NHL: 25 worst award snubs in the history of hockey

25 Worst award snubs in NHL history: 8. Dominik Hasek Vezina Trophy 1996

Dominik Hasek won six Vezina Trophies over his career. It was the 1995-96 award that really hurts. It’s clear the voters took wins and losses as a goalie stat. Some still think of wins and losses as a goalie stat. The 1995-96 Buffalo Sabres should prove how little wins are a goalie stat. Hasek was the league leader in save percentage. He was also the league leader in losses despite leading the league in goals saved above average and goalie point shares.

Everything said that Hasek was the best goalie in the league. Unfortunately, he was on a dreadful team. The Sabres were allowing 35 shots per 60 minutes when Hasek was in the net. He stopped more than 2,000 pucks that season.

This was the one season between 1994 and 1999 that Hasek didn’t win the Vezina Trophy. Obviously, the losses were the one reason that the voters didn’t pick Hasek. He wasn’t any less of a goalie. His advanced analytics showed he was still the best goalie in the league.

When looking at the voting, it’s even crazier that Hasek finished the season eighth in Vezina voting. Jim Carey won the award for the Washington Capitals. He had a pretty good season, but he was clearly not the best player at his position. The Lightning’s Darren Puppa was the only goalie that was even close to Hasek’s save percentage, and he finished third in Vezina voting. Hasek was the best goalie in the league, and he deserved another Vezina despite his win-loss record.