Sergei Bobrovsky may have been bested by the eventual Stanley Cup champions in the opening round of this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, but his efforts as the Columbus Blue Jackets' goaltender in 2016-17 did not go unnoticed.
The 28-year-old veteran claimed the Vezina Trophy for the second time in four years during Wednesday's NHL awards ceremony in Las Vegas.
Bobrovsky's 41 wins in 63 starts broke a Blue Jackets record and paved the way for his team's monumental jump in the standings toward a postseason berth. His 2.06 goals-against average and .931 save percentage led the league. And his 14-game winning streak, which kicked off in November and lasted into the new year, was tied for the second longest in NHL history, propelling the Blue Jackets to a 32-point standings improvement from the season before.
A notch above fellow nominee and Washington Capitals stalwart Braden Holtby in the save percentage marks, he also surrendered two goals or fewer in 42 starts, logging seven shutouts.
