Connor Hellebuyck - Worst Playoff Goalie in NHL history

[Jets4Life]

How the f*** can you play a lot worse than .851 over 11 games?

I agree.

If the Jets can pull off Game 5 at home, I would play Comrie on the road. However, we are talking about the Jets so it will not happen.

 

[Fantomas]

If you put like, Brandon Bussi from Providence on the Winnipeg Jets is he giving you a better showing than .845 save% over 11 games?

Bussi is a pretty good goalie. He'd do fine.

Hellebuyck is the Steve Sax of hockey players right now.

 

[Turin]

Well in his last 5 games he's .887 with 2.51 GAA. That's like peak hasek compared to how he started the postseason.

As long as he's flirting with .890 they aren't gonna bench him for Comrie. If he was still consistently putting up .7xx then it would at least be a conversation.

He’s got a shutout and 3 weak to really bad performances. Some of the goals are 2013 Fleury esque. He shouldn’t be playing but coach doesn’t have the stones to make that call. In many playoff runs it’s absolutely necessary to play your other goalie. But the Jets too often are the get along gang because they are afraid to alienate personalities, rightly or wrongly

 

[WeThreeKings]

Personally I find him very arrogant so seeing him shit the bed in the playoffs is funny.

It's probably the biggest variance in regular season to post season goaltending I've seen but Fleury pre Vegas, Dan Cloutier and Patrick Lalime surely are up there for worst post season goalies.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

He’s got a shutout and 3 weak to really bad performances. Some of the goals are 2013 Fleury esque. He shouldn’t be playing but coach doesn’t have the stones to make that call. In many playoff runs it’s absolutely necessary to play your other goalie. But the Jets too often are the get along gang because they are afraid to alienate personalities, rightly or wrongly

I'm not saying it's the right move, I just don't think it's gonna happen because of the massive disparity in organizational investment in the two players. And I don't think the Jets are the only team that would think that way.

 

[centipede2233]

Goals saved above expected has been tracked since 2008/2009 season
Only fleury in 2011/12 playoffs with a -10.1 has a worst GSAE then Helle’s current playoff.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Connor's legend grows by the day. One day soon the children of future generations will say, when something is f-ked up beyond all repair that it's Hellef'ked, in honor of his accomplishments

 

[Fatass]

Goals saved above expected has been tracked since 2008/2009 season
Only fleury in 2011/12 playoffs with a -10.1 has a worst GSAE then Helle’s current playoff.

Helly has been awful. There’s no explanation for such a drastically different goalie from Vézina regular season to what he is in the playoffs except something in his head going bad.

 

[Nicko999]

They have benched him, in-game

If you mean they should start Comrie, Hellebuyck has to play a lot worse than he’s been playing for that to happen. GM’s don’t spend $60,000,000 on a GK only to turn around and let the coach bench him for a guy making league min.

You normally don't do that but Hellebuyck's numbers are historically bad. Comrie cannot be worst. And at some point you need to send a strong message.

I do not know what the Jets were thinking signing him to that contract in 2023 when a pattern of playoffs underperformance had already emerged.

 

[winnipegger]

I mean if you don't pull him now he won't get pulled. It would be a gutsy f***in move to start Comrie. I doubt it though. Jets lost the goalie battle, but they also failed to win the hockey battle for the last 30 minutes.

 

[Dust]

You normally don't do that but Hellebuyck's numbers are historically bad. Comrie cannot be worst. And at some point you need to send a strong message.

I do not know what the Jets were thinking signing him to that contract in 2023 when a pattern of playoffs underperformance had already emerged.

His contract is fine, and Winnipeg isn't a top destination for free agents so they can't get too picky. I think they just need to limit his regular season starts so he's not burnt out by the start of the playoffs.

 

[Daximus]

His contract is fine, and Winnipeg isn't a top destination for free agents so they can't get too picky. I think they just need to limit his regular season starts so he's not burnt out by the start of the playoffs.

If they didn't do that while they had Brossoit, they aren't going to do it while they have Comrie.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

If they didn't do that while they had Brossoit, they aren't going to do it while they have Comrie.

They're going to have to at some point. Every year it's the same story and them same reason they fizzle out: Hellebuyck turns into a pumpkin at the worst possible time. They either need to try a platoon system or trade him because he's proven what they've been doing hasn't worked.

 

[Daximus]

They're going to have to at some point. Every year it's the same story and them same reason they fizzle out: Hellebuyck turns into a pumpkin at the worst possible time. They either need to try a platoon system or trade him because he's proven what they've been doing hasn't worked.

I'm hoping as a fan that now that they got their Presidents Trophy and Helle has likely gotten his 3rd Vezina we focus a lot more on limiting his minutes and just focus on keeping him healthy and rested. The trouble will likely come down to us staying in a playoff spot without over playing him. Avs, Stars, Wild aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Blues are improving, Mammoth likely turning a corner with ownership willing to spend. It's not going to be easy to make the playoffs without him going forwards.

 

[BLONG7]

Not a big game goalie.....

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Not a big game goalie.....

Oettinger on the other hand....had a hell of a game

 

[Jets4Life]

They're going to have to at some point. Every year it's the same story and them same reason they fizzle out: Hellebuyck turns into a pumpkin at the worst possible time. They either need to try a platoon system or trade him because he's proven what they've been doing hasn't worked.

Historically inaccurate.

Hellebuyck has played dreadful from the 2023 playoffs, onwards. However, there was no difference in his play from the regular season to the playoffs when he was in his 20s.

 

[Jets4Life]

I'm hoping as a fan that now that they got their Presidents Trophy and Helle has likely gotten his 3rd Vezina we focus a lot more on limiting his minutes and just focus on keeping him healthy and rested. The trouble will likely come down to us staying in a playoff spot without over playing him. Avs, Stars, Wild aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Blues are improving, Mammoth likely turning a corner with ownership willing to spend. It's not going to be easy to make the playoffs without him going forwards.

For some strange reason, people have forgotten about how Hellebuyck played in the playoffs before 2023. It has to be psychological. I just do not understand it. In 2018, 19, and 21 he was fine. He even played amazing in the 2018 and 2021 playoffs, with the same amount of games played.

 

[centipede2233]

Historically inaccurate.

Hellebuyck has played dreadful from the 2023 playoffs, onwards. However, there was no difference in his play from the regular season to the playoffs when he was in his 20s.

Could be an age thing. Could also be a contract thing. He signed his big ufa contract oct 9 2023. Followed up with last years and this years playoff play as abysmal. But typically the reg season suffers so who knows….

 

[Jets4Life]

Could be an age thing. Could also be a contract thing. He signed his big ufa contract oct 9 2023. Followed up with last years and this years playoff play as abysmal. But typically the reg season suffers so who knows….

Considering his play during the regular season is better than ever, and he has never missed games with an injury, it's highly unlikely that he is physically worn down. Mentally, I think one can assume he may lack confidence. I don't get it. He has played some big games in the playoffs before, and it was not noticeable until 2023. He also played excellent in the 4 Nations Cup...

 

[Whalers Fan]

For some strange reason, people have forgotten about how Hellebuyck played in the playoffs before 2023. It has to be psychological. I just do not understand it. In 2018, 19, and 21 he was fine. He even played amazing in the 2018 and 2021 playoffs, with the same amount of games played.

Paraphrasing Yogi Berra seems appropriate here: "Goaltending is 90% mental. The other half is physical".

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Jets should look to trade him this off season.

 

[NVious]

If they didn't do that while they had Brossoit, they aren't going to do it while they have Comrie.

That's a really bad way to look at things when a new sample size has dropped.

He has been the worst goalie in the playoffs by far and has put his team in this hole with this bad play.

At a certain point you have a backup for a reason and they need to pull this trigger to try and shake things up.

The team bailed him out in round 1, he had a fresh start and did nothing with it. He even got a shutout and again was looking poised to turn things around only to shit the bed more.

He is so bad that Comrie could have a 870, 880, 890 game and it would still be better than what he's giving you on average.

 

[centipede2233]

Jets should look to trade him this off season.

They should but they won’t. I mean as bad as he has been in the playoffs, he brings a ton of reg season value. He never gets injured, if not for the 2 Covid years would be at 8 consecutive 60 plus gp seasons which is unheard of in today’s NHL. Last 3 years of .920 save % or better in reg season. He can help you get to the playoffs, winning the cup, fat chance

 

[New User Name]

The question I have is why? It's baffling that he can be one of the best during the regular season but not good in the playoffs.

Only thing I can think of, its psychological. During the regular season he's relaxed, loose and raring to go. Come playoff time, the pressure is too much for him and he overthinks every thing.