Connor Hellebuyck

Connor Charles Hellebuyck (/ˈhɛləbʌk/ HEL-ə-buk;[1] born May 19, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Jets in the fifth round, 130th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Connor Hellebuyck
Hellebuyck at the 2015 AHL All-Star Game
Born	May 19, 1993 Commerce, Michigan, U.S.
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team	Winnipeg Jets
National team	United States
NHL Draft	130th overall, 2012 Winnipeg Jets
Playing career	2014–present

Playing career

Amateur

After completing his high school career at Walled Lake Northern High School in Commerce Township, Michigan, Hellebuyck played one year of junior hockey as a member of the Odessa Jackalopes, a franchise that had been a minor league affiliate of the New York Islanders but had recently moved to junior hockey as part of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). Hellebuyck went from being virtually unknown to a top prospect while playing in Odessa, and was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets following his season in Odessa.

Hellebuyck earned a scholarship to play for the UMass Lowell River Hawks in the NCAA Men's Division I Hockey East Conference, where in two seasons he played 54 games and compiled a 38–12–2 record with a .946 save percentage, 1.60 goals against average and 12 shutouts. He won the Hockey East Championship and made a Frozen Four appearance in his freshman year. Lowell would repeat as Hockey East Champions the following year and Hellebuyck became the only player in Hockey East history to be named tournament MVP twice. Following his second year, Hellebuyck's outstanding play was rewarded with a selection to the 2013–14 Hockey East First Team.[2]

For the 2013–14 season, Hellebuyck was awarded the inaugural Mike Richter Award as the top goaltender in college hockey.[3] Hellebuyck departed UMass Lowell as the school's shutout leader with 12 shutouts in 54 games, surpassing current Buffalo Sabres and former UMass Lowell goaltender Carter Hutton. He also owns single-season records for best save percentage (.952) and GAA (1.37), both in 2012–13.[4]

Professional

Hellebuyck chose to forgo his final two years of college eligibility when he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL) on April 5, 2014.[4] In the 2014–15 season, he played his first full professional season with the Jets' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps and was selected to the 2015 AHL All-Star Game[5] serving as the Eastern Conference starter.[6] Hellebuyck was called up by the Jets late in the regular season to dress as the backup goaltender for one game.[7] On November 22, 2015, the Jets called up Hellebuyck after Ondřej Pavelec was injured during a game against the Arizona Coyotes.[8] On November 27, 2015, Hellebuyck won his first NHL game, against the Minnesota Wild. On December 27, Hellebuyck recorded his first NHL shutout in a 1–0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Hellebuyck made the 2016–17 Jets ahead of Ondřej Pavelec. During his first season as a starter, Hellebuyck posted a 26–19–4 record in 56 games. On July 24, 2017, the Jets re-signed Hellebuyck to a one-year contract worth $2.25 million.[9] In the 2017–18 Jets season, Hellebuyck posted a 44–11–9 record in 67 games, setting the record for the most single-season wins by an American goaltender in the NHL, previously held by Tom Barrasso of the 1992 title-winning Pittsburgh Penguins,[10] as well as the record for most single-season home ice wins by an NHL goaltender, previously tied at 29 by Miikka Kiprusoff and Evgeni Nabokov.[11] On April 17, Hellebuyck was named a Vezina Trophy finalist as the league's top goaltender.[12]

On July 12, 2018, Hellebuyck signed a six-year, $37 million (worth an average annual value of $6.167 million) contract extension with the Jets.[13]

On July 17, 2020 Hellebuyck was named a Vezina Trophy finalist as the league's top goaltender along with Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. On September 21st, 2020, before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Hellebuyck would be named the winner of the Vezina Trophy for the 2019–20 season - becoming the first Winnipeg Jets goaltender to win the award. Hellebuyck led the league in shutouts and was second overall in wins when he won the 2019–20 Vezina Trophy.[14]

International play

Medal record
Representing  United States
Ice hockey
World Championships
	2015 Czech Republic

Hellebuyck was chosen by the United States to play at the 2015 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.[15] Hellebuyck would backstop Team USA to a Bronze Medal in the tourney.[16] Hellebuyck posted a record of 7–1–0 with a pair of shutouts during his eight tournament games. He would also finish with a 1.37 goals-against average and a .948 saving percentage. His seven wins tied a U.S. record for most in a single tournament set in 1939.[17] Hellebuyck had been named to the initial roster of Team North America for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.[18]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T/OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2011–12	Odessa Jackalopes	NAHL		53	26	21	5	3085	128	3	2.49	.930		4	1	3	243	14	0	3.46
2012–13	UMass-Lowell	HE		24	20	3	0	1397	32	6	1.37	.952		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	UMass-Lowell	HE		29	18	9	2	1747	52	6	1.79	.941		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	St. John's IceCaps	AHL		58	28	22	5	3332	143	6	2.58	.921		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Manitoba Moose	AHL		30	13	15	1	1735	72	4	2.49	.922		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		26	13	11	0	1423	56	2	2.34	.918		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		56	26	19	4	3034	146	4	2.89	.907		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		67	44	11	9	3966	156	6	2.36	.924		17	9	8	1016	40	2	2.36	.922
2018–19	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		63	34	23	3	3705	179	2	2.90	.913		6	2	4	360	16	0	2.67	.913
2019–20	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		58	31	21	5	3269	140	6	2.57	.922		4	1	3	237	12	0	3.04	.904
NHL totals				270	148	85	22	15,406	677	20	2.64	.917		27	12	15	1,612	68	2	2.53	.917

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2015	United States	WC			8	7	1	0	482	11	2	1.37	.948
2017	United States	WC	5th		2	2	0	0	120	5	0	2.50	.900
Senior totals					10	9	1	0	602	16	2	1.59	.930

Awards and honours

Award	Year
College
Hockey East All-Tournament Team	2013	[19]
All-Hockey East First Team	2013–14	[20]
AHCA East First-Team All-American	2013–14
Hockey East All-Tournament Team	2014	[19]
Mike Richter Award	2013–14	[21]
NHL
NHL All-Star	2018, 2020
NHL Second All-Star Team	2018
Vezina Trophy	2020
NHL First All-Star Team	2020
International
WC All-Star Team	2015	[22]

References

1. "Connor Hellebuyck wins three, including his ninth career shutout".
2. "UMass Lowell – Connor Hellebuyck named First-Team Hockey East All-Star". University of Massachusetts Lowell.
3. "UMass-Lowell's Connor Hellebuyck wins inaugural Mike Richter Award – NHL.com – On Campus". nhl.com. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
4. Soderberg, Justin (April 5, 2014). "Connor Hellebuyck jets from UMass Lowell early".
5. "Connor Hellebuyck named a 2015 AHL Eastern Conference All-Star". Mill City Sports. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
6. "Connor Hellebuyck starts for Eastern Conference in AHL All-Star Game". Mill City Sports. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
7. "Jets call up goalie Hellebuyck from St. John's". Winnipeg Free Press. April 10, 2015. (April).
8. "Jets call up Hellebuyck after Pavelec injured by Doan hit". www.winnipegfreepress.com. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
9. "Jets sign Connor Hellebuyck". NHL.com. July 24, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
10. Schlager, Brandon (April 7, 2018). "Jets' Connor Hellebuyck sets NHL single-season wins record for American goalies". sportingnews.com. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
11. "Player Game Finder". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
12. "Vezina Trophy finalists unveiled". NHL.com. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
13. The Canadian Press (July 12, 2018). "Winnipeg Jets sign goalie Connor Hellebuyck to six-year contract after breakout season". The Star.
14. Satriano, David (September 21, 2020). "Hellebuyck of Jets wins Vezina Trophy as best goalie in NHL". Retrieved September 22, 2020.
15. "Connor Hellebuyck selected to U.S. National team for Worlds". millcitysports.com. April 2, 2015. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
16. "USA wins bronze with shutout win over Czech Republic at World Championship". The Score. May 17, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
17. "Connor Hellebuyck, U.S. take home bronze at IIHF World Championships". Mill City Sports. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
18. "Connor Hellebuyck named to Team North America World Cup roster". Mill City Sports. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
19. "2013–14 Hockey East Media Guide". Hockey East. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
20. "HockeyEastOnline.com – LEAGUE ANNOUNCES ALL-STAR TEAMS".
21. "UMass-Lowell's Hellebuyck wins Mike Richter Award". nhl.com. April 11, 2014.
22. https://reports.iihf.hockey/Hydra/414/IHM414000_98_1_0.pdf%5B%5D

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database