Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is the runaway early favourite to win the 2025 Vezina Trophy in a quarter-mark NHL.com writers poll.
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15 NHL.com writers cast their votes on a 5-4-3-2-1 point basis and Hellebuyck came out on top by a longshot to win the award as the league’s best goaltender with 75 points. The Minnesota Wild’s Filip Gustavsson (36 points,) New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin (32 points,) Toronto Maple Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz (23 points,) and Dallas Stars’ Jake Oettinger rounded out the top five.
The Vezina is awarded annually through a vote of NHL general managers.
Hellebuyck Exceptional Thus Far in Vezina-Defence Season
Hellebuyck has been nothing less than exceptional so far this season and is a massive reason the Jets are first in the entire NHL with a 16-3-0 record. He is fresh off winning the 2024 Vezina Trophy — the second of his career — in addition to the 2024 William M. Jennings Trophy and is in the first year of a seven-year contract extension he inked a year ago.
Related: Jets Head Coach Scott Arniel Early Favourite For Jack Adams Award in NHL.com Vote
The 31 year old has a 13-2-0 record, 2.20 goals against average, .923 save percentage, three shutouts, and 9.7 goals saved above expected. He also set a Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise record for longest shutout streak at 191:47.
After allowing a goal in the third period to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 3, he posted back-to-back shutouts against the Utah Hockey Club on Nov. 5 and the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 7 and only allowed a goal very late into the third period against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 9.
“He’s making incredible saves and … making those big defensive plays like that, it goes a long way,” Jets forward Alex Iafallo told NHL.com. “He pushes us forward. I think he’s having a hell of a start, and he’s got to keep it going. It’s pretty fun to watch.”
If Hellebuyck were to win the 2025 Vezina, he’d be the first back-to-back winner since Martin Brodeur, who captured the final two of his four in 2007 and 2008.
Hellebuyck and the Jets are back in action on Friday, Nov. 22 when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins to begin a six-game road trip. The Jets are coming off a bounce-back 6-3 win over the Florida Panthers at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday.