NHL Awards Watch: Artemi Panarin enters Hart Trophy race with a bang

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 17: New York Rangers center Artemi Panarin (10) during the second period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers on October 17, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images /

Vezina Trophy

The candidates: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets), Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins), Ben Bishop (Dallas Stars)

Winner: Hellebuyck

What can you say about a female who doesn’t like the Winnipeg Jets starting goalie? She ain’t no Hellebuyck girl.

It’s hard to evaluate goalies, so this is never an easy award to vote for. However, this year, the finalists are pretty easy to pick. No matter which metrics you prefer to measure goalies by, Hellebuyck, Rask, and Bishop stand out.

Hellebuyck is third in the NHL in wins with 28. That’s not why he should win, but considering general managers are the ones voting, that’s still quite relevant. Hellebuyck has also posted impressive underlying stats. His GSAAx (expected goals saved above average) of 13.71 is the highest mark in the NHL. If you want to learn more about GSAAx, feel free to read about it here.

He has basically carried the Jets for extended periods of time. They’ve been a mess defensively, so Hellebuyck has had to be great for his team to win. And yup, he’s been great.

Rask is a strong candidate and might well win if Hellebuyck and the Jets don’t make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Bishop’s quietly having an impressive season, even after you factor in how good the Stars have been defensively. However, a lack of games played isn’t going to make it easy for either to win.

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