{"id":79244,"date":"2020-06-30T16:49:03","date_gmt":"2020-06-30T20:49:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=79244"},"modified":"2020-06-30T16:49:03","modified_gmt":"2020-06-30T20:49:03","slug":"winnipeg-jets-connor-hellebuyck-makes-vezina-trophy-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2020\/06\/30\/winnipeg-jets-connor-hellebuyck-makes-vezina-trophy-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Winnipeg Jets Connor Hellebuyck Makes Vezina Trophy Case"},"content":{"rendered":"

The outbreak of COVID-19 in March ended the NHL’s regular season. Many of the awards races didn’t get a chance to play out to a conclusion. However, one race that should be decided is \u00a0 goalie Connor Hellebuyck<\/strong> taking home the Vezina Trophy.<\/p>\n

The Commerce, Mich. native helped the Jets reach the qualifying round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs as the No. 8 seed. Hellebuyck dealt with a defence that went through injuries and personnel changes. However, the Jets still found their way into post-season contention.<\/p>\n

His sterling play has given life to Winnipeg and helped improved its odds for NHL betting lines for the shortened season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Connor Hellebuyck Makes His Vezina Case<\/h2>\n

Hellebuyck has been the team’s unquestioned top goalie since the 2016-17 season. He’s taken the lion’s share of games since then. This era usually relies on goalie tandems like the Nashville Predators do with Pekka Rinne<\/strong> and Juuse Saros<\/strong>. However, Hellebuyck has played at least 55 games since 2016-17. He played a career-high 67 games, including 64 starts that campaign.<\/p>\n

The University of Massachusetts-Lowell product won 44 games that season, which was tied for tops with Andrei Vasilevskiy<\/strong> of the Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a>. Hellebuyck has won at least 31 games in all four seasons he’s been the starter.<\/p>\n

The Jets were 12th in the league in goals allowed with 203, but those numbers are deceiving. Winnipeg lost four key defencemen Dustin Byfuglien<\/b>, Ben Chiarot<\/b>, Tyler Myers<\/b>, and Jacob Trouba <\/b>in the off-season. Defensive forward Brandon Tanev<\/strong> also left the team and he was solid at checking.<\/span><\/p>\n

That meant the Jets gave up plenty of shots and many were high-quality chances. Hellebuyck faced 9.34 high-danger chances against per hour this season according to Natural Stat Trick. The Jets were third-worst in expected goals with 2.73 per game. No other goalie should have allowed more goals than the 27-year-old. However, Hellebuyck managed to keep Winnipeg in many games.<\/p>\n

He’s still managed a 2.57 goals-against-average, .922 save percentage, 31 wins and a career-best six shutouts this season. His wins are second only to Vasilevskiy for most in the NHL. The former fifth-round pick led the league in saves and shots faced for the second consecutive season.<\/p>\n

His Competition<\/h3>\n

Boston Bruins<\/a> goalie Tuukka Rask is the other definite candidate in the race for the Vezina. Rask led the league in save percentage with a .929 and a 2.12 goals-against-average. The Finn also leads the league in quality starts while Hellebuyck is second. A quality start is a start with a save percentage greater than or equal to the league average, or at least an 88.5% save percentage if a goalie sees less than 20 shots according to Hockey Reference.<\/p>\n

Other goalies like Vasilevskiy, the Dallas Stars<\/a> duo of Ben Bishop<\/strong> and Anton Khudobin<\/strong>, St. Louis Blues<\/a> goalie Jordan Binnington <\/strong>and Arizona Coyotes<\/a> shot-stopper Darcy Kuemper<\/strong> are all duking it out for that final spot.<\/p>\n

Kuemper was doing well early in the season, but an injury halted his challenge. He was 16-11-2, .928 save percentage, 2.22 goals-against average. However, he only played in 29 games, which may be too small a sample size.<\/p>\n

Bishop went 21-16-4 record and a .920 save percentage and Binnington has stayed solid after a winning post-season run.<\/p>\n

More Than a Vezina<\/h3>\n

Hellebuyck’s heroics have been so spectacular that there’s been some Hart Trophy talk. It’s very hard for a goalie to win the league’s MVP. Carey Price<\/strong> of the Montreal Canadiens<\/a> was the last to accomplish this in 2014-15.<\/p>\n

He has to contend with the New York Rangers<\/a> Artemi Panarin<\/strong> and the Bruins David Pastrnak<\/strong>. However, one can’t ignore the 4.8 wins above replacement 26.7 goals saved above average. Those numbers may not sway the voters, but they can’t be ignored.<\/p>\n

Pete Peeters<\/strong> was the only unanimous Vezina winner in 1983, but Hellebuyck is making a strong push for one. However, the league’s general mangers decide this award and not the writers. The Jets goalie should make their decision an easy one.<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n