Trophy Tracker: Ullmark choice for Vezina as top goalie in NHL

To mark the final week of the 2022-23 regular season, NHL.com is running its fifth installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Vezina Trophy, awarded annually to the goalie voted to be the best in the League by NHL general managers.  

Linus Ullmark was expected to have an even split with Jeremy Swayman in goal for the Boston Bruins this season.

The way Ullmark has played, it has been impossible to keep him off the ice.

The 29-year-old is 40-6-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and two shutouts in 49 games (48 starts). He leads the NHL in wins, and among goalies to play at least 20 games, he’s first in GAA and save percentage. He also became the first goalie to shoot and score a goal in three seasons when he did it against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 25.

Ullmark also was the unanimous pick to win the Vezina Trophy given to the best goalie in the NHL, according to a panel of 16 NHL.com writers. He also was the unanimous pick at the three-quarter mark in March and received 13 of 14 first-place votes midway through the season in January.

Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders was second with 54 voting points, followed by Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets (21) and Alexandar Georgiev of the Colorado Avalanche (20).

“Words that come to mind are blessed,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said of Ullmark. “We’re very fortunate. He’s had an incredible season. I don’t know if there’s been a time behind the bench where I’ve been like, well, how did that go in? And there’s been many times where I’ve been like, I can’t believe he just made that save. And in particular, how many saves he’s made look easy.”

Ullmark’s 40 wins tied Pete Peeters (1982-83) for most in a season by a Bruins goalie. His 1.89 GAA is the best from one who played at least 20 games since Frank Brimsek (1.56 in 1938-39). Since save percentage became a recorded stat in 1955, Ullmark’s .938 is tied with Tim Thomas (2010-11) for the best in team history.

Video: TOR@BOS: Ullmark stretches out with the blocker

Bruins forward Taylor Hall was Ullmark’s teammate with the Buffalo Sabres in 2020-21 and has been amazed by the growth he’s shown since then.

“It’s been really cool to see the maturity and just the overall game that he has,” Hall said. “To see him blossom here, it’s been a lot of fun to watch him. He deserves everything. Great guy, great teammate. He’s been such a huge part of our season this year, obviously.”

Swayman has had a strong season in his own right, going 23-6-4 with a 2.21 GAA, .922 save percentage and four shutouts in 36 games (32 starts).

Helped by stellar goaltending, the Bruins clinched the Presidents’ Trophy on March 30, set a new single-season NHL record of 63 wins by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 on Sunday and set a League record for points in a season (133) with a 5-2 victory against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

“We wouldn’t be here without Linus,” Swayman said. “He’s such a huge part of this…