Three midseason candidates for the NHL’s Vezina Trophy

The NHL is just over a third of the way through the 2024-25season, and with that, there’s been plenty of star performances in the net. 

Many goaltenders have separated themselves from the rest of the pack as elite in their net; who will get the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best? Let’s take a look at the candidates:

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck has cemented himself as one of the league’s top goalies over the past few seasons. He has already captured the Vezina Trophy in 2019-20 and 2023-24 and has the fourth-highest save percentage since 2019 (among goalies who have played more than 150 games). 

This season, he’s third in the league in save percentage, second in goals against average and first in wins. Analytically, according to MoneyPuck, he’s first in the league with 16.8 goals saved above expected and has the third-highest save percentage on unblocked shots. These statistics are all the more impressive as the Jets allow the 10th-most shots on goal per game (29.1)

Hellebuyck certainly will be a nominee if he keeps up those numbers. His Jets also sit second overall in the league; if he can lead them to the President’s Trophy, he’ll have a great case for his third Vezina.

Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild

The Wild are a surprising team this season, currently leading the league, with the Jets, with 42 points and a .750-win percentage as of Wednesday. A big reason for that is Gustavsson. His .927 save percentage in 21 games is second among goaltenders and his goals-against average of 2.07 tops all.

Additionally, these numbers come with Minnesota ranking in the upper half of the league (14th) in allowing shots, with 28.9 against per game. Gustavsson has played in 21 of the Wild’s 28 games, losing just four of them. Of those 21 games, nine of them saw him stop 30 or more shots.

The Swedish-born netminder certainly will have a case for being crowned the best goalie of the 2024-25 season. With a fourth-ranked 12.6 goals saved above average, he’s a big reason why Minnesota has been a top team this season. Barring any late-season struggles, he’ll be a name on many Vezina ballots at the end of the season.

Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks

Dostal may not ultimately win the Vezina Trophy due to his team’s poor play, but his statistics in net deserve recognition nonetheless. Despite the Ducks’ poor record, Dostal has the league’s fourth-highest save percentage (.921) and the second-most goals saved above expected (14.0).

Furthermore, NHL Edge shows his save percentage on high-danger chances (.833) is well above the league average of .807 and his percentage of games with a save percentage higher than .900 (68.8) ranks in the 85th percentile of goaltenders. 

Dostal should get some votes at the end of the season, but his team’s performance may be his downfall. Regardless, it looks like Anaheim has found its netminder of the future, and at just 24 years old, Dostal may be on his way to many Vezina Trophy nominations in his career.