NHL insider Mike Johnson strongly believes that Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck should be the Hart Trophy winner, as he's been carrying the team this year. Connor Hellebuyck is crafting a phenomenal NHL season. With 45 wins, he's the most successful winning goaltender in Winnipeg Jets franchise history. His most recent shutout, 25 saves for a 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars, was his eighth of the season, putting the <a href='https://www.nhl.com/standings/2025-04-11/wildcard' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Jets six points above the Western Conference standings.</a> <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/ConnorHrabchak1/status/1910730518829961271'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> TSN insider Mike Johnson appeared on 'OverDrive' on April 12 to talk about <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/winnipeg-jets/connor-hellebuyck-urged-to-win-nhl-most-prestigious-trophy-says-analyst' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Hellebuyck's Hart Trophy nomination</a>. Bryan Hayes teased him about having already given him the award. Johnson wasn't counting it out one bit, saying that the stars of the offence aren't scoring record numbers, and there isn't anyone who's going to have 50 goals or 125 points this season. <h3>Leon Draisaitl's injuries could benefit Hellebuyck in winning the Hart Trophy</h3> Johnson named Leon Draisaitl as a rival to Hellebuyck, but stated that his time away with injuries hurts his chances. <a href='https://www.nhl.com/jets/player/connor-hellebuyck-8476945' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Hellebuyck</a>, meanwhile, tops all major goaltending lists. Johnson ended off by saying that while the Jets are fantastic, they're not fantastic with their players alone, as Hellebuyck made them so. You've got Hellebuyck, backbone of the best team in the league, Johnson said. A team that's good but not the Red Wings in '97. He leads in wins, save percentage, goals against, and shutouts. I think this is the kind of year that is special enough, especially relative to the field, that I'm okay with that. I think he'll be a finalist. I think he'll have to get over the idea that people don't love voting for goalies. But on merit, it's not a hard case to make. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/OverDrive1050/status/1910812359980880016'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Hellebuyck has a .925 save percentage, 1.99 goals-against average, and NHL-best eight shutouts with a record of 45-12-3. He's a Vezina Trophy leader and a viable Hart contender. Draisaitl remains the Hart bettor's choice at -145 at FanDuel, with Hellebuyck right behind in second place at +110. MacKinnon and Kucherov are way back. Hellebuyck signed <a href='https://puckpedia.com/player/connor-hellebuyck' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>a seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension</a> in October 2023 to remain with the Jets until the 2030-31 season, when he would be 38 years old. With three games remaining in the regular season, the Jets should likely win the West and possibly even the Presidents' Trophy. Hellebuyck is also in striking distance of joining two goaltenders in Braden Holtby and Martin Brodeur, as winners of 48 games in a season.