Ranking the top 5 worst Vezina Trophy winners in NHL history
2. Martin Brodeur (2003-04)
Martin Brodeur is one of the greatest goaltenders of all-time. If you’re looking for consistency and longevity, Brodeur had both. You don’t set the records for career wins and career shutouts without being good enough to stay in the NHL. His best stretch came from 2002 to 2008.
Brodeur won four Vezina Trophies during that span. Keep in mind he lost a season thanks to the 2004-05 lockout. His least deserving Vezina Trophy came in 2003-04. Brodeur led the league in games played (75), wins (38), and shutouts (11). However, there were two more deserving candidates who should have won.
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First, there was Miikka Kiprusoff, who finished in second place. While he only appeared in 38 games, his numbers were impossible to ignore. Kiprusoff’s .933% save percentage and 1.69 GAA were the best and lowest in the NHL, respectively. He went on to win the Vezina Trophy in 2004-05, so you shouldn’t feel too bad for him.
The guy you should feel bad for is Roberto Luongo, who finished in third place. His numbers were comparable to Kiprusoff, as he finished with a .931% save percentage. However, Luongo played in 72 games and wound up facing the most shots against in the entire league. He didn’t win because, you guessed it, he only had 25 wins because the Florida Panthers were awful that season.
Brodeur probably should have finished second. But Luongo deserved to win. And if he doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame because of his zero Vezina Trophies, the voters in 2003-04 ought to feel a ton of shame.