LOWELL, Mass. – Former UMass Lowell ice hockey and current Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been named the winner of both the NHL's Hart Memorial Trophy and Vezina Trophy, as announced by the league on Thursday evening at the NHL Awards. The Hart Memorial Trophy is given to "the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team," while the Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the best goaltender in the league.
With the accomplishment, Hellebuyck becomes the fourth goaltender in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to win the Hart Trophy and the fifth player in NHL history to win Hart and Vezina trophies in the same year, joining Jacques Plante (1961-62), Dominik Hasek (1996-97, 1997-98), Jose Theodore (2001-02) and Carey Price (2014-15).
As for the Vezina, he becomes the fourth player to win the award in consecutive seasons, along with Patrick Roy (1989 & 1990), Dominik Hasek (1994 & 1995, 1997-1999) and Martin Brodeur (2003 & 2004, 2007 & 2008), with Hasek and Brodeur doing so twice throughout their careers. He is also just the fourth goalie to win the award 3+ times since 1981-82 (Hasek 6x, Brodeur 4x, Roy 3x).
The netminder had a monster year for the Jets, leading the NHL in wins with 47 and helping lead the team to the Presidents' Trophy. He also posted a league-leading 2.00 GAA and eight shutouts in his 63 games played, which also ranked tied for first in the league. His .925 save percentage was the second-best in the NHL, while his 1,539 saves slotted him fourth among qualified goaltenders.
