Player Discussion: 2024 Vezina Winner Connor Hellebuyck

[Mortimer Snerd]

He was available for trade, maybe, never on the open market. They would have had to duke over big time and pay a salary much higher than he signed for, at the time team depth and not elite goaltending were seen as the key to winning as vegas won with average goal keeping and great team depth. This year’s Jets have both

The whole story was that he wouldn't sign here. We heard nothing but for the whole off-season. He was being shopped. The belief was that the proposed returns were disappointing. So Chevy circled back and convinced him that Jets would compete for the Cup, which is why he supposedly was not willing to sign in the first place. Once convinced, he signed a team friendly contract. The way he and Scheifele signed in the end supports that story. Neither would extend unless the other did because Jets were not competing without either one.

 

[Luc Labelle]

I am looking forward to the thread title being changed to Conn Smythe winner Connor Hellebuyck (not in a losing cause like the other Connor)

 

[Gordon112358]

If Helly wins a 3rd Vezina they'll put him in the Hall.

With 2 Vezinas already I think he is already in. Any goalie with 2 vezinas not in the hall ?

 

[Jets4Life]

I was thinking about this earlier today. Is this something we should be cheering for, or do we hope they get Comrie into a few more games down the stretch (once playoff positioning is looking more concrete)

As long as Helle does not take his foot off the gas in the playoffs, I will be happy.

 

[Gm0ney]

With 2 Vezinas already I think he is already in. Any goalie with 2 vezinas not in the hall ?

Bunny Larocque and Charlie Hodge - but both those guys were mainly backups who won their Vezinas when it was more like the Jennings (where it was a shared trophy for the lowest team goals-against). Hodge did win it once outright.

Tim Thomas won twice and he's not (yet) in the HoF. Bobrovsky's won twice but he's still active, so not yet (but 2 Vezinas and a Cup win is pretty much a lock...unless you're as unlikeable as Tim Thomas, I guess - and he'll get in sooner or later).

 

[Hobble]

I don’t know how much of last year was Helle being tired, or just our D collapsing and having no answer for MacK/Makar/Rantanen.

Goalies used to play way more games than now, and play a full playoffs. Think he’s good to go for it.

 

[Skidooboy]

With 2 Vezinas already I think he is already in. Any goalie with 2 vezinas not in the hall ?

silly point. I like to bring up..but
technically Trophy winners are "in the hall" already. The trophy is there, his name is on it.... if you go to the hall you can see his name... sure it's not an inductee...but the name IS there...

ok silliness over

currently 23 men have multi Veznias.. only 8 have more than three...
Helle is currently #13 on the all time veznia list... if he gets a third he will be in a 5 way tie for 9th on the list with, Pat Roy, Tony Espisito, Glen Hall, and George Hainsworth. All LEGENDS.

...he will have about 560 ish reg season games played .. with (baring injury) probably 4-5 more years of good play left in the tank.... his name already is amongst the greats....

there is no way he's not in the HHOF..

 

[Jets 31]

You know i have often thought imagine what it would be like to have McJesus on the Jets. He's the best forward in the world, but we are very, very lucky because we have the best goalie in the world. And before anyone says ya but he has to get it done in the playoffs, Helly and McJesus have won the same amount of Stanley Cups and we don't hear ya but McJesus can't get it done in the playoffs. We are very lucky Jets fans and hopefully we go on a long playoff run this season.

 

[ps241]

You know i have often thought imagine what it would be like to have McJesus on the Jets. He's the best forward in the world, but we are very, very lucky because we have the best goalie in the world. And before anyone says ya but he has to get it done in the playoffs, Helly and McJesus have won the same amount of Stanley Cups and we don't hear ya but McJesus can't get it done in the playoffs. We are very lucky Jets fans and hopefully we go on a long playoff run this season.

I know it takes a team but I believe Hellebuyck is way too talented to not go on a run or two in the playoffs so I believe that is coming.

One of the things I have often said is I can’t believe we got to watch Dustin Byfuglien play in his prime in Winnipeg for 8 of the 12 seasons of his NHL career. He was a one of a kind player that was far from perfect but an incredibly entertaining guy to watch especially when he was on his A game. There was only one Buff and there will never be another. We were truly blessed.

The other Jet I have said that about in the 2.0 era is Hellebuyck. When the dust eventually settles we will have been blessed to have watched one of the best goalies ever ply their trade here. Not only that but we are going to get to watch him for his entire career (most likely of course). When he is gone I will very much miss his extreme talent and the insane commitment he has to constantly improve at his craft.

If it’s not asking too much of the hockey gods I would like to request that Helle has his Bob (in Florida) moment but right here in Winnipeg. Once is plenty……….please………..and thank you.

 

[Jets 31]

I know it takes a team but I believe Hellebuyck is way too talented to not go on a run or two in the playoffs so I believe that is coming.

One of the things I have often said is I can’t believe we got to watch Dustin Byfuglien play in his prime in Winnipeg for 8 of the 12 seasons of his NHL career. He was a one of a kind player that was far from perfect but an incredibly entertaining guy to watch especially when he was on his A game. There was only one Buff and there will never be another. We were truly blessed.

The other Jet I have said that about in the 2.0 era is Hellebuyck. When the dust eventually settles we will have been blessed to have watched one of the best goalies ever ply their trade here. Not only that but we are going to get to watch him for his entire career (most likely of course). When he is gone I will very much miss his extreme talent and the insane commitment he has to constantly improve at his craft.

If it’s not asking too much of the hockey gods I would like to request that Helle has his Bob (in Florida) moment but right here in Winnipeg. Once is plenty……….please………..and thank you.

Absolutely agree for once , kidding, Buff was awesome, he even got Laine going.....

 

[Adam da bomb]

Absolutely agree for once , kidding, Buff was awesome, he even got Laine going.....

He also got Kane going. To buffalo.

 

[Flair Hay]

I don’t know how much of last year was Helle being tired, or just our D collapsing and having no answer for MacK/Makar/Rantanen.

Goalies used to play way more games than now, and play a full playoffs. Think he’s good to go for it.

The Avs kind of double wammied us. They used a ton of screens. It was a good plan because our wings play low a lot. Helping out in the high slot and for puck support.

This also helped because they stop the best goalie in the league from seeing the puck cleanly.

Throw in a couple sick individual efforts our team didn't defend well enough on and things went south quicker than we thought.

I expect Arniel will be ready for it this year.

 

[Hobble]

The Avs kind of double wammied us. They used a ton of screens. It was a good plan because our wings play low a lot. Helping out in the high slot and for puck support.

This also helped because they stop the best goalie in the league from seeing the puck cleanly.

Throw in a couple sick individual efforts our team didn't defend well enough on and things went south quicker than we thought.

I expect Arniel will be ready for it this year.

Perhaps if we make it to the finals, MacKinnons and Makar can share this secret with Coop. He apparently hasn’t picked up on it yet.

 

[Gm0ney]

Here's the Leaderboard for NHL Top 10 SV% seasons during the Cap Era (2005-present):

	Top 10s	Vezinas	Stanley Cups	Notes
Lundqvist	7	1	0
Luongo	6	0	0	+4 T-10 before cap
Hellebuyck*	5	2	0	Includes 2024-25
Rinne	5	1	0
Price	5	1	0
Vokoun	5	0	0
Kiprusoff	4	1	0	+1 T-10 before cap
Kuemper*	4	0	1	Includes 2024-25
Varlamov*	4	0	0
Bobrovsky*	4	2	1
Saros*	4	0	0
Fleury*	4	1	3	1 Cup as starter
Rask	4	1	0
Bishop	4	0	0
Crawford	4	0	2
Miller	4	1	0
Howard	4	0	0
C. Anderson	4	0	0
Schneider	4	0	0
Thomas	4	2	1
Vasilevskiy*	3	1	2	Includes 2024-25
Ullmark*	3	1	0	Includes 2024-25
Gibson*	3	0	0	Includes 2024-25
Sorokin*	3	0	0
Daccord*	2	0	0	Includes 2024-25
Gustavsson*	2	0	0	Includes 2024-25
Stolarz*	2	0	0
Swayman*	2	0	0
Talbot*	2	0	0
Shesterkin*	2	1	0
Jarry*	2	0	0
Campbell*	2	0	0

* Active

For 2 and 3 Top 10s, I only included active players (because e.g. Mike Smith isn't likely to add any more Top 10 seasons, Vezinas or Cups to his resume as a starting goalie).

Surprisingly, only one Vezina for Lundqvist? Zero for Luongo is even crazier - he had TEN Top 10 SV% seasons and FIVE were Top 5 over his career.

Hellebuyck is one of only 6 goalies to put up 5 or more Top 10 SV% seasons in the last 20. I wasn't counting Vezinas, but I think he's the only goalie with 2 that hasn't won a Cup...

 

[Romang67]

Here's the Leaderboard for NHL Top 10 SV% seasons during the Cap Era (2005-present):

	Top 10s	Vezinas	Stanley Cups	Notes
Lundqvist	7	1	0
Luongo	6	0	0	+4 T-10 before cap
Hellebuyck*	5	2	0	Includes 2024-25
Rinne	5	1	0
Price	5	1	0
Vokoun	5	0	0
Kiprusoff	4	1	0	+1 T-10 before cap
Kuemper*	4	0	1	Includes 2024-25
Varlamov*	4	0	0
Bobrovsky*	4	2	1
Saros*	4	0	0
Fleury*	4	1	3	1 Cup as starter
Rask	4	1	0
Bishop	4	0	0
Crawford	4	0	2
Miller	4	1	0
Howard	4	0	0
C. Anderson	4	0	0
Schneider	4	0	0
Thomas	4	2	1
Vasilevskiy*	3	1	2	Includes 2024-25
Ullmark*	3	1	0	Includes 2024-25
Gibson*	3	0	0	Includes 2024-25
Sorokin*	3	0	0
Daccord*	2	0	0	Includes 2024-25
Gustavsson*	2	0	0	Includes 2024-25
Stolarz*	2	0	0
Swayman*	2	0	0
Talbot*	2	0	0
Shesterkin*	2	1	0
Jarry*	2	0	0
Campbell*	2	0	0

* Active

For 2 and 3 Top 10s, I only included active players (because e.g. Mike Smith isn't likely to add any more Top 10 seasons, Vezinas or Cups to his resume as a starting goalie).

Surprisingly, only one Vezina for Lundqvist? Zero for Luongo is even crazier - he had TEN Top 10 SV% seasons and FIVE were Top 5 over his career.

Hellebuyck is one of only 6 goalies to put up 5 or more Top 10 SV% seasons in the last 20. I wasn't counting Vezinas, but I think he's the only goalie with 2 that hasn't won a Cup...

You say that the Hellebuyck row includes the 2024-25 season, yet you say he only has 2 Vezinas. Curious.

 

[Gm0ney]

You say that the Hellebuyck row includes the 2024-25 season, yet you say he only has 2 Vezinas. Curious.

He's currently in the Top 10 for SV% but I'm not sure what the Vezina voters are thinking...after all, some of the sharpest GM minds in hockey somehow gave Jordan Binnington the starting job for Team Canada.

 

[Flair Hay]

Perhaps if we make it to the finals, MacKinnons and Makar can share this secret with Coop. He apparently hasn’t picked up on it yet.

My guess is it will be in Canada's game plan if we make it back to the finals. A bit too fancy last time around.

 

[Bob E]

Helle’s commitment to being his very best, and one of the best of his generation, and hard work deserves a Stanley Cup during his career imo.

When he’s done, he should be the greatest American goalie stats wise of all time. Add a Stanley Cup and Olympic gold his place in USA hockey history would be cemented.

That said, go Canada go!!!!