Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau, and Joe Cattarinich, former owners of the Montreal Canadiens, presented the trophy to the National Hockey League in 1926-27 in memory of Georges Vezina, outstanding goalkeeper of the Canadiens, who collapsed during an NHL game Nov. 28, 1925, and died of tuberculosis a few months later.
| Recipients |
| Year | Player | Team |
| 2013 | Sergei Bobrovsky | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 2012 | Henrik Lundqvist | New York Rangers |
| 2011 | Tim Thomas | Boston Bruins |
| 2010 | Ryan Miller | Buffalo Sabres |
| 2009 | Tim Thomas | Boston Bruins |
| 2008 | Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils |
| 2007 | Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils |
| 2006 | Miikka Kiprusoff | Calgary Flames |
| 2004 | Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils |
| 2003 | Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils |
| 2002 | Jose Theodore | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2001 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
| 2000 | Olaf Kolzig | Washington Capitals |
| 1999 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1998 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1997 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1996 | Jim Carey | Washington Capitals |
| 1995 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1994 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1993 | Ed Belfour | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1992 | Patrick Roy | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1991 | Ed Belfour | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1990 | Patrick Roy | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1989 | Patrick Roy | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1988 | Grant Fuhr | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1987 | Ron Hextall | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1986 | John Vanbiesbrouck | New York Rangers |
| 1985 | Pelle Lindbergh | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1984 | Tom Barrasso | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1983 | Pete Peeters | Boston Bruins |
| 1982 | Billy Smith | New York Islanders |
| 1981 | Denis Herron Michel Larocque Richard Sevigny | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1980 | Don Edwards Bob Sauve | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1979 | Ken Dryden Michel Larocque | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1978 | Ken Dryden Michel Larocque | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1977 | Ken Dryden Michel Larocque | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1976 | Ken Dryden | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1975 | Bernie Parent | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1974 | Bernie Parent | Philadelphia Flyers |
| Tony Esposito | Chicago Blackhawks | |
| 1973 | Ken Dryden | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1972 | Tony Esposito Gary Smith | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1971 | Ed Giacomin Gilles Villemure | New York Rangers |
| 1970 | Tony Esposito | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1969 | Glenn Hall Jacques Plante | St. Louis Blues |
| 1968 | Lorne Worsley Rogatien Vachon | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1967 | Denis DeJordy Glenn Hall | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1966 | Charlie Hodge Lorne Worsley | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1965 | Johnny Bower Terry Sawchuk | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1964 | Charlie Hodge | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1963 | Glenn Hall | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1962 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1961 | Johnny Bower | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1960 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1959 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1958 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1957 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1956 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1955 | Terry Sawchuk | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1954 | Harry Lumley | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1953 | Terry Sawchuk | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1952 | Terry Sawchuk | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1951 | Al Rollins | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1950 | Bill Durnan | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1949 | Bill Durnan | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1948 | Turk Broda | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1947 | Bill Durnan | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1946 | Bill Durnan | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1945 | Bill Durnan | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1944 | Bill Durnan | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1943 | Johnny Mowers | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1942 | Frank Brimsek | Boston Bruins |
| 1941 | Turk Broda | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1940 | Dave Kerr | New York Rangers |
| 1939 | Frank Brimsek | Boston Bruins |
| 1938 | Tiny Thompson | Boston Bruins |
| 1937 | Normie Smith | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1936 | Tiny Thompson | Boston Bruins |
| 1935 | Lorne Chabot | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1934 | Charlie Gardiner | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1933 | Tiny Thompson | Boston Bruins |
| 1932 | Charlie Gardiner | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1931 | Roy Worters | New York Americans |
| 1930 | Tiny Thompson | Boston Bruins |
| 1929 | George Hainsworth | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1928 | George Hainsworth | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1927 | George Hainsworth | Montreal Canadiens |
| Note: awarded to goalie who played a minimum of 25 games for the team that allowed the fewest goals; since 1982, awarded to outstanding goalie. | ||