There are plenty of worthy candidates for the Vezina Trophy with the season now 25 percent complete. Some of the names are familiar ones (Tim Thomas), others are blasts from the past (Nikolai Khabibulin), and there are a couple of players no one expected to bounce back from sub-par play in recent seasons (Niklas Backstrom and Mike Smith).
As solid as those goaltenders have been, none make the cut for the Vezina finalists at this point of the season. There has been outstanding play between the pipes all across the League, but these are the three who deserve the most praise.
Winner
Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators -- There isn't a goaltender in the League who means more to his team than Rinne does to the Preds. Rinne leads the League in games played (18), minutes played (1,052:35) and shots faced (572) while the Preds sit in the middle of the pack offensively. His .932 save percentage is fifth among goalies making at least 10 starts; his 2.22 goals-against average is ninth. Those numbers are more impressive when you consider the Predators are allowing the third-most shots (33.1) per game in the NHL.Finalists
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings -- The 25-year-old Quick finds himself in a similar situation to Rinne, only slightly less extreme. Quick has a 2.01 GAA and .931 save percentage on a team that's having a hard time scoring goals. He's tied for the League lead in shutouts with 3 and has started 17 of his team's 20 games. Rinne gets the slight edge with Quick facing about three less shots per game.
Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings -- It's been a roller-coaster start for the Red Wings, but Howard has been a rock throughout the turbulence. His 1.85 GAA ranks second only to Khabibulin among regular starters and his .930 save percentage is among the League leaders. Just like with Rinne and Quick, it's been up to Howard to carry the workload. He has started 16 games and also has 3 shutouts.
Follow Dave Lozo on Twitter: @DaveLozo
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.