NHL insider weighs in on Winnipeg Jets’ $59,500,000 goaltender’s case for Hart Trophy

Connor Hellebuyck is having one of his best NHL seasons. He has 45 wins, the most ever by a Winnipeg Jets goalie. His shutout against the Dallas Stars gave him his eighth shutout of the season. He stopped 25 shots in the 4-0 win. The Jets are now six points ahead in the Western Conference.

On April 12, TSN analyst Mike Johnson spoke about Hellebuyck’s Hart Trophy chances on OverDrive. Host Bryan Hayes joked the show had already named Hellebuyck the winner. Johnson didn’t argue. He said top scorers aren’t having record seasons. No one will reach 50 goals or 125 points.

Johnson said he would have picked Draisaitl if he had played the full season. But Draisaitl is expected to miss ten games. Hellebuyck leads in every major goalie stat. Johnson said the Winnipeg Jets are a good team but not one of the all-time best. Hellebuyck’s performance makes the difference.

"You’ve got Hellebuyck, backbone of the best team in the league," Johnson said. "A team that’s good but not the Red Wings in ’97. He leads in wins, save percentage, goals against, and shutouts. I think this is the kind of year that is special enough, especially relative to the field, that I’m okay with that. I think he’ll be a finalist. I think he’ll have to get over the idea that people don’t love voting for goalies. But on merit, it’s not a hard case to make." (19:13)

Hellebuyck’s record is now 45-12-3. He has a .925 save percentage and a 1.99 goals-against average. He also leads the league in shutouts. He is seen as a clear favorite to win the Vezina Trophy. He is also in the race for the Hart.

At FanDuel, Draisaitl is the Hart favorite at -145. Hellebuyck is second at +110. Kucherov and MacKinnon are far behind. Hellebuyck signed a seven-year, $59.5 million deal in October 2023. It ends after the 2030-31 season. He will be 38 when the contract ends.

The Winnipeg Jets have three games left and are close to clinching first place in the Western Conference. Hellebuyck still has a chance to improve his numbers. The NHL record for wins in a season is 48, reached only by Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur. Hellebuyck could become the third to hit that mark.

Teammate Josh Morrissey praised Winnipeg Jets goalie after Thursday's win

Josh Morrissey spoke about Connor Hellebuyck after the Winnipeg Jets' win over the Dallas Stars. He said Hellebuyck sets new records almost every night.

"It seems every night the last month or so, he’s been accomplishing a new record. You honestly can’t put into words how important he is to our team, what he does day in and day out," Morrissey said (via NHL.com). "As a teammate of his, I feel extremely lucky that I’ve gotten to play in front of him basically my entire career."

Connor Hellebuyck became the seventh goalie in NHL history to win 45 games in one season.