The William M. Jennings Trophy is an award in the National Hockey League (NHL) given each year to "to the goalkeeper(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it. Winners are selected based on regular-season play."[1] Up until 1981, the Vezina Trophy had been awarded under that definition, but it was later changed and replaced by the Jennings Trophy. Since it began in 1982, it has been awarded at the end of 25 seasons to 27 different players. The most recent winners are Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks and Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens, who both allowed only 189 team goals against for their teams in the 2014–15 NHL season.
| William M. Jennings Trophy | |
|---|---|
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| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Given for | National Hockey League goaltender(s) that have played for the team that allows the fewest goals scored against it. |
| History | |
| First award | 1981–82 NHL season |
| Most recent | Connor Hellebuyck Winnipeg Jets |
History
Until the 1980–81 season, the Vezina Trophy was awarded to the goaltender(s) of the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season.[2] However, it was discovered that this often meant the trophy went to the goaltender of the better team rather than the individual, so they changed it to offer the Vezina to the most outstanding goaltender, as voted by the NHL General Managers. The William M. Jennings Trophy was created as a replacement and is given to the goaltender(s) playing for the team with the fewest goals scored against them.[3]
The Jennings Trophy was donated by the NHL's board of governors and first handed out at the end of the 1981–82 season. It is named for the late William M. Jennings, who was a governor and president of the New York Rangers and who helped build ice hockey in the United States.[1] Normally the lowest number of games a goaltender must play to be eligible for the trophy is 25, but for the lockout shortened 1994–95 season, the lowest was fourteen games.[4]
Five players have won both the Jennings and Vezina Trophy for the same season: Patrick Roy (1988–89 and 1991–92), Ed Belfour (1990–91 and 1992–93), Dominik Hasek (1993–94 and 2000–01), Martin Brodeur (2002–03 and 2003–04) and Miikka Kiprusoff (2005–06).[2] Roy has won the trophy five times, the most of any goaltender. Belfour and Brodeur are tied for second, having each won the trophy four times. It has been won most often by the Montreal Canadiens, on 5 occasions. The New Jersey Devils have won four times, and Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks have three wins each.
Winners
Bold Player with the fewest goals ever scored against in a season.[lower-alpha 1]
- Corey Crawford and Ray Emery hold the record for fewest goals scored against in a season, however this was in a lockout shortened season. Martin Brodeur has the fewest goals scored against in a full-length season.
- For the 2002–03 season, there was a tie between Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and Robert Esche and Roman Cechmanek of the Philadelphia Flyers. This is the first time that there has been a tie between players from different teams.
- Not awarded due to the lockout
- For the 2014–15 season, there was a tie between Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens and Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks. This is the second time that there has been a tie between players from different teams.
- Season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Season delayed and shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic
Notes
Note 1: For the 2002–03 season, there was a tie between Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and Robert Esche and Roman Cechmanek of the Philadelphia Flyers. This is the only time that there has been a tie between players from different teams.
References
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