Connor Hellebuyck will knock on Scott Arniel’s door or pull his head coach aside for a brief chat.
The Winnipeg Jets goaltender usually has one specific question before a road trip.
“What days we have off, and should he bring his fishing gear?” Arniel said with a smile. “He’s extremely focused there … and then when he gets to the rink, he does not want to get scored on.”
Opponents have once again found that a challenge in 2024-25.
The two-time Vezina Trophy winner is not only on course to secure another nod as the NHL’s top goaltender — Hellebuyck is firmly entrenched in the league’s MVP conversation with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season.
The numbers are impressive. The accolades for a club atop the standings are nice.
The 31-year-old, however, has just one prize in mind — the Stanley Cup.
“The only goal I have left,” Hellebuyck said following a recent practice. “All the guys in that locker room feel the same way.”
The Commerce, Mich., product leads the league with a 43-11-3 record, .924 save percentage, 2.02 goals-against average and seven shutouts.
The Vezina winner in 2019-20 and again last season has impressed teammates by raising his own bar and injecting his name into the Hart Trophy mix alongside the likes of Edmonton Oilers star centre Leon Draisaitl and Colorado Avalanche counterpart Nathan MacKinnon.
“We always think that he’s reached his potential,” Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey said. “Then he goes out and does something new and proves that he always has more ceiling and areas to grow. We’re so fortunate to have him.
“A stabilizing force.”
Winnipeg captain Adam Lowry said Hellebuyck, whose big-money contract extension signed in October 2023 ties him to the Manitoba capital through 2030-31, hasn’t garnered the attention the netminder has truly deserved throughout his career.
“He’s able to anticipate,” Lowry said. “He’s so positionally sound that he gets to where he needs to be. Other goalies are maybe making desperation saves.”
“Makes it look easy,” Morrissey added. “It’s not easy.”
The Jets have also made crease life less chaotic for Hellebuyck with improved structure. Hellebuyck faced 2,155 shots in 2021-22 before former head coach Rick Bowness, who retired last May, took over in 2022-23.
The shot number dropped to 1,964 that season and fell further to 1,798 in 2023-24. Hellebuyck has seen 1,534 pucks fired his direction through 58 games in Arniel’s first campaign.
“We hurt Helly’s stats in the past because he was so good and we played very loose,” Lowry said. “Even the best goalie in the world, the best shooters are going to beat him sometimes, especially from dangerous areas. We’ve really got a huge buy-in from the group and are committed to team defence.
“He’s the anchor.”
Hellebuyck, who enjoys both fishing and hunting in his spare time, could become the first goaltender to win the Hart as NHL MVP since Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens in 2014-15.
Lowry sees style parallels with the netminders.
“The game almost looks boring to them,” said the veteran forward.
“It’s smooth. It’s that inner drive where [Hellebuyck’s] working off the ice trying to perfect his movement. I don’t expect his aspirations or his pursuit of perfection to decrease. It’s only going to continue to increase until we reach that ultimate goal.”
“His competitiveness,” Arniel added of what stands out about the netminder’s approach. “His attention to detail about what he does every day.”
Hellebuyck, who backstopped the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, said the group in front of him is playing with a new level of belief despite losing in the first round of the playoffs the last two springs after failing to qualify altogether in 2021-22.
“Every game is a chance to build,” he said. “We’re all playing with a lot of confidence. It’s not just stretches of confidence. It’s locked in.”
Winnipeg is on track to face Minnesota or St. Louis in the first round of the playoffs. And if the Jets, whose last deep post-season run came when the franchise made the 2018 Western Conference final, can get past that test, either Dallas or Colorado — fellow Central Division heavyweights — will be waiting.
Laid-back off the ice and razor-sharp on it, Hellebuyck’s teammates know he’s ready for whatever challenge comes.
“Never satisfied,” Lowry said. “Always pushing, always talks about winning the Stanley Cup. He’s always looking for different edges, always looking for different angles.
“That inner push is what motivates him and propels him even further.”
Landing another Vezina or capturing a first Hart could be in the cards. Hockey’s holy grail, however, is the sole target in Hellebuyck’s crosshairs.
“The only thing we want to achieve,” he said. “Feels like we’re gonna go out and get things done.”
