Jeremy Swayman named Vezina finalist for first time in his career

Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is getting some recognition for one of the best season of his profession.

​The 27-year-old netminder was named one in all three finalists for the Vezina Trophy — awarded yearly to one of the best goalie within the NHL.

The opposite two finalists for the 2026 Vezina Trophy are the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and the New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin.

This marks the primary time in Swayman’s profession that he has been named a finalist for a Vezina Trophy, which is voted on by the NHL’s 32 common managers.

​Swayman closed out the 2025-26 common season with a career-best 31 wins — sporting a 31-18-4 document with a .908 save proportion, 2.71 goals-against common, and two shutouts over 55 video games.

​Even when Swayman’s save proportion isn’t a profession excessive, a peek below the hood at Swayman’s underlying stats paints the image of a netminder who has routinely bailed out a leaky defensive construction in entrance of him.

According to MoneyPuck, Swayman ranked second amongst all certified NHL goalies through the common season in targets saved above anticipated with a price of 28.8.

That metric — which accounts for shot high quality, amount, and the quantity of Grade-A seems to be {that a} goalie is popping apart — is perhaps one of the best case that Swayman has for taking dwelling some {hardware}, particularly when factoring within the protection in entrance of him.

Sorokin completed third amongst certified goalies in targets saved above anticipated at 25.3, whereas Vasilevskiy positioned fourth in the identical class at 24.7.

Vasilevskiy figures to be the present favourite for the award, given each his established pedigree (one Vezina Trophy, six whole finalist nods) and stronger baseline stats.

The 31-year-old goalie posted a 39-15-4 document with a 2.31 GAA and a .912 save proportion — main the league in wins whereas rating second in GAA and third in save proportion.​

Swayman’s bounce-back from a lackluster 2024-25 marketing campaign has been the important thing conduit behind Boston’s resurgent, 100-point season. His robust play has continued to this point this postseason, with the College of Maine product sporting a .910 save proportion by means of 5 playoff video games towards Buffalo.

In his final 17 playoff appearances, Swayman holds a .926 save proportion.

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author overlaying the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Pink Sox for Boston.com, a job he has held since 2023.