The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) 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 (per game), 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 winners are Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood of the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche had a league-low 197 team goals-against in the 2025–26 season.

History From 1946 until the 1980–81 season, the Vezina Trophy was awarded to the goaltender(s) 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(s) 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 ( and ), Ed Belfour ( and ), Dominik Hasek ( and ), Martin Brodeur (, ), Miikka Kiprusoff (), Tim Thomas (), Carey Price (), Marc-Andre Fleury (), Linus Ullmark (), and Connor Hellebuyck ( and ). 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.

+William M. Jennings Trophy winners Season Winner Team Win # Team Win # Montreal Canadiens 223 1 1 Denis Herron 1 Billy Smith* New York Islanders 226 1 1 Roland Melanson 1 Washington Capitals 226 1 1 Pat Riggin 1 * Buffalo Sabres 237 1 1 Bob Sauve 1 Philadelphia Flyers 241 1 1 Darren Jensen 1 * Montreal Canadiens 241 1 2 Brian Hayward 1 * Montreal Canadiens 238 2 3 Brian Hayward 2 * Montreal Canadiens 218 3 4 Brian Hayward 3 Boston Bruins 232 1 1 1 * Chicago Blackhawks 211 1 1 * Montreal Canadiens 207 4 5 * Chicago Blackhawks 239 2 2 * Buffalo Sabres 218 1 2 * 1 * Chicago Blackhawks 115 3 3 Detroit Red Wings 181 1 1 Mike Vernon* 1 * New Jersey Devils 182 1 1 Mike Dunham 1 * New Jersey Devils 166 2 2 * Dallas Stars 168 4 1 Roman Turek 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 1 * New Jersey Devils 164 4 4 Calgary Flames 200 1 1 Minnesota Wild 191 1 1 1 * Detroit Red Wings 184 3 2 Chris Osgood 2 Boston Bruins 196 1 2 2 * New Jersey Devils 191 55 * Vancouver Canucks 185 1 1 ~ 1 ~ St. Louis Blues 165 1 2 Jaroslav Halak~ 1 Chicago Blackhawks 102 1 4 1 ~ Los Angeles Kings 174 1 1 Chicago Blackhawks 189 2 5 * Montreal Canadiens 1 6 ^ Anaheim Ducks 192 1 1 ^ 1 Washington Capitals 182 1 2 ~ Los Angeles Kings 203 2 2 ~ New York Islanders 191 1 2 1 Boston Bruins 174 1 3 ~ 2 ~ Vegas Golden Knights 124 1 1 2 ^ Carolina Hurricanes 202 2 1 ~ 1 ^ Boston Bruins 177 1 4 ^ 1 ^ Winnipeg Jets 199 1 1 ^ Winnipeg Jets 191 2 2 ^ Colorado Avalanche 197 1 2 ^ 1

See also List of National Hockey League awards List of NHL statistical leaders

Notes

References

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