MILAN — Having played between the pipes for the Winnipeg Jets in seven of the last eight NHL postseasons, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has had his fair share of big moments.
It’s not like there’s a Stanley Cup on the line, it’s more of a byproduct of the situation.
The Jets missed the first round, or qualifying, in four of those playoff games, and Hellebuyck has assumed a large portion of the responsibility as the franchise’s No. 1 netminder for years.
Hellebuyck has a shocking record of 1-9 in the last 10 road playoff games dating back to 2021. His save percentage of .917 from 2022 to the current NHL regular season is tops in the NHL, but his save percentage has dropped to .872 in the postseason during that period.
One of Hellebuyck’s most recent memorable images is from Game 6 of the Jets’ first-round playoff series against the Blues last year.
He was already pulled for Game 4 and was on the bench at the start of Game 3 after allowing 5 goals on 23 shots in 40 minutes of play (including 4 goals in 5:23).
In the NHL, Hellebuyck hasn’t been able to step into that situation.
But since returning to international play, the Michigan native has left little doubt as to who is America’s top goaltender. The U.S. team will need to keep that going if it is to beat Canada on Sunday and win the gold medal.
Asked about his confidence level in the fifth game of his first Olympic Games (during which he stopped 90 of 95 shots), Hellebuyck completely changed his usual stoic demeanor.
“Yeah, the best ever,” he said, smiling for the first time in a scrum with reporters after making 22 saves against Slovakia on Friday night. “You know, I’m really enjoying this. This is fun. I couldn’t be more involved. I’m going to enjoy every second of it here.”
The 32-year-old leads the Olympic Games with a .947 save percentage and 1.23 goals against average. Up until this point, Hellebuyck had been sharp, steady, and stingy.
After conceding two goals in the third period to Slovakia, who gave them a big win in the quarterfinals, Hellebuyck chided himself: “I was a little bored there and it cost me a goal.” It was a sign of how light Hellebuyck looked, and perhaps felt, heading into this matchup with gold-medal-winning Canada.
American teammates praised the calmness Hellebuyck exuded from behind.
This kind of presence is what the U.S. men’s hockey team needs to win this tournament.
“He’s great,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “He’s been great year after year. And in these short tournaments, even going back to last year’s 4 Nations, he’s been like a brick wall. He’s been great. He plays the puck very well. Everything that hits him seems to stick. He’s very good. He’s very consistent. Probably the biggest asset is the confidence he gives us. We’re very excited to have him behind us in the gold medal game.”
2026 Winter Olympics
Hellebuyck is one of only 13 goaltenders in NHL history to win three trophies in Vezina, joining Patrick Roy, Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito. Only eight goaltenders have won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player, and he is one of only three this century.
But it was failure in the playoffs that dominated Hellebuyck’s story throughout his 11-year NHL career. This game is big enough to change the story.
It’s been 46 years since the last time an American won a gold medal in men’s hockey, a miracle on ice.
Canada holds a 4-1 record against the United States in Olympic tournaments for NHL players. Team USA has never beaten the Canadians in important situations.
As the last line of defense, Hellebuyck has a chance to become an American hero.
Suddenly, the NHL playoff field doesn’t seem so big.