Connor Hellebuyck will knock on Scott Arniel’s door or pull his head coach apart for a short chat.
The Winnipeg Jets goaltender normally has one particular query earlier than a street journey.
“What days we now have off and may he deliver his fishing gear?” Arniel mentioned with a smile. “He’s extraordinarily centered there … after which when he will get to the rink, he doesn’t need to get scored on.”
Opponents have as soon as once more discovered {that a} problem in 2024-25.
The 2-time Vézina Trophy winner is just not solely on the right track to safe one other nod because the NHL’s prime goaltender, Hellebuyck is firmly entrenched within the league’s MVP dialog with lower than two weeks remaining within the common season.
The numbers are spectacular. The accolades for a membership atop the standings are good.
The 31-year-old, nevertheless, has only one prize in thoughts — the Stanley Cup.
“The one aim I’ve left,” Hellebuyck mentioned following a latest follow. “All the fellows in that locker room really feel the identical means.”
The Commerce, Mich., product leads the league with a 43-11-3 document, .924 save share, 2.02 goals-against common and 7 shutouts.
The Vezina winner in 2019-20 and once more final season has impressed teammates by elevating his personal bar and injecting his identify into the Hart Trophy combine alongside the likes of Edmonton Oilers star centre Leon Draisaitl and Colorado Avalanche counterpart Nathan MacKinnon.
“We all the time assume that he’s reached his potential,” Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey mentioned. “Then he goes out and does one thing new and proves that he all the time has extra ceiling and areas to develop. We’re so lucky to have him.
“A stabilizing power.”
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) celebrates a shutout win towards New Jersey Devils in NHL motion in Winnipeg on Friday, March 28, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Winnipeg captain Adam Lowry mentioned Hellebuyck, whose big-money contract extension signed in October 2023 ties him to the Manitoba capital via 2030-31, hasn’t garnered the eye the netminder has really deserved all through his profession.
“He’s capable of anticipate,” Lowry mentioned. “He’s so positionally sound that he will get to the place he must be. Different goalies are possibly making desperation saves.”
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“Makes it look straightforward,” Morrissey added. “It’s not straightforward.”
The Jets have additionally made crease life much less chaotic for Hellebuyck with improved construction. Hellebuyck confronted 2,155 photographs in 2021-22 earlier than former head coach Rick Bowness, who retired final Might, took over in 2022-23.
The shot quantity dropped to 1,964 that season and fell additional to 1,798 in 2023-24. Hellebuyck has seen 1,534 pucks fired his path via 58 video games in Arniel’s first marketing campaign.
“We damage Helly’s stats previously as a result of he was so good and we performed very unfastened,” Lowry mentioned. “Even the most effective goalie on the planet, the most effective shooters are going to beat him typically, particularly from harmful areas. We’ve actually obtained an enormous buy-in from the group and are dedicated to workforce defence.
“He’s the anchor.”
Hellebuyck, who enjoys each fishing and looking in his spare time, might change into the primary goaltender to win the Hart as NHL MVP since Carey Worth of the Montreal Canadiens in 2014-15.
Lowry sees fashion parallels with the netminders.
“The sport nearly seems to be boring to them,” mentioned the veteran ahead. “It’s easy. It’s that inside drive the place (Hellebuyck’s) working off the ice making an attempt to good his motion. I don’t anticipate his aspirations or his pursuit of perfection to lower. It’s solely going to proceed to extend till we attain that final aim.”
“His competitiveness,” Arniel added of what stands out concerning the netminder’s method. “His consideration to element about what he does every single day.”
Hellebuyck, who backstopped the US on the 4 Nations Face-Off, mentioned the group in entrance of him is enjoying with a brand new stage of perception regardless of shedding within the first spherical of the playoffs the final two springs after failing to qualify altogether in 2021-22.
“Each sport is an opportunity to construct,” he mentioned. “We’re all enjoying with loads of confidence. It’s not simply stretches of confidence. It’s locked in.”
Winnipeg is on monitor to face Minnesota or St. Louis within the first spherical of the playoffs. And if the Jets, whose final deep post-season run got here when the franchise made the 2018 Western Convention closing, can get previous that check, both Dallas or Colorado — fellow Central Division heavyweights — will probably be ready.
Laid-back off the ice and razor-sharp on it, Hellebuyck’s teammates know he’s prepared for no matter problem comes.
“By no means happy,” Lowry mentioned. “All the time pushing, all the time talks about successful the Stanley Cup. He’s all the time searching for totally different edges, all the time searching for totally different angles.
“That inside push is what motivates him and propels him even additional.”
Touchdown one other Vezina or capturing a primary Hart may very well be in playing cards. Hockey’s holy grail, nevertheless, is the only goal in Hellebuyck’s crosshairs.
“The one factor we need to obtain,” he mentioned. “Appears like we’re gonna exit and get issues finished.”
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