Jets Goalie Entering MVP Picture

The Winnipeg Jets starting goalie is entering the MVP race in the second half of the season.

Dec 23, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Winnipg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save as defenseman Colin Miller (6) and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz (18) pursue the rebound in the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Winnipeg Jets have an MVP candidate on their roster this year, and his name is Connor Hellebuyck. The star goaltender and reigning Vezina Trophy winner is having an excellent 2024-2025 campaign and he's building a case for being just the third goalie to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in the last 25 years.

There's no better goalie in the game than the Jets' star net minder. Hellebuyck dominated last season en route to his second career Vezina. He won 37 games with five shutouts and finished with a 2.39 goals against average.

This year, he's somehow managed to exceed those numbers while carrying the Jets to their current Central Division lead. Through his first 34 starts, he's already collected 26 wins, has six shutouts, and has a staggeringly low 2.02 GAA paired with a .928 save percentage.

It's elite performance for a net minder and the gap between Hellebuyck and the next group of contenders for the Vezina is a mile wide. But the star goalie has just as strong a case to be the MVP.

Let's start with the fact that he's the undisputed reason his team is leading their division and once again a Stanley Cup contender. The Jets have 29 wins at this point of the season, 26 of which came when Hellebuyck was in net. The team's back-up, Eric Comrie, has just 10 appearances so far and only three victories.

And this isn't a scenario where the team is making the goalie. I'd argue it's the goalie making the team. Hellebuyck paces all NHL goalies this season in both his GAA and save percentage. That alone is proof of how effective he is, but his advanced metrics are further proving his case.

According to NHL EDGE, Hellebuyck ranks in the highest decile across goaltending metrics. His high-danger save percentage of .846 ranks in the 95th percentile.

Another statistic that stuck out is how many quality starts he's putting in. NHL EDGE recorded 26 games where Hellebuyck had a save percentage of .900 or higher this season. That translates to nearly 77% of his starts recording that high a save percentage and is the best mark in the league in both games and percentage of games.

The Hart Memorial Trophy is defined quite plainly by the NHL. The award shall be given "to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team." There's many superstar players in the league that bring immense value to their respective organizations, but with the campaign Hellebuyck is having it's hard to see how anyone else would be considered more valuable this season.

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