Shortly before Wedgewood delivered a 1-0 shutout over the Utah Mammoth on December 23, Canada’s Olympic shortlist leaked — and his name was not on it. The 33-year-old doesn’t frame it as frustration, but he’s also not blind to a pattern.

“I’ve been overlooked in a lot of different situations and (will continue to be). And you put chips on your shoulders in situations like that a little bit.”

Even the Vezina outcome, he acknowledged, likely came down to something simple rather than controversial — usage.

The award technically requires only 25 games played to qualify, but in practice, history tells a different story. Since the Vezina Trophy shifted to its current format in 1981-82, winners have almost always carried a heavy workload. The fewest games played by a winner came in a shortened season from Dominik Hasek, who appeared in 41 games during a 48-game year. In a full 82-game schedule, that pace would typically land closer to the high-50s.

That context makes this less about ability and more about volume. Wedgewood’s numbers say he belongs. The opportunity says he didn’t play enough.

Compared directly to the finalists, the gap becomes clear:

Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders: 55 games (54 starts) Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins: 55 games (54 starts) Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning: 58 games (58 starts)

Wedgewood finished 10 games behind the lowest total and 11 starts back from the smallest workload among finalists. Sorokin and Swayman both started 13.41 percent more games.

Had he crossed the 50-start threshold, this conversation likely looks different. Instead, his season becomes a debate about sample size rather than performance — even if few would argue he wasn’t deserving.

Availability has always mattered in these races. So has reputation. But if the Vezina is truly about the league’s best goaltender, Wedgewood’s case remains one of the strongest on paper.

Colorado’s Backbone, Built Without The Spotlight

What stands out most is how seamlessly he fit into Colorado’s structure. He didn’t arrive as a headline act. He arrived to stabilize a contender’s crease — and quietly exceeded that role.

Inside the room, Wedgewood carries himself like a veteran who understands exactly where value comes from. There’s confidence without noise, calm without detachment. He doesn’t chase attention. He just plays.

That showed again in the first round of the playoffs. Against the Los Angeles Kings, he was steady and unshakable, recording exactly 24 saves in each of Colorado’s four wins while never allowing more than two goals in a game. As the Avalanche’s offense tilted series momentum, the foundation behind it never wavered.

Playoff hockey tends to expose cracks. With Wedgewood, it reinforced trust. Every game strengthened the same belief inside the organization — Colorado is at its best when he is this composed.

And that is where the awards conversation fades. Hardware matters, but it doesn’t define what a team becomes in April, May, or beyond. Wedgewood isn’t playing for validation anymore. He’s playing for something larger than voting ballots.

The finalist list has already been set. But the answer to who has looked like the NHL’s best goaltender right now hasn’t changed — and it still wears an Avalanche sweater.

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