Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been named a finalist for the 2025 Vezina Trophy. The award is given annually to the goalie voted the best at his position by NHL general managers. Kuemper is a finalist with Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Kuemper is in his second stint with Los Angeles and has performed above expectations. After being acquired from the Washington Capitals for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, his play took off and he has been steady and reliable this entire season. Behind a tough, airtight defense, Kuemper was able to play his style and keep the Kings in many games this season. His play is similar to that of former Kings netminder Jonathan Quick in that he did everything to stop the puck.
Kuemper’s final stat line for this season is as follows: 31 wins, a 2.02 goals against average, a .921 save percentage, and five shutouts. The Kings allowed the second-fewest goals with 206. Kuemper is a first-time finalist.
Hellebuyck’s final stats include 47 wins, z 2.00 goals against average, a .925 save percentage, eight shutouts, and he allowed two or fewer goals 40 times this season. The Jets won the William M. Jennings trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league with 191. He won the 2024 Vezina Trophy.
Vasilevskiy and his totals are as follows: 38 wins, a 2.18 goals against average, a .921 save percentage, and six shutouts. he played the most minutes of any goaltender at a whopping 3,743:05 minutes.
Each goaltender has a reason for winning the award. Each goaltender deserves a piece of the trophy as this one is too close to call. Each is deserving and each has a stat that puts them above the others. Kuemper came close to career highs across the board as he was spectacular the entire season. The King’s defense was improved and played well this entire season, but I don’t think they would be in this situation without the play of Kuemper. He stood tall and kept the Kings in every game, even at times when the team ran out of gas. This may be the best that Kuemper has played in his NHL career, and that includes winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche only a few seasons ago. Whether he wins or not, this is not only a reward for his stellar play but this is also a team award for a job well done.
(photo: lakingsinsider.com; Zach Dooley)
(photo: lakingsinsider.com: Zach Dooley)
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