NHL Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in Vezina Trophy race
By Sion Fawkes
4. Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights
Adin Hill is having a tremendous season, but there’s a catch: He can’t seem to stay healthy this year. Hill particularly hasn’t been healthy in December, and it severely hurt his chances of winning the Vezina as he has seen time in just 15 games so far while teammate Logan Thompson has gotten most of the action.
However, when he’s not sidelined, Hill is the best goaltender in hockey, and if he can stay on the ice for a prolonged period, he will climb back up these rankings. On Nov. 30, Hill played in just 40 minutes of the Golden Knights win over the Vancouver Canucks, and he saved all 16 shots he faced that evening.
He was also lights out between Nov. 19 and Nov. 27, logging three starts, a 1-1-1 record, and 92 saves on 97 shots, good for a 0.948 save percentage. Therefore, despite the injuries, it’s impossible to not at least give Hill a spot on this list given his overall performances.
And when you look at his numbers this season, it further justifies Hill’s placement, as he has a 1.93 GAA, a 10-2-2 record, a 0.933 save percentage, and two shutouts. It will be interesting to see whether Hill can maintain his health during the second half of the season.