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Pekka Rinne Wins The Vezina Trophy

06/20/2018 at 9:40pm EDT

via NHL PR,

Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators has captured the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the “goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at his position,” as selected by NHL General Managers. Prior to 1981-82, the Vezina was awarded to the goaltender(s) whose team allowed the fewest goals during the regular season, the current criterion for the William M. Jennings Trophy.

Rinne was a runaway winner, garnering 22 first-place votes from the 31 cast by NHL General Managers. His 129 voting points placed him ahead of second-place Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets (82 points) and third-place Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning (21 points).

Rinne ranked third in the NHL with 42 victories, behind only Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy, to backstop the Predators to their first Presidents’ Trophy as well as franchise records for wins and points. He also shared the League lead and set a club record with eight shutouts while placing in the top 10 among netminders in goals-against average (5th; 2.31) and save percentage (7th; .927). Rinne matched a career high with 11 straight wins from Feb. 19 – March 19, the longest such run by any goaltender in 2017-18. He earned his 300th NHL win Feb. 22, becoming the 34th goaltender in League history to reach the milestone, and posted his 40th victory of the season March 19, becoming the seventh NHL goaltender to achieve the feat three times (also 2011-12 and 2014-15).

The 35-year-old Kempele, Finland, native is a first-time Vezina Trophy winner in his fourth appearance as a finalist, having finished second in voting in 2010-11 and 2014-15 and third in 2011-12.

2017-2018 Vezina Trophy Voting

Pts.

(1st-2nd-3rd)

1. Pekka Rinne, NSH 129 (22-6-1)
2. Connor Hellebuyck, WPG 82 (7-14-5)
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL 21 (0-5-6)
4. Frederik Andersen, TOR 12 (1-2-1)
5. Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK 11 (1-1-3)
6. John Gibson, ANA 11 (0-1-8)
7. Tuukka Rask, BOS 7 (0-2-1)
8. Sergei Bobrovsky, CBJ 4 (0-0-4)
t-9. Roberto Luongo, FLA 1 (0-0-1)
t-9. Jonathan Quick, LAK 1 (0-0-1)

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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