Connor Hellebuyck Nets Vezina and Hart Trophies in Rare Double Win

Connor Hellebuyck, the Winnipeg Jets' star goalie, has achieved a historic double, capturing both the Vezina Trophy and the Hart Trophy. This marks a monumental achievement, placing him among a select few goaltenders to ever claim the league's MVP award.

Hellebuyck's Vezina win is his second consecutive and third overall, solidifying his place as the NHL's premier netminder. However, it's his Hart Trophy victory that truly sets him apart, as only three other goalies have earned the honor in the modern NHL era since 1967.

The American netminder was a dominant force this season, leading the league with 47 wins, a feat eclipsed only once in NHL history. His stellar play propelled the Jets to their first-ever Presidents' Trophy, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record. Hellebuyck's consistency was unmatched, allowing two or fewer goals in an astounding 40 out of 63 appearances. He topped the league with a 2.00 goals-against average and eight shutouts, while also boasting an impressive .925 save percentage.

Prior to Hellebuyck, Carey Price (2014-15), Jose Theodore (2001-02), and Dominik Hasek (twice, in 1996-97 and 1997-98) were the only goalies to secure the Hart Trophy in the expansion era. His back-to-back Vezina trophies haven't been seen since Martin Brodeur won in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Hellebuyck overwhelmingly won the Hart Trophy with 81 first-place votes and 1,346 total points from the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton came in second with 53 first-place votes and 1,209 points, followed by Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov with 973 points. He also secured the Vezina with a dominant performance, earning 31 of 32 first-place votes and 158 points from the league's general managers, outpacing Andrei Vasilevskiy of Tampa Bay (80 points) and Darcy Kuemper of Los Angeles (33 points).

Earlier in the day, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship for the third time, finishing the season with just four penalty minutes.

Other notable NHL award winners include Nikita Kucherov (Ted Lindsay Award), Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals (Jack Adams Award), Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (Norris Trophy), Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens (Calder Trophy), Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers (Selke Trophy and King Clancy Trophy), Sean Monahan of the Columbus Blue Jackets (Masterton Trophy) and Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals (Mark Messier Leadership Award).