Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has added to his hardware container from this past season where he won the 2023-24 William M. Jennings Trophy. Hellebuyck followed that award up with his second career Vezina Trophy which was awarded to him on Thursday, June 27th, at the NHL Awards show.
Hellebuyck won his first Vezina in the 2019-20 season where he played 58 games posting a 2.57 goals against average (GAA) and a 0.922 save percentage (SV%).
In 60 games in the 2023-24 season, Hellebuyck posted a 2.39 GAA and a 0.921 SV%. Hellebuyck recorded a win-loss record of 37-19-3 throughout the season but ultimately fell flat in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs quarterfinals against the Colorado Avalanche. Hellebuyck recorded five shutouts in the 2023-24 season which is one short of his career-high of six shutouts he posted in both the 2017-18 and 2019-20 seasons.
However, Hellebuyck was still seen highly among NHL general managers where he received 31 of 32 possible first-place votes. While Hellebuyck was one vote short of a unanimous victory for the Vezina, winning the trophy outside of the COVID-19 NHL era is a great touch for Hellebuyck’s family and him to celebrate.
The Commerce, Michigan-born goaltender was drafted in the fifth round at 130th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He has played 510 career games where he has 37 shutouts to his resume along with a 2.67 GAA and a 0.916 SV% completed with a win-loss record of 276-177-41.
Hellebuyck’s career-high came in the 2017-18 season when he played 67 games posting six shutouts (which he later tied in 2019-20) complimented with a 2.36 GAA and a 0.924 SV%. Hellebuyck’s 2017-18 season was capped with a trip to the 2018 Western Conference Finals where he played 17 games with a win-loss record of 9-8-0. He posted two shutouts, a 2.36 GAA and a 0.922 SV% in the Jets’ 2018 playoff run.
