In the National Hockey League, the season’s standout goaltender was recognized as the Vezina Trophy winner, honoring outstanding performance between the pipes. The official league announcement highlighted Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins as the season’s top goalkeeper, underscoring his consistency, saves, and influence in net.
Ullmark earned the Vezina Trophy after a season in which he appeared in 49 games. During those appearances, his Bruins secured 40 victories, and Ullmark faced and stopped a substantial number of shots, with the team recording 91 goals against over that span. The award marks a peak milestone in Ullmark’s career and reflects the high level of play demonstrated by the Bruins in front of him.
In addition to Ullmark, several notable goaltenders were in the running. Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders received nominations for the honor, recognizing their performances across the season. Sorokin, who has been with the Islanders since the 2020/21 season, appeared in 62 regular season games and contributed strongly to his team’s defensive results.
Among other prominent Russian goaltenders in the league, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Igor Shesterkin have previously earned the Vezina Trophy, reflecting the continued impact of Russian players at the position across multiple seasons.
Before this update, reports noted Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers receiving the Ted Lindsay Award for the fourth time, an honor given to players who demonstrate outstanding performance and leadership in the league. The Ted Lindsay Award is presented by the NHL Players’ Association to the most outstanding player as voted by fellow players.