Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been awarded the Vezina Trophy for the 2019-20 regular season.
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually the NHL goaltender who is “adjudged to be the best at this position”. Given the roster circumstances of the other two nominees in Boston Bruins goaltender Tuuka Rask and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets was by far the most deserving of the three.
In 58 games played, Connor Hellebuyck played his way to a 31-21-5 record while recording 6 shutouts and a .922 SV%. This record was what got him the nomination but upon further analysis, what makes Hellebuyck stand out amongst the rest were his surroundings.
Unlike his fellow nominees, Connor Hellebuyck deal with roster deployment the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning were far from worried about rosters filled with the star players. In the 2019-20 offseason, the Winnipeg Jets dealth with a fractured blueline.
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Last summer, Ben Chiarot left the organization to sign with the Montreal Canadiens in Free Agency, Jacob Trouba being traded to the New York Rangers and long-time Jet and Thrashers defenceman Dustin Byfuglien taking a leave of absence and eventually mutually agreeing to a contract termination with the Winnipeg Jets in the middle of the season.
As a result, the Winnipeg Jets defensive core and their goaltender, and subsequently Connor Hellebuyck, were left to face an uphill battle.
Unfortunately for Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets, the team were unable to get past the Calgary Flames in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, sending the team home much earlier than they expected as they anticipated making a strong push.
Injuries to key forwards in Patrik Laine and And Mark Scheifele played resulted in a low-scoring Winnipeg Jets team that could not get Connor Hellebuyck the aid he required alleviate the pressure of his position. In four qualifying games played, Connor Hellebuyck went 1-3-0 and recorded a .904 SV%.