The NHL’s best goaltenders of the 2016-17 season aren’t any stranger to the Vezina Trophy. Sergei Bobrovsky, Braden Holtby, and Carey Price were all named finalists to the NHL’s best goaltender award on Saturday evening, and all three have been given the Vezina in the last four years by the league’s general managers.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Braden Holtby, and Carey Price named finalists for Vezina Trophy
NHL general managers have chosen their nominations for the league’s best goaltender of the year.
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
The news dropped just moments after Devan Dubnyk and Minnesota were eliminated from the playoffs. Dubnyk, once considered a lock for a nomination in the first half of the season, fell off a cliff in January and never really recovered as the back half of his year spoiled his Vezina chances.
Bobrovsky is likely considered the frontrunner for the award, as he played 63 games and ended with a league-leading .931 save percentage. Holtby finished his season also playing 63 games, and though his .925 save percentage is lower than Bobrovsky’s, the Capitals’ netminder leads the NHL in wins (42) and shutouts (9).
Rounding out the list is Price, who played 62 games and ended his season with a .923 save percentage. While Bobrovsky and Holtby were almost assured spots, Price’s admission is quite the surprise as Dubnyk ended the year with the same save percentage as the Canadiens’ netminder. Clearly the NHL’s general managers did not take kindly to Dubnyk’s drop off midway through the year.
The Vezina will be awarded at the NHL Awards on June 21.
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