Connor Hellebuyck was arguably the best goalie of the NHL regular season, but he hasn’t played up to that standard in the playoffs. After another brutal loss in Game 4 against the Dallas Stars, a former NHL goalie took to social media to slam the superstar netminder for his performance.
Hellebuyck led the NHL in wins during the regular season, and the Winnipeg Jets topped the league with 26 road victories. But in the playoffs, both the Jets and their star goalie have been almost unrecognizable.
In Tuesday’s Game 4 of the second-round series between the Jets and Stars, Winnipeg outplayed Dallas — but Jake Oettinger outplayed Connor Hellebuyck. Both American goalies are likely contenders for the No. 1 spot on Team USA at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics, and in this series, Oettinger has clearly been the better of the two.
Connor Hellebuyck slammed
After Dallas’ 3–1 win in Game 4 to take a commanding 3–1 series lead, Hellebuyck came under heavy criticism — not just for his performance in Game 4, but for his play throughout the postseason. With a .851 save percentage, Connor Hellebuyck currently ranks last among all goalies in the playoffs, and the Jets are still searching for their first road win this postseason. Many fans and analysts seem to have reached a breaking point with his underwhelming performances.
On Tuesday night, former NHL goalie Stephen Valiquette — now an analyst for MSG Network — voiced sharp criticism on social media, dismissing the idea that Connor Hellebuyck’s struggles are just bad luck.
“When Hellebuyck ends up on his ass like that, it’s not bad luck — it’s bad posture. On his heels instead of his toes,” Valiquette wrote.
Now, the Jets face a mountain to climb if they want to reach the conference final. And if they’re going to have any chance at all, they’ll need Hellebuyck to find his regular-season form — fast.
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