Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky is a Vezina finalist. How he compares to the other contenders
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky already has two Vezina Trophy wins to his name.
Could a third be coming his way?
The NHL announced Monday that Bobrovsky is one of three finalists this season for the Vezina Trophy, given annually to the league’s best goaltender. The Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck and the Vancouver Canucks’ Thatcher Demko are the other finalists.
“His season — and it’s the bigger context when you get to be a goaltender who has played games and he’s not 22 anymore — [it’s about] the amount of work that he puts into be as good as he is,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said ahead of the Panthers’ Game 5 matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida’s second chance to win the best-of-7 series. “Your name doesn’t come up if you’re just hot for a month or two. It’s a season-long run of outstanding goaltending. It’s the amount of time with the course of his career he’s put himself in a position to be a man of his age and be at the elite part of his game. That’s hours and hours above and beyond what we see in the 60-minute block of an NHL game. He is just so committed to his craft and I’m glad that he did the work.”
Bobrovsky, playing in his 14th NHL season and fifth with the Panthers, previously won the award in the 2012-13 season and 2016-17 season, both while he was with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Here’s a look at how the three’s stats compared during the regular season.
▪ Record: Hellebuyck 37-19-4, Bobrovsky 36-17-4, Demko 35-14-2
▪ Save percentage: Hellebuyck .921, Demko .917, Bobrovsky .915
▪ Goals against average: Bobrovsky 2.37, Hellebuyck 2.39, Demko 2.45
▪ Goals saved above average: Hellebuyck 31.71, Demko 20.76, Bobrovsky 18.13
▪ Shutouts: Bobrovsky 6, Hellebuyck 5, Demko 5
▪ Starts with two or fewer goals allowed: Hellebuyck 35, Bobrovsky 32, Demko 27
Bobrovsky’s stellar regular season followed a stellar playoff run last season that helped lead the Panthers all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Prior to that, the 35-year-old goaltender post a combined .905 save percentage while allowing nearly three goals per game through his first four regular seasons with Florida after signing a seven-year, $70 million deal.
“It’s the longevity of these goaltenders,” Maurice said. “I mean, just the tax on their body and the tax on their mind is probably twice as great. Sergei is very, very bright and he can eventually figure things out. So in all those environments that he gets to, maybe it took a while to figure some things out and some of that’s just the style of game that’s played in front of him. He got here and he’s a smart man and his body’s ready. His mind is ready.”
Rest of NHL Trophy finalist release dates
The NHL is announcing the finalists for all 10 of its annual awards, one per day at 11 a.m. each day. The Vezina Trophy was the first of those to be announced. The rest of the schedule is as follows:
▪ Tuesday: Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year)
▪ Wednesday: James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenseman)
▪ Thursday: Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (presented annually “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”)
▪ Friday: Jack Adams Award (coach of the year)
▪ Saturday: Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (presented annually “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.”)
▪ Sunday: Frank Selke Trophy (best two-way forward)
▪ May 6: Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award (presented annually “to an individual who – through the game of hockey – has positively impacted his or her community, culture or society.”
▪ May 7: Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP, as voted on by the media)
▪ May 8: Ted Lindsay Award (MVP, as voted on by the players)
