Connor Hellebuyck was outstanding in the regular season but hasn’t come close to his usual standards in the playoffs. After a rough start to the deciding Game 7, fans and experts were stunned by his performance—with a former NHL goalie sharing a bold take on social media.
Hellebuyck carried the Winnipeg Jets during the regular season, posting 47 (!) wins on his way to yet another Vezina Trophy nomination. He could become the first goalie in 17 years to win the award in back-to-back seasons, and based solely on his regular-season performance, he’s probably the favorite.
But his play in the postseason has been far less impressive. Hellebuyck has historically struggled to maintain his regular-season form in the playoffs, and the 2025 postseason has been no exception.
Across seven games against the St. Louis Blues, he recorded a 3.85 GAA and a .830 save percentage—the worst numbers of any starting goalie still in the playoffs. He was pulled in the third period of Game 6 after allowing five goals—his third time being yanked by head coach Scott Arniel during the series. In Game 7, he gave up two goals on the first four shots he faced, leaving everyone watching stunned.
Connor Hellebuyck’s weak start
Hellebuyck’s shaky start even prompted former NHL goalie Andrew Raycroft to call him out on social media, suggesting that Eric Comrie should have started instead.
“I think you have to take out Hellebuyck now,” Raycroft posted.
Just minutes later, Raycroft followed up with another blunt comment on the situation.
“I played a bunch of shitty games in the NHL, but this Hellebuyck situation is bananas,” he wrote.
But later in the game, Connor Hellebuyck bounced back. He stopped all 13 shots he faced in the third period, allowing his team to tie the game in the final seconds and force overtime. He continued his strong play in OT, and ultimately, the Jets won the game to advance to Round 2—with Hellebuyck back in the spotlight, this time for all the right reasons.
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