
The best team in the NHL during the regular season is hoping it can make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, the question remains if they’re masked man can rise to the occasion.
On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets clinched the President’s Trophy for the first time in franchise history (including the original Jets team, putting huge expectations on a team that has been one of the best in the NHL throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
While everyone in Manitoba is excited to see the Jets pursue hockey immortality, there’s a slight concern if goaltender Connor Hellebuyck can bring his regular-season success to the playoffs. While he had been great in the playoffs in the past, recent appearances in the postseason have been suspect, at best.
Hellebuyck was stellar during the team’s run to the Western Conference Final in 2018, and during the 2021 playoffs, but the last two years saw the Michigan native posting 3.44 and 5.23 goals-against averages, respectively, finishing with save percentages well below .900 each year.
On Monday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk explain why it’ll be important that Hellebuyck brings his best during the postseason.
Frank Seravall: I’d say the biggest question… is Hellebuyck himself? If he plays like he has, or a close, reasonable facsimile – we saw some big game moments from him in the 4-Nations Face-Off as Team USA understandably rode him throughout the tournament and was great in the championship game. He was beaten by one shot by arguably the best player in the world to win it. If there’s a point to hit on, it’s been Hellebuyck’s track record in the playoffs, which for the last couple of years hasn’t been great but previous to that was outstanding. Which version of Connor Hellebuyck Will we be getting?
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…
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