Winnipeg Jets followers have actually currently been shouting it for numerous video games whenever his name is revealed, and currently it’s main — Connor Hellebuyck is a finalist for the NHL’s most important gamer.
The roaring incantations boom throughout Canada Life Centre at every video game when Hellebuyck is revealed as the beginning goaltender and he’s revealed on the cinema: “MVP! MVP! MVP!”
On Thursday, the day after the 31-year-old goaltender assisted his group take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven playoff collection versus theSt Louis Blues, the Jets and the NHL revealed that he is just one of 3 finalists for the 2024-25 Hart Memorial Trophy.
Hellebuyck is initial gamer in franchise business background (consisting of as the Atlanta Thrashers) to be elected as a Hart finalist and simply the 3rd goalkeeper to be a Hart finalist in the previous 10 periods.
If he wins, he will certainly be just the 4th goalkeeper in the NHL growth period (because 1967-68) to win the honor, complying with Dominik Hasek (1996-97 and 1997-98), Jose Theodore (2001-02) and Carey Price (2014-15).
The Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov are the various other 2 finalists.
Draisaitl, 29, led the NHL in objectives (52 ), linked for 3rd in factors (106) and was a career-best plus-32 in 71 video games. He won the Hart in 2019-20 and is a two-time finalist.
Kucherov, 31, led the NHL for the 2nd successive period with 121 factors (37 objectives, 84 aids). He won the Hart Trophy in 2018-19 and is a three-time finalist.
Hellebuyck has actually had some battles in the post-season, permitting 15 objectives in his previous 3 video games. That 5.00 objectives versus standard is a significant swing from the normal period, when he led the whole organization with a 2.00 GAA.
But his supremacy throughout the 82-game normal period can not be rejected.
He was initially in the NHL in victories (47) and nothings (8) and was incorporated overall video games played (63 ).
Only 2 goaltenders in NHL background have actually tape-recorded much more wins in a solitary project: Martin Brodeur (48 in 2006-07) and Braden Holtby (48 in 2015-16).
He was 2nd general in save percent (.925) and mins played (3,741), and 4th in conserves (1,539). Hellebuyck produced 2 or less objectives in 40 of his 63 looks and had an eight-game winning touch fromJan 22 up untilFeb 26 and an 11-game factor touch (9-0-2) fromDec 5 up untilJan 2.
His play raised the Jets to franchise business documents for victories (56) and factors (116) in a period, in addition to their initial Presidents’ Trophy as the organization’s leading group.
Hellebuyck likewise won his 2nd successive Williams Jennings Trophy for permitting the least regular-season objectives.
The 2020 and 2024 Vezina Trophy champion as the NHL’s leading ‘tender is likewise a finalist for the honor once again this period, the 5th time in the previous 8 periods that he has actually been a finalist for that honor.
