The Winnipeg Jets have a lot of trophies to defend in 2025-26. They won the first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history after securing the best regular-season record. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck won his third career Vezina Trophy and first Hart Trophy as league MVP. He spoke with NHL.com's Dan Rosen about expectations coming off an MVP season.
I'm kind of going into it as just another season, just another season,” Hellebuyck said. “We're continuing to build, but I don't want to bring expectations into it. I think expectations kill. I've seen it enough. We're a good team, but sometimes you don't win when you expect to win, and you win when you don't expect to win.”
Hellebuyck has been the best goalie in the world over the last few years, but does not have the playoff success to back it up. Those expectations weigh on the Jets, especially in a loaded Western Conference, and Hellebuyck knows it.
But the Jets won't be the only team with expectations that Hellebuyck backstops this year. He will almost certainly be the starting goalie for Team USA at the 2026 Olympics in Italy. After a demoralizing loss to Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, he is looking for revenge.
“I think the 4 Nations was really good for not only on the ice, because now I know what to expect, what the game is going to be, but for all the off-ice stuff, what to do with the families, where I'm staying, the travel, the new players, meeting new guys,” Hellebuyck said. “It helps to bring stress levels down, worry levels down. You're kind of just going one day at a time, just go and do your thing.”
The Jets and the Americans will have the league MVP in the net this year. Can it end two long championship droughts?
