Steve Mason Could Win Vezina And Calder Trophy
May 2, 2009 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release
Only four NHLers have won both the Vezina and Calder trophies in the same year. It is no surprise that Rangers Alumnus Steve Mason could be the fifth player to claim both trophies after a spectacular rookie season.
Mason is up against Minnesota Wild's Niklas Backstrom and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins.
He had a league leading goals against average of 2.29 during regular season play. Good enough to place him second amongst all National Hockey League goaltenders. Mason also topped the charts, first place for shutouts during the regular season - claiming ten in total.
He went 33-20-7 in 61 games and led all rookie goalies in every category except save percentage, finishing second to the .917 that Nashiville's Pekka Rinne posted.
At just 20 years of age, Mason led the Columbus Blue Jackets to their first Stanley Cup Playoff berth in eight years. In his first four games he went 3-1, giving Columbus fans a look at what will be in years to come.
The goalies will be on hand for the 2009 NHL Awards, which will be broadcast live from the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Hotel Las Vegas on June 18 on VERSUS in the United States and CBC in Canada.
Tickets to the 2009 NHL Awards are on sale at ticketmaster.com/nhlawards and at the Pearl Concert Theater Box Office.
Ed Belfour, breaking in with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1991, was the last rookie goalie to win the Vezina in the same year he won the Calder Trophy, which rewards the NHL rookie of the year. Buffalo Sabres goalie Tom Barrasso swept the awards in 1984.
Blackhawks goalie Tony Esposito won both awards in 1970 and Frankie Brimsek, "Mr. Zero," won both for the Bruins in 1939.
The Vezina Trophy has been voted on by the NHL's general managers since 1981. Prior to that, it was awarded to the goalie(s) of the team that allowed the fewest goals in a season. The Montreal Canadiens donated the trophy in 1926, the year their former goaltender, Georges Vezina, died of tuberculosis, little more than a year after he collapsed during a game. Vezina had been the Canadiens only goalie from 1910-25 in both the NHL and its predecessor, the National Hockey Association. He won two Stanley Cups and allowed the fewest goals seven times.
Ironically, Vezina's successor, George Hainsworth won the Vezina in its first three seasons. Montreal's Bill Durnan and Philadelphia's Ron Hextall won the Vezina as rookies, but not the Calder.
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