It's always hard for an athlete to look in the mirror and face some hard discussions about what could have been better after being eliminated from the playoffs. The Winnipeg Jets are having those tough moments after losing to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The series featured several high-scoring games with the winning team scoring at least five goals in all five games. It was a rough time to be a goalie, but Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck felt he was playing very well despite what the box score said.
Hellebuyck allowed 24 goals during the series, producing an .870 save percentage as he faced an onslaught of shots. The Vezina Trophy finalist did not translate his play in the regular season to the playoffs.
“You're probably not going to believe when I say I was playing the best hockey of my career, but that's truly how I was feeling,” Hellebuyck said, per the Jets on X. “Not only was I playing some of my best hockey, but I was in that zone where you're not thinking. You're just playing. That's what you seek after. That's a dangerous thing in sports.
“For me to not be able to put my foot down on a single game, it’s really heartbreaking.”
Hellebuyck signed a seven-year contract with the Jets before the season, which kicks in next year. He is the favorite to win the Vezina as the league's top goaltender this year. It would be his second time earning the honor.
Jets outplayed in an offense-heavy series
When it came to a slugfest with a superior offensive team, the Jets weren’t ready for the Avalanche's biggest punch. Winnipeg outlasted them in Game 1 after a six-goal first period. That was the only win the Jets would get in the series.
The Avalanche led the NHL in goals in the regular season. The Jets, thanks in large part to Hellebuyck, allowed the fewest goals. Something had to give in this clash of titans in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the end, offense prevailed.
Given his track record, this can be chalked up as a lost series for Hellebuyck. He might feel a little sting when accepting his Vezina Trophy in June, but he has a lot to be proud of this season.
Concern can grow next season if Hellebuyck's struggles between the pipes leak into 2025. The Jets will again expect to contend next season and need their star goalie at the top of his game. Another stellar regular season can boost Hellebuyck's confidence before the playoffs.
Despite making 60 starts for the third-consecutive season, Hellebuyck insists he feels good physically and wasn’t fatigued during the series. A summer off should do him good though, and he'll be refreshed for another grind of a season in 2024-25.
The Jets are disappointed with another early playoff exit but have stuff to ride on into the future. A solid offseason of fine-tuning the roster and getting healthy and rested should find Winnipeg right back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs next April.
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