Martin Brodeur 5 Vezina Trophies (1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007)

Lore & Background

In the mid-1990s, the New Jersey Devils were a team built on speed, grit, and a goaltender who seemed to make the impossible look routine. Brodeur's 1995 Vezina arrived in the same season he collected the Conn Smythe and the Hart—a triple sweep of the league's most prestigious individual honours that no goaltender had matched. The 1996 follow-up Vezina told the league that the 1995 season was no fluke. For two straight years, the Devils' black-and-red mask was the last thing an opposing winger saw before the puck kissed the back of the net.

The 2003 and 2004 Vezinas belonged to a different era: a more physical, more methodical Brodeur who had matured into the league's most complete goaltender. The 2003 season, capped by a Conn Smythe and a Stanley Cup, is still replayed in Devils lore as the pinnacle of what a single player can do in a playoff run. The 2004 Vezina and second Hart Trophy confirmed that his dominance was not a product of one hot season but a sustained, decade-spanning standard.

The 2007 Vezina, won in a New York Rangers sweater, is the one that complicates the fan narrative but ultimately elevates it. It proved that Brodeur's excellence was not tethered to a particular locker room, a particular coaching staff, or a particular city. He was simply the best goaltender in the NHL, and the vote reflected that. For Devils fans, it is a bittersweet footnote; for the history of the position, it is the capstone on a record that may never be equaled.

In Their Own Story

The Prudential Center is half-empty, the 2003 playoffs in full swing. The arena smells of cold air, popcorn, and the faint metallic tang of fresh ice. Brodeur stands in his crease, mask pulled up, the black-and-red of the Devils' jersey stretched over his shoulders. A slap shot comes in from the blue line, screaming toward the five-hole. He doesn't even commit his weight—just a slight tilt of the glove, a whisper of rubber on the ice, and the puck is dead. The crowd noise swells, then settles. He peels off his skates later that night, sits on the bench, and stares at the ice where his shadow was. Five Vezinas. Four Cups. And the quiet, unglamorous certainty that tomorrow he will do it again.

Reader's Guide

Individual Awards — Vezina Trophy (NHL's top goaltender, voted by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association)

1995 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — First of five Vezinas; he also captured the Conn Smythe and Hart in the same season, a rare triple sweep of the league's top individual honours. Still matters: the only season in NHL history where a goaltender collected all three in one year.

1996 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — Back-to-back Vezina; anchored a Devils squad that pushed deep into the postseason. Still matters: silenced the argument that 1995 was a one-off and cemented his status as the league's undisputed No. 1.

2003 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — Third Vezina, paired with a second Conn Smythe during a Stanley Cup championship run. Still matters: the 2003 Cup is widely regarded as one of the greatest single-goaltender performances in playoff history.

2004 — Martin Brodeur (NJ Devils) — Fourth Vezina and his second Hart Trophy. Still matters: proved his dominance was a sustained, decade-spanning standard rather than a mid-90s flash.

2007 — Martin Brodeur (NY Rangers) — Fifth Vezina, won after his move to New York. Still matters: confirms his legacy transcends any single franchise; the best is the best regardless of the jersey.

Franchise Records (New Jersey Devils / NHL)

Career wins by a goaltender — 692 — Brodeur's all-time NHL record, the vast majority accumulated in black, red, and silver. Still matters: a number that may never be touched.

Career shutouts — 112 — Brodeur's all-time NHL record. Still matters: the gold standard for a goaltender's ultimate skill, and the Devils' most cited statistical legacy.

Did You Know?

• In 1995, Brodeur won the Vezina, the Conn Smythe, and the Hart Trophy in the same season—a triple sweep of the NHL's three most prestigious individual awards that no goaltender has matched.
• Brodeur was selected 10th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, a pick that became one of the most consequential in franchise history.
• His #31 jersey was retired by the Devils, joining the small group of players whose numbers will never be reissued in New Jersey.
• Brodeur won four Stanley Cups with the Devils (1993, 1995, 2000, 2003), making him the franchise's most decorated player in terms of team championships.