NHL Records: A Look at Four Star Goalies With 5+ Vezina Trophies
In the long history of the NHL, the Vezina Trophy is the ultimate badge of honour for a goalie. Named after Georges Vezina, the Montreal Canadiens netminder from 1910 until 1925, the award has changed over the years from a strictly statistical honour to a prestigious vote-based accolade. While many greats have hoisted it once or multiple times, only an elite quartet has managed to win it five or more times—Jacques Plante, Bill Durnan, Dominik Hasek, and Ken Dryden.
1. Jacques Plante (7-Time Winner): Topping the list is the legendary Jacques Plante, who captured a record seven Vezina Trophies. Most of Plante’s dominance came during the Montreal Canadiens' 1950s dynasty. Plante actually won five consecutive Vezina Trophies from 1956 to 1960.
2. Bill Durnan (6-Time Winner): With six Vezina Trophies, Bill Durnan’s career is almost hard to believe. Durnan only played seven NHL seasons (1943–1950), all with the Montreal Canadiens, and he won the Vezina Trophy in six of them. Durnan’s career was brief, but it remains one of the most concentrated period of dominance the league has ever seen.
3. Dominik Hasek (6-Time Winner): Tied with Bill Durnan at six Vezina Trophies is Dominik Hasek. Unlike the legendary goalies before him, Hasek won his six Vezina Trophies (1994–2001) under the modern rules: being voted the best individual goaltender by NHL General Managers. He’s also the only goalie to win the Hart Memorial Trophy twice.
4. Ken Dryden (5-Time Winner): Ken Dryden secured five Vezina Trophies in an NHL career that prioritized brilliance over longevity. Dryden’s tenure in the Montreal crease lasted eight seasons, but he absolutely owned the 1970s—six Stanley Cups. Dryden was the backbone of the Montreal Canadiens' dynasty, winning four consecutive Vezina Trophies from 1976 to 1979—alongside his first Vezina Trophy in 1973.
Vezina Trophy: A Legacy in the Crease
Winning the Vezina Trophy five or more times isn't just about having talent; it’s about a rare kind of mental toughness and the ability to stay at the top of your game year after year. Although the criteria—to win a Vezina Trophy—has changed throughout the history of the NHL, it is quite clear that these four Hockey Hall of Fame goalies have helped shape the game of hockey in highly significant ways.