William M. Jennings Trophy
The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League award given to "the goaltender having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it... based on regular-season play." Despite the flawed wording from the NHL definition, it means the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, not the goaltender with the true lowest number of goals scored against them. From 1946 until 1981, the Vezina Trophy had been awarded under that definition, but it was later changed and replaced by the Jennings Trophy. It is named in honor of William M. Jennings, the longtime governor and president of the New York Rangers. Since its beginnings in 1982, it has been awarded at the end of 40 seasons to 44 different players; mostly in tandems of two goaltenders.
The most recent winner is Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets had a league-low 191 team goals-against in the 2024–25 season.
History
From 1946 until the 1980–81 season, the Vezina Trophy was awarded to the goaltender of the NHL team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. However, it was recognized that this system often meant the trophy went to the goaltender of the better team rather than the individual and was changed to offer the trophy to the most outstanding goaltender, as voted by the NHL general managers. The William M. Jennings Trophy was created as a replacement and is awarded to the starting goaltender playing for the team with the fewest goals against.The Jennings Trophy was donated by the NHL's board of governors and first presented at the conclusion of the 1981–82 season. It is named in honor of the late William M. Jennings, who was a longtime governor and president of the New York Rangers and a builder of ice hockey in the United States. Normally the minimum number of games a goaltender must play to be eligible for the trophy is 25, but for the lockout shortened 1994–95 season, the required minimum was fourteen games.
Ten players have won both the Jennings and Vezina Trophy for the same season: Patrick Roy, Ed Belfour, Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur, Miikka Kiprusoff, Tim Thomas, Carey Price, Marc-Andre Fleury, Linus Ullmark, and Connor Hellebuyck. Roy and Brodeur have won the trophy five times each, the most of any goaltenders. Belfour is third, having won four times. The Montreal Canadiens have the most wins, with six, followed by the New Jersey Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks with five each, the Boston Bruins with four, and the Buffalo Sabres with three.
Winners
Bold Player with the fewest goals ever scored against in a Jennings' winning season.| Season | Winner | Team | Goals allowed | Win # | Team Win # |
| Montreal Canadiens | 223 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Denis Herron | Montreal Canadiens | 223 | 1 | 1 | |
| Billy Smith | New York Islanders | 226 | 1 | 1 | |
| Roland Melanson | New York Islanders | 226 | 1 | 1 | |
| Washington Capitals | 226 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Pat Riggin | Washington Capitals | 226 | 1 | 1 | |
| Buffalo Sabres | 237 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Bob Sauve | Buffalo Sabres | 237 | 1 | 1 | |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 241 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Darren Jensen | Philadelphia Flyers | 241 | 1 | 1 | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 241 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Brian Hayward | Montreal Canadiens | 241 | 1 | 2 | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 238 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Brian Hayward | Montreal Canadiens | 238 | 2 | 3 | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 218 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Brian Hayward | Montreal Canadiens | 218 | 3 | 4 | |
| Boston Bruins | 232 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 232 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Chicago Blackhawks | 211 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Montreal Canadiens | 207 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Chicago Blackhawks | 239 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Buffalo Sabres | 218 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Grant Fuhr | Buffalo Sabres | 218 | 1 | 2 | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 115 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Detroit Red Wings | 181 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Mike Vernon | Detroit Red Wings | 181 | 1 | 1 | |
| New Jersey Devils | 182 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Mike Dunham | New Jersey Devils | 182 | 1 | 1 | |
| New Jersey Devils | 166 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Dallas Stars | 168 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Roman Turek | Dallas Stars | 168 | 1 | 1 | |
| St. Louis Blues | 165 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Buffalo Sabres | 184 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Colorado Avalanche | 169 | 5 | 1 | ||
| New Jersey Devils | 166 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Philadelphia Flyers | 166 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Philadelphia Flyers | 166 | 1 | 2 | ||
| ' | ' | New Jersey Devils | 164 | 4 | 4 |
| Calgary Flames | 200 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Minnesota Wild | 191 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Minnesota Wild | 191 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Detroit Red Wings | 184 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Chris Osgood | Detroit Red Wings | 184 | 2 | 2 | |
| Boston Bruins | 196 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 196 | 2 | 2 | ||
| New Jersey Devils | 191 | 5 | 5 | ||
| Vancouver Canucks | 185 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Vancouver Canucks | 185 | 1 | 1 | ||
| St. Louis Blues | 165 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Jaroslav Halak | St. Louis Blues | 165 | 1 | 2 | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 102 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Ray Emery | Chicago Blackhawks | 102 | 1 | 4 | |
| Los Angeles Kings | 174 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Chicago Blackhawks | 189 | 2 | 5 | ||
| Montreal Canadiens | 189 | 1 | 6 | ||
| Anaheim Ducks | 192 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Anaheim Ducks | 192 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Washington Capitals | 182 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Los Angeles Kings | 203 | 2 | 2 | ||
| New York Islanders | 191 | 1 | 2 | ||
| New York Islanders | 191 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 174 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 174 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Vegas Golden Knights | 124 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Vegas Golden Knights | 124 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Carolina Hurricanes | 202 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Carolina Hurricanes | 202 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 177 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 177 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Winnipeg Jets | 199 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Winnipeg Jets | 191 | 2 | 2 |