"Connor Hellebuyck is the worst Vezina winning playoff goaltender of all time": Jets fans rip netminder as threat of playoff elimination looms

Winnipeg Jets fans have expressed frustration with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck amid his ongoing playoff struggles.

Hellebuyck is one of the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, given to the best goalie in the league. He is the firm favorite to win the award, but for the third consecutive year, Hellebuyck has underperformed in the postseason.

In Game 4 of their second-round series against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, the 31-year-old allowed three goals on 24 shots. The Jets lost the game 3-1 and trail by the same margin in the best-of-seven series, facing elimination.

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Fans took to X (Twitter) to voice their disappointment with their goaltender's performance.

One tweeted:

"Hellebuyck is the worst Vezina winning playoff goaltender of all time. The Jets should trade him as quickly as possible when he wins the trophy again this year to maximize his value and find someone who doesn't transform into a complete basket case in the playoffs."

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Another chimed in:

"I think it’s time to have a SERIOUS conversation about Hellebuyck. F***k off with the MVP chants he hasn’t won us a single game in the playoffs. The difference in this series is Otter makes the big saves and Hellebuyck can’t. Pathetic."

"A playoff beast like Oettinger is worth 10 times as much as a regular season merchant like Hellebuyck," a third fan wrote.

"Helle 0-9 on the road now. Not good enough," said another fan.

"Otter taking the Olympic starting spot from soon to be 3x Vezina winner and ur guys “hart” winner," another commented.

"Wonder if there's a team dumb enough to trade for Helly this offseason after this debacle," another chimed in.

Hellebuyck has not registered a single win in five road games in this year's playoffs. He also has a 5.84 goals-against average in those games.

Mikael Granlund shines as Dallas Stars put Winnipeg Jets on the brink

Mikael Granlund scored his first Stanley Cup playoffs hat trick in the Dallas Stars' 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 on Tuesday.

He opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 8:36 of the first period. Nikolaj Ehlers scored the only goal for the Jets at 1:02 of the second period, tying the game at 1-1.

Granlund restored the Stars' lead with his second goal at 2:08 of the second period on a two-on-one rush. He completed his hat trick with another power-play goal at 7:23 of the third period, giving Dallas a 3-1 win and series lead.

Game 5 returns to Canada Life Centre on Thursday.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta