Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award


The Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, officially billed as the MBNA/MasterCard Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, was an award in ice hockey given annually to the goaltender who finished the regular season with the best save percentage in the National Hockey League. Only goaltenders who played 25 games or more in the season were eligible for the award. A goaltender's save percentage represents the percentage of shots on goal that he stops, and is calculated by dividing the number of saves by the total number of shots on goal.
The award was first presented at the conclusion of the season, and was named in honor of former Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals goaltender Roger Crozier, a Calder and Conn Smythe Trophy winner who played in the NHL from 1964 to 1977. It was presented by the MBNA corporation in memory of Crozier, who worked for the MBNA America Bank after retiring as a player, and died on January 11, 1996. The winner of the trophy received a commemorative crystal trophy and was given US$25,000 to donate to a youth hockey or other educational program of their choice.
By 2007, when it ceased being presented, the award had been handed to six different players on seven occasions. Marty Turco is the only goaltender to have won the award twice. Three Dallas Stars goalies have won the award, while two each have represented the Montreal Canadiens and the Minnesota Wild. Only seven awards were ever made. The award was not presented in 2005, as the entire season was canceled due to the lockout.

Winners

Denotes players who are still active in the NHL
Denotes player who was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame

Save-percentage leaders (1982–1999)

Before 2000, there was no award for leading the league in save percentage. The NHL started counting the statistic in 1982, and this lists all the leaders from the inception of the statistic to the inception of the award.
* Season shortened by the 1994–95 NHL lockout
SeasonPlayerTeamSave %Win #
New York Islanders.9101
New York Islanders.9032
Chicago Black Hawks.9031
Philadelphia Flyers.9091
Philadelphia Flyers.9021
Montreal Canadiens.9001
Montreal Canadiens.9082
Montreal Canadiens.9123
Chicago Blackhawks.9101
Montreal Canadiens.9144
St. Louis Blues.9111
Buffalo Sabres.9301
*Buffalo Sabres.9302
Buffalo Sabres.9203
Buffalo Sabres.9304
Buffalo Sabres.9325
Buffalo Sabres.9376

Save-percentage leaders (2007–present)

* Season shortened by the 2012–13 NHL lockout
Bold denotes highest season save percentage on record
SeasonPlayerTeamSave %Win #
Nashville Predators.9241
Boston Bruins.9331
Boston Bruins.9311
Boston Bruins.9382
St. Louis Blues.9401
*Ottawa Senators.9411
Minnesota Wild.9331
Montreal Canadiens.9331
St. Louis Blues.9302
Columbus Blue Jackets.9321
St. Louis Blues.9311
Dallas Stars.9341
Dallas Stars.9301