Jets goaltender Hellebuyck named Vezina finalist along with Kuemper, Vasilevskiy

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) stops a shot from Chicago Blackhawks right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

NEW YORK — Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is a step closer to repeating as NHL goaltender of the year.

The league announced its three finalists for this season’s Vezina Trophy on Monday. Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the others.

Hellebuyck won his second career Vezina Trophy in 2024 and followed that up with an outstanding 2024-25 campaign.

He posted career bests in wins (47), shutouts (eight), goals-against average (2.00) and save percentage (.925) as Winnipeg finished the regular season with the league’s best record.

Despite the regular-season success, the announcement comes at a time when Hellebuyck is struggling with his form in the playoffs.

He has been pulled in Winnipeg’s last two games against St. Louis, surrendering 11 goals on 43 shots over that span, as the Blues have come back to tie their first-round best-of-seven series with the Presidents’ Trophy winners at 2-2.

Kuemper, in his second stint with the Kings, posted a 31-11-7 record, a 2.02 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage and five shutouts as L.A. finished second in the Pacific Division.

The Kings are tied 2-2 in their first-round series with the Oilers after losing two straight in Edmonton.

Vasilevskiy posted a 38-20-5 record with a 2.18 GAA, .921 save percentage and six shutouts as the Lightning finished second in the Atlantic Division. He won the award in 2018-19 and is a finalist for the fifth time.

The Lightning trailed the Florida Panthers 2-1 in their first-round series heading into Game 4 on Monday night in Sunrise.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2025.

The Canadian Press