NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies List Sparks Fan Backlash With Hellebuyck at the Top

Connor Hellebuyck just had the rare experience of being celebrated and slammed in the same week. NHL Network named the Winnipeg Jets netminder the league's best goaltender in its new top 10 list, but fans quickly fired back with harsh criticism.

The debate isn't about whether Hellebuyck is elite, his numbers speak for themselves. The real question is whether those numbers mean enough when the games matter most.

Why fans are questioning Connor Hellebuyck's No. 1 ranking

NHL Network unveiled its top 10 goaltenders on September 4, with Hellebuyck taking the No. 1 spot ahead of Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Jake Oettinger. On paper, the decision looked obvious.

Hellebuyck owns three Vezina Trophies, a Hart Trophy, and two Jennings awards. Last season alone he delivered 47 wins, eight shutouts, a 2.01 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage. His play carried Winnipeg to the Presidents' Trophy while the Jets allowed the fewest goals in the league.

But the fan reaction told a different story. Social media quickly filled with complaints, with many pointing to his postseason struggles. One post read:

"Matthews 7 best centre cause of his playoffs but then we got Hellebuyck chillin here make it make sense." Another was even harsher: "Helle is garbage on skates. Pure dumpster fire every time playoffs roll around. Laughable at best."

Others echoed that sentiment, arguing his playoff record doesn't justify the top spot.

"Hellybuyck gets lit up every playoffs," one fan wrote. Another added,

"Hellebuyck shouldn't even be top 10, hope he doesn't start in the Olympics."

Behind him, the rest of the list included Tampa Bay's Vasilevskiy at No. 2, New York's Shesterkin at No. 3, Florida's Bobrovsky at No. 4, and Dallas's Oettinger at No. 5. The bottom half featured Ilya Sorokin, Jordan Binnington, Filip Gustavsson, Darcy Kuemper, and Linus Ullmark.

As Pro Football Network noted, these debates always ignite controversy. Fans raised the same issue in past years when ranking centers and defensemen, claiming playoff performance wasn't weighed heavily enough.

The argument has even spilled into gaming. EA Sports NHL 26 gave Hellebuyck a 94 overall rating, making him not just the best goalie but one of the top 10 players in the game overall. That only added fuel to an already heated debate.

Whether Hellebuyck deserves to be called the NHL's top goaltender may depend on whether you value regular-season dominance or playoff performance more. The split between analysts and fans shows just how polarizing the conversation has become.