David Becker/AP
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) defends against Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) during the first period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Las Vegas.
Published Tuesday, June 1, 2021 | 8:27 a.m.
Updated Tuesday, June 1, 2021 | 4:21 p.m.
Marc-Andre Fleury has already won the Jennings Trophy for backstopping the best defensive team in hockey. More hardware could be on the way for the Golden Knights goaltender.
Fleury was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender on Tuesday, along with Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Colorado’s Philipp Grubauer. It is the first time in Fleury’s career he was named a finalist.
"I never go into a season thinking I want to be a nominee or a finalist for the Vezina. I think my top is all about winning games and winning in the playoffs," Fleury said. "I'm not looking for individual awards, but this is definitely very flattering and I'm honored to be along with these guys."
The winner will be announced at the NHL Awards, which does not have an announced date. The award is voted on by the league’s general managers.
Fleury was third in the NHL in save percentage (.928), goals-against average (1.98), shutouts (60 and wins (26) in a renaissance season for the 36-year-old. He also led the NHL in goals saved above expected (19.2), according to advanced stats site Evolving Hockey.
Fleury ended the regular season on a personal nine-game winning streak, then started all seven games in the first round-series against the Wild.
After not playing in Game 1 against Colorado, he is expected to return to the net for Game 2 of the second round playoff series, where he will face a fellow Vezina finalist in Grubauer.
In the regular season Fleury and Robin Lehner split the Jennings Trophy, the award given to the goalie or goalies on the team that allowed the fewest goals in the league. It was Fleury’s first career Jennings win, and Lehner’s second.
