Why the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck ought to be thought-about a Vezina Trophy frontrunner

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The Jets had been anticipated to take a giant step backwards, however the play of netminder Connor Hellebuyck has stored Winnipeg within the win column. And with one-third of the season over, it is time to take into account him a frontrunner for the top-goaltender honor.Connor Hellebuyck|John Cordes/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty ImagesBy the very nature of the beast, the NHL’s Three Stars of the Month listing is sure to fail to offer a participant or two their due. Hey, that’s what occurs when it’s essential pare down the league’s prime performers via a whole month to 3 and three alone. Reality is, too, that there are few who’re going to have gripes with the picks made in November. Connor McDavid, the league’s scoring chief and Edmonton Oilers famous person, was named the primary star with a 13-goal, 26-point efficiency. Nathan MacKinnon’s 10 objectives and 25 factors for the Colorado Avalanche earned him second-star honors. And Patrick Kane introduced up the rear with an 11-goal, 24-point efficiency that noticed him discover the scoresheet in each single sport the Chicago Blackhawks performed in November.
So, once more, a participant or two is sure to be left off the listing. It’s going to occur. And within the case of Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck, it seems November was his flip to return oh-so-close to touchdown among the many prime three. Merely put, there’s no netminder within the league who was higher than the 26-year-old final month. And that’s not an extremely troublesome case to make.
All through the month of November, Hellebuyck took the blue paint in all however three of the Jets’ outings, showing in 11 video games and handing over an Eight-2-1 file. It ought to be famous right here, although, that one among his wins got here in lower than a dozen minutes’ work. Backup Laurent Brossoit did many of the heavy lifting earlier than being pressured out of the crease on account of cramping. Hellebuyck entered, Winnipeg snatched a late game-winning objective in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets and the win was attributed to the 11-minute man. Even nonetheless, Hellebuyck picked up extra victories than all however one netminder final month. It’s all however three if you happen to’re a type of who desires put an asterisk beside his win whole and solely give him credit score for seven.
Hellebuyck’s efficiency goes effectively past a somewhat-muddied win whole, although. Take into account that he confronted 341 photographs in November, greater than all however three netminders. He additionally turned apart an unbelievable 322 of these photographs, additionally the fourth-most of all goaltenders in November. Add to it a .944 save share, which ranked second amongst all keepers with at the least a pair of begins and tops among the many 38 who noticed seven or extra video games, and a 1.85 goals-against common, which is third among the many first aforementioned group and once more one of the best among the many second, and also you get a clearer image as to why Hellebuyck was deserving of ending up within the three-star dialogue. That he added a shutout on prime of his effort might have been the proverbial cherry on prime.
Perhaps most notable about Hellebuyck’s efficiency in November, nonetheless, is that it marked not a continuation of however an enchancment on his degree of play from the month prior. In October, Hellebuyck was Winnipeg’s spine. He turned in modest 5-5-Zero file, however did so with a strong .921 SP, 2.63 GAA and one shutout. He stored the Jets aggressive via the opening month of the marketing campaign. And it’s inarguable that Hellebuyck ought to certainly obtain full marks for his efficiency behind a Jets workforce, and significantly a Winnipeg blueline, that has confronted as a lot adversity as nearly any within the NHL.
After buying and selling Jacob Trouba, shedding Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot to free company and starting the season with out Dustin Byfuglien to a retirement rumor-turned-team suspension state of affairs that doesn’t seem as if it is going to be resolved any time quickly, the backend was thrown right into a state of disarray. The one mainstays from final season have been top-pairing blueliner Josh Morrissey and depth defenseman Dmitry Kulikov. However regardless of shedding the vast majority of the blueline, losses which will have hamstrung different outfits and tanked one other goaltender’s efficiency, the Jets have managed to keep up their degree of play in plenty of 5-on-5 statistics and Hellebuyck has stood tall all season lengthy.
In reality, he’s accomplished so to such an extent that possibly a month-to-month honor can be promoting Hellebuyck brief. Perhaps it’s end-of-season silverware we ought to be discussing. Hellebuyck is most actually deserving of being within the Vezina Trophy dialog, too. With one-third of the NHL marketing campaign within the books, his numbers are commensurate with, and in some circumstances higher than, his counterparts.
In any respect strengths, the Jets keeper presently finds himself second within the league with a .933 SP, sixth with a 2.23 GAA and one again of league shutout chief Pekka Rinne with two clean slates this season. What illustrates Hellebuyck’s excellence this season extra, although, is his five-a-side play. Among the many 40 goaltenders with at the least 500 minutes performed at 5-on-5, Hellebuyck is tied for second with a .941 SP, solely a hair behind Semyon Varlamov’s league-best .942 mark. In the meantime, Hellebuyck leads the league with a .77 goals-saved above common per 60 minutes and 12.four GSAA at five-a-side. And Hellebuyck’s efficiency is all of the extra spectacular when you think about he’s fairly a bit in contrast to the others who’ve put up related numbers.
As an illustration, Hellebuyck’s 39.2 anticipated objectives in opposition to whole this yr is increased than all however 4 of the 500-minute goaltenders and the best of any goaltender who has a top-15 SP amongst that group of 40 keepers. Hellebuyck additionally has the 10th highest anticipated objectives in opposition to per 60 minutes at five-a-side. His 136 high-danger photographs in opposition to at 5-on-5 – he ranks 11th per 60 minutes – are likewise the fifth-most amongst that cohort and greater than some other keeper with a top-10 SP. However his .860 SP in opposition to high-danger photographs, 10th-best among the many 500-minute netminders, is proof optimistic that he’s been turning away such photographs with aplomb. It must also be stated that solely 4 netminders are going through extra photographs in opposition to per hour at five-a-side. The one who’s making extra saves per 60 minutes is Robin Lehner.
Greater than the deep statistics or the floor SP and GAA totals, what ought to put Hellebuyck within the top-goaltender dialog as we skate previous the primary third of the season is that he’s placing up the one quantity that Vezina voters appear to prize most: wins. He’s tied for the league lead with 13 victories, and his efficiency has been such Jets workforce some anticipated to take a sizeable step again are as a substitute staying in lockstep with the cream of the crop within the Central Division.
And if you happen to had been to ask Hellebuyck, you’ll be able to relaxation assured he’d say that – not his competition for a shiny addition to his mantle – is what issues most.
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Tags: winnipeg jetsConnect: In regards to the AuthorJared ClintonJared Clinton is a author and net editor with The Hockey Information. He is been with the workforce since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, the place he might be discovered lacking the web on outside rinks throughout city.