Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was named the winner of the Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy … More
A new format for the 2025 NHL Awards delivered a rare goalie win as the most valuable player. Surrounded by friends, family and goalie partner Eric Comrie, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets was presented with the Hart Trophy at his off-season home, right after also receiving the Vezina Trophy.
This is Hellebuyck’s first Hart Trophy and third Vezina win. He was also named the NHL’s best goaltender by the league’s general managers in 2024 and 2020.
Hellebuyck also won his second-straight William M. Jennings Trophy as the qualifying netminder on the Jets team that surrendered the fewest regular-season goals.
The 32-year-old is the first goalie to be voted the NHL’s most valuable player by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association since Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens in 2014-15. Hellebuyck received 81 first-place votes and 1,346 total voting points, edging out Edmonton Oilers forward and 2020 Hart winner Leon Draisaitl (53 first-place votes and 1,209 points), Tampa Bay Lightning forward and 2019 Hart winner Nikita Kucherov (25 first-place votes and 973 points) and Colorado Avalanche forward and 2024 Hart winner Nathan MacKinnon (27 first-place votes and 972 points).
Kucherov, who captured his second-straight scoring title and the third of his career with 121 regular-season points, was named the winner of the Ted Lindsay Award for the second time, voted most valuable by the members of the NHL Players’ Association.
Rather than hold a traditional awards ceremony in the days leading up to the draft, the NHL opted for a new format this year — announcing the finalists for each voted award, then surprising players during their everyday routines in hopes of creating viral moments.
Not surprisingly, golf courses figured prominently. Cale Makar received his second career Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman on his home course in Calgary, while Anze Kopitar was presented with a miniature replica of the Lady Byng Trophy on a golf day with his family in his home country of Slovenia.
It was the third Lady Byng for the Los Angeles Kings captain, honored for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct or, as his daughter Neza put it, being “the nicest NHL player.”
Other winners included Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, who won his third Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward as well as the King Clancy Trophy for his leadership and contributions in the community. Defenseman Lane Hutson won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year after leading all rookies with 66 points and helping the Montreal Canadiens reach the playoffs for the first time in four years. Spencer Carbery was named the winner of the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year after guiding the Washington Capitals to top spot in the Eastern Conference in just his second year behind the bench — all while guiding his team through Alexander Ovechkin’s quest to break Wayne Gretzky’s goal record. And Ovechkin was the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award.
The most emotional presentation went to one of the league’s most stoic personalities. Sean Monahan of the Columbus Blue Jackets was named the winner of the Masterton Trophy for perserverance and dedication to hockey — for serving as a leader in his first season in Columbus and helping guide the team and its fanbase through its collective heartbreak after his close friend, Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau, and his brother Matthew were tragically killed last August.
Johnny Gaudreau’s widow, Meredith, flew up to the Toronto suburbs to personally present Monahan with the award. “Sean stood by my side for every tribute, every walk-out, and I dragged him out there to cry with me on national television so many times,” Meredith said.
“It’s really special that I could be a part of this because this one’s about you,” she told Monahan, as he wiped away tears. “This one’s celebrating your character and how good of a person you are.”
On Thursday, the NHL also announced the members of its first and second all-star teams, and all-rookie team.
Thursday’s one-hour 2025 NHL Awards package was hosted by actor Isaiah Mustafa from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, and televised before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The defending champion Panthers currently lead the rematch, two games to one.
