulent Jets team, allowing them to squeeze into the final wild-card spot in the West. With a record of 37-25-2, Hellebuyck had a save percentage of .920 and a GAA of 2.49.

Sorokin had a record of 31-22-7 in his third NHL season, with a .924 save percentage and a GAA of 2.34. He led the league in shutouts and helped the Islanders earn the first wild card playoff spot in the East.

The NHL will conclude announcing finalists on Friday with the Hart Memorial Trophy. See all the players up for awards here.

The NHL’s full press release is below.

Hellebuyck, Sorokin and Ullmark Voted Vezina Trophy Finalists

NEW YORK (May 11, 2023) – Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins are the three finalists for the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy, awarded “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position,” the National Hockey League announced today.

NHL general managers submitted ballots for the Vezina Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be revealed live during the 2023 NHL Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Monday, June 26 (8 p.m. ET, TNT, SN, TVAS).

Following are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck (37-25-2, 2.49 goals-against average, .920 save percentage, four shutouts) backstopped the Jets to a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in the past six years on the strength of his League-leading starts (64) and percentage of team wins (37 of 46, 80.4%). He recorded a save percentage over .900 in 46 starts, the highest such figure among all NHL goaltenders. He played both ends of a League-high (tie) five back-to-backs, all coming in the final half of the season, with a .930 save percentage in the second half of those sets. He ranked second in the NHL in total saves (1,807) and third in shots faced (1,964), with both figures tops among goaltenders on playoff teams. In his 10 games facing 40-or-more shots, he posted an 8-1-1 record and .950 save percentage, allowing two goals or fewer seven times. Hellebuyck is a Vezina Trophy finalist for the third time. He finished second in voting to Nashville’s Pekka Rinne in 2017-18 and became the franchise’s first-ever recipient in 2019-20.

Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders

Sorokin (31-22-7, 2.34 goals-against average, .924 save percentage) posted a League-leading six shutouts in his career-high 62 appearances, helping the Islanders capture the 1st Wild Card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. He allowed one goal or fewer in 21 of his 60 starts. The third-year Islander ranked near the top of the League in several categories (min: 25 GP), including games (tie-third), save percentage (third), goals-against average (sixth), saves (sixth, 1,699) and wins (ninth). Sorokin is the first Islanders goaltender to record 30 wins in a season since Jaroslav Halak (38) in 2014-15 and one of five Islanders to achieve the feat in franchise history, joining Halak, Chris Osgood (2001-02), Rick DiPietro (2005-06, 2006-07) and Billy Smith (1981-82). Sorokin is a first-time Vezina Trophy finalist and is vying to join Smith (1981-82) as the second player in Islanders history to capture the honor.

Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins

Ullmark (40-6-1 in 49 GP) and teammate Jeremy Swayman won the William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltenders on the team allowing the fewest regular-season goals (177), backstopping the Bruins to their historic 65-win, 135-point campaign. Ullmark led the NHL in wins (tie-40), goals-against average (1.89) and save percentage (.938), becoming the eighth goaltender in League history to lead the NHL in all three categories and the first since Montreal’s Carey Price in 2014-15. Ullmark became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to reach 40 wins, doing so in his 49th and final game of the season; tied a Bruins record for wins in a season (Pete Peeters: 63 GP in 1982-83); and allowed two or fewer goals in 36 of his 49 appearances (73.5%). Ullmark, a first-time NHL Awards finalist, is vying to become the fourth Bruins goaltender to win the Vezina under the current selection criteria (since 1981-82), joining Peeters (1982-83), Tim Thomas (2008-09, 2010-11) and Tuukka Rask (2013-14).

History

Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau and Joe Cattarinich, former owners of the Montreal Canadiens, presented the trophy to the NHL in 1926-27 in memory of Georges Vezina, the outstanding Canadiens goaltender who collapsed during an NHL game on Nov. 28, 1925, and died of tuberculosis a few months later. Before the 1981-82 season, the goaltender(s) of the team allowing the fewest number of goals during the regular season was awarded the Vezina Trophy.

Announcement Schedule

The series of NHL Trophy finalist announcements for the 2023 NHL Awards concludes Friday, May 12, when the three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy will be unveiled.

Headline photo: NHL PR