Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy winner, will miss between 4 and 6 weeks whereas recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.
The Jets announced Hellebuyck had been coping with the harm for a while. By addressing it now, the 32-year-old Hellebuyck ought to be totally wholesome in time for the season’s stretch run and, plausibly, the Olympics in February.
The Jets are 12-7-0 by way of the season’s first quarter. Although not as dominant as final season’s Presidents’ Trophy successful group, they sit in third within the Central Division.
How involved ought to the Winnipeg Jets be about Connor Hellebuyck?
The timeline for restoration and return places Hellebuyck within the web someday across the Christmas holidays. If Winnipeg is ready to keep tempo within the standings with out him, they may safely afford to attend till the beginning of 2026.
Hellebuyck has performed not less than 60 video games in every of the final 4 seasons. He has led the league in appearances 5 occasions. Not too long ago, his playoff numbers have been disastrous — indicating issues that the Jets may be overusing him through the common season. In Hellebuyck’s final three playoff runs in Winnipeg, he is 8-15 with an alarming .870 save share.
Utilizing the conservative six-week estimate, Hellebuyck would miss roughly 20 regular-season video games. If he may return by Jan. 3, 2026, Winnipeg would have 43 video games remaining. Hellebuyck may begin each sport left at that time and nonetheless wouldn’t attain the 60-game threshold. Whereas it is unlikely Winnipeg would overtax Hellebuyck to that extent, he has seen heavy, condensed workloads like that as not too long ago because the 2020-21 season (45 begins in 56 video games).
Can Eric Comrie lead the Jets for the subsequent quarter of the season?
Comrie, a profession backup now in his second season in Winnipeg, is taking part in nicely. In the identical setting as the person many take into account to be the very best netminder within the sport, Comrie’s numbers are comparable. His .908 save share is near Hellebuyck’s .913 save share. Comrie’s targets in opposition to common is simply 0.09 worse.
