There will be a first-time Vezina Trophy winner this season as the NHL announced the finalists for the best goalie award on Wednesday.
All 30 NHL general managers submitted ballots with the top three vote-getters serving as finalists. The winner will be revealed on June 22 at the NHL Awards.
The trophy is awarded "to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at his position," according to NHL.com. Here is our ranking of these three goalies as well as a prediction as to who will leave Las Vegas with the hardware this summer.
3) Jonathan Quick
The Kings netminder finished second in the Vezina voting in his only previous time as a finalist following the 2011-12 season. Quick set a record for U.S. born goaltenders by recording his 41st shutout this season and his 40 wins were a franchise record for the Kings, ranking second in the NHL. The goalie also tied for fifth in the league with five shutouts this season. Though his 40 wins were impressive, he did play more games than any other goalie (68) this season. Quick, 30, finished 40-23-5 with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage, helping the Kings to a playoff berth before they were ousted by the Sharks in Round 1.
2) Ben Bishop
The 6-foot-7 Lightning goalie led the entire NHL with a 2.06 goals-against average and ranked second with a .926 save percentage while placing fourth in the league with 35 wins. Bishop finished the campaign with 115 wins for his career, breaking the franchise record for the Lightning, which was previously held by Nikolai Khabibulin (83). It's his second time as a finalist after finishing third in 2013-14. It was a career year for Bishop, 29, who had career-highs in GAA and save percentage, and shutouts (6), which ranked second in the NHL. The Lightning are currently playing the Islanders in Round 2 of the playoffs after defeating the Red Wings in five games.
1) Braden Holtby
The Capitals goaltender reached the 40-win plateau for the second straight season and tied legendary Devils' netminder Martin Brodeur's 2006-07 single season record by recording 48 wins. Holtby backstopped the Capitals (120 points) to the Presidents' Trophy for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Though he wavered a bit down the stretch, Holtby, 26, lost just nine games in regulation this season. Holtby and the Capitals are getting set for Round 2 against the Penguins.
Prediction
Quick had yet another great season and Bishop would be a shoo-in for the trophy in any other campaign, but this nod has to go to Holtby. Not only did he backstop the best team in the league this season, losing just nine games in regulation is astounding and his 48 wins tied an NHL record.
The Pick: Braden Holtby.
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