A Look At The Vezina Award Winners Of The Past And Sergei Bobrovsky

Jun 15, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky poses with the Vezina Trophy during the first intermission of game two of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

Once the 2013-2014 regular season begins, Sergei Bobrovskywill have to get used to the fact that he is last season’s Vezina Award winner. Every team will have their eye on him and will know what they will have to do to beat him, and goalies will look to dethrone him and be sure to post better numbers than his from the 2012-13 season. With his work ethic though, I am sure that Bobrovsky is actually thinking about all the same things too, and training like crazy this offseason to be ready to defend all the critics.

Matt Sexton already wrote about the Enormous Amount Of Pressure That Bobrovsky Will Face In 2013-2014, whether it be the pressure of being the previous years Vezina Award winner, the potential of having to carry the Blue Jackets, and possibly becoming the starting goalie for Team Russia….all in one year. So where am I going with this post, well, I want to take a look at how some previous winners of the Vezina Award have done in their next season and careers.

Get ready for a history lesson…

I want to start with a goalie that I remember watching when I was growing up, okay maybe several goalies that I remember. In the 1988-89 season, Patrick Roy won his first of three Vezina Awards, and by the way, he was 23 years old, quite close to Bobrovsky’s age. By the age of 24 though, Roy had two Vezina Awards, because he won it in the very next season as well, 1989-1990. Roy then went on to win his third Vezina Award just two seasons later in the 1991-92 season, all before the age of thirty.

Since Patrick Roy basically swept the late 80’s and early 90’s, two other goalies pretty much dominated the rest of the 90’s. A goalie by the name of Dominik Hasek, you might have heard of him, he won the Vezina 6 times, all but one in the 90’s. Ed “The Eagle” Belfour also won a couple Vezina Awards in the 90’s, but he was always in the mix and had the potential to win more. Both Belfour and Hasek both won Vezina’s before the age of thirty as well.

Apr 10, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur (30) makes a pad save on Boston Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk

After winning his 6th in the 2000-01 season, Hasek passed the torch to a goalie by the name of Martin Brodeur. Brodeur dominated the 2000’s winning 4 Vezina Awards, and for all we know he could win more.

The only difference between the three previous goalies mentioned and Brodeur, is that he was in his 30’s when he started to win his awards. And one last note for Marty, there has not been a repeat since he won the award in back to back years, 2006-07 and the 2007-08 seasons.

I hope you have caught on to my point, a repeat is obtainable. Yes the goalies I have mentioned will easily all make the Hall Of Fame or already have, but who knows, maybe that is in Bobrovsky’s future as well. I think what I really want you to take out of this though, is that Bobrovsky could win the award more than once, a repeat is tough, but  maybe he will be next Roy, Hasek, Belfour, or Brodeur. Next season will be a big year for Bobrovsky though, and it could very well give us a glimpse into the future.