‘Something’s gotta happen’: Connor Hellebuyck speaks on Jets’ need for improvement
The future of the Winnipeg Jets is in question, but one of its star players has made it clear that things need to change.
When speaking to the media during locker cleanout day on Friday, Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was asked what the team needs to do to bounce back after a miserable 2025-26 season. The reigning Hart Trophy winner deflected the question toward general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, but noted that there’s no excuse for things to get shaken up.
“That’s a great question for Chevy, it really is,” Hellebuyck said. “From my perspective…I mean, complacency is not gonna get us moving forward, so something’s gotta happen. I’m not just going to sit here and throw everyone under the bus…That’s not my spot. … To just put that same product on the ice, I don’t think it worked for a reason.”
Here's #NHLJets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck's full answer when asked what the Jets can do this offseason. He starts by saying it's a great question for Kevin Cheveldayoff, before expanding on it:
#NHLJets Connor Hellebuyck just spoke at length in a very candid media availability. A few quotes from when he was asked what the Jets can do: “Complacency is not gonna get us moving forward. So, something's got to happen.” “To just put that same product on the ice. I just,
The Jets failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Despite great performances from the likes of Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, the team struggled with consistency. Losing Hellebuyck for a brief while early on in the season didn’t help either, as the three-time Vezina Trophy winner took a sizeable step back after an incredible 2024-25 campaign, in which the Michigan native helped Winnipeg clinch the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy.
In 57 games this year, Hellebuyck posted a record of 23-23-11, a 2.86 goals-against average, a .895 save percentage and no shutouts for the first time in his NHL career.
Hellebuyck, who just finished the second season of the seven-year contract extension he signed in October 2023, was asked about his future with the team. He didn’t give any inclination to where he’d want to be, but, after an extended pause, the 32-year-old admitted that he loves playing in front of the fans in Winnipeg.
“I don’t want to go and leave any speculation,” Hellebuyck explained. “I love this city, and I love playing here, and the fans have given me so much. I’ve given so much back to the fans. And there’s a real connection there. I wish more people around the league would see that and could see that.”
Hellebuyck recognized that the Jets are going to have a lot of work to do to climb back up the ever-competitive Central Division, but the only thing the current members of the Jets can do is work to get back to the level where this team was this time last year.
“Am I going to go and tell you I feel amazing about winning a Cup tomorrow? No. No team out of playoffs is going to say that. No player out of the playoffs is going to say that, but you make your decisions, and you live by them. As time goes by, you try to reevaluate and then, honestly, as an athlete, the only thing you can do is put your best foot forward. You make your decision and put your best foot forward.”