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Connor Hellebuyck Fires Back After Being Benched in Back-to-Back Games by Scott Arniel


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Daniel Lucente
April 29, 2025  (9:41)
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Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck speaks to reporters
Photo credit: Global News video screenshot

Winnipeg Jets coach Scott Arniel pulled Connor Hellebuyck in two straight games, and he fired back in a recent interview regarding all that occurred.

Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck hopes to redeem himself as the Jets face their crucial Game 5 matchup against the St. Louis Blues.
The Jets let their first-round series sway into a tie after blowout defeats in St. Louis, 7-2 in Game 3 and 5-1 in Game 4. Hellebuyck was pulled in both games, the first time in his playoff career that he's been removed in back-to-back games.
Despite allowing 11 goals on just 43 shots in those two contests, the 31-year-old netminder is not concerned. Speaking to media members Monday, Hellebuyck stated he's not panicking and won't be making drastic changes.
"You don't love giving up that many goals, but we're 2-2 in the series. That's all that matters. Win the next one," Hellebuyck said. "Am I going to be better? I am going to be better.

"I've studied goaltending extremely hard. I've probably studied the most out of anyone in this world, so I know what to do and how to get my best game."

"It would be crazy to go that many regular-season games and then all of a sudden switch something up in the playoffs," Hellebuyck said. "You don't win 47 games and then come the playoffs, switch everything up. I know how it needs to look."
His postseason numbers this year have faltered, his save percentage dipping to .817, far lower than the .925 level he had in the regular season, when he also sported a 2.00 goals-against average.

Hellebuyck was nominated as a Vezina Trophy finalist

That regular-season dominance earned him a Vezina Trophy nomination on Monday, along with Darcy Kuemper and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Hellebuyck led the league in wins (47) and shutouts (8) on the season, going 47-12-3 over 63 games.
While his playoff resume is not as stout, a 20-29 career playoff record with a .906 save percentage and a 2.95 GAA, he's still the cornerstone of Winnipeg's existence.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel stood behind his goalie following the Game 4 loss, seeing confidence in him being able to recover.
"I'm 100 percent confident in Connor Hellebuyck," Arniel said. "His resume speaks for itself. At the end of the day, we need to be better in front of him. We need to let him see some pucks."

Game 5 is on Wednesday night in Winnipeg, where the top-seeded Jets will try to regain traction in front of their home fans.
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Connor Hellebuyck Fires Back After Being Benched in Back-to-Back Games by Scott Arniel

Will Connor Hellebuyck bounce back in Game 5?

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