Aside from helping lead his team to the postseason for the first time in franchise history, Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason has an opportunity to take home some serious hardware at the NHL's award ceremony in June. After being named as one of the finalists for the Calder Trophy as the top rookie, the 20-year-old Mason is also a nominee for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender. Joining Mason as finalists are Boston's Tim Thomas and Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom. According to John McGourty of NHL.com, the only players to win both the Calder and Vezina in the same season are Tom Barrasso, Ed Belfour, Tony Esposito and Frankie Brimsek.
Mason led the NHL with 10 shutouts, while also posting the second-best goals against average in the NHL at 2.29 before struggling in the postseason against the juggernaut that is the Detroit Red Wings. He overcame quite a bit this season, including knee surgery, a bout with mononucleosis, and a troubled, maniacal fan that threatened him during a game against the Calgary Flames in late March (he registered one of his 10 shutouts that night).
Backstrom has been a model of consistency since taking over as Minnesota's starting netminder in 2006, posting his third-straight campaign with a save percentage north of .920. He recorded eight shutouts and finished the season with 37 wins, fifth-most in the NHL and tops among the Vezina finalists.
Thomas led the league (by a wide margin) with a 2.10 goals against average, and made highlights for his wildly aggressive play that resulted in him playing a more physical style than many forwards and defensemen across the NHL. A former ninth-round pick in 1994 by the Quebec Nordiques, the 35-year-old has improved each of the past three seasons for the Bruins, and was rewarded with a contract extension that will pay him $20 million over the next four seasons.
As for some of the bigger names that didn't make the cut:
-- Devils goalie Martin Brodeur has won the award four of the past five years, and likely would have been a finalist once again had he not missed a large chunk of the season due to a torn bicep.
-- Injury might have also played a role in Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo not being nominated as he finished in the top five in goals against average (2.34) and save percentage (.920). He started 54 games for the Canucks, the fewest he's played since the 2001-02 campaign when he was a member of the Florida Panthers.
-- Miikka Kiprusoff, the only goalie not named Brodeur to win in the past five years, led the NHL with 45 wins, but his other numbers (goals against average and save percentage) were sub-par compared to the other top goalies across the league.
As for this year's winner: Thomas seems like a strong bet, seeing as how he was the No. 1 goalie on the team that allowed the fewest goals in the NHL, while he also led the league with a .933 save percentage.
On Tuesday, the NHL will announce the nominees for the Selke Trophy, which goes to the league's best defensive forward.
