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Player Profile: Connor Hellebuyck

Originally posted on Inside The Rink | By Chris Lavallee | Last updated Jan 24, 2026 2:18 PM ET

Connor Hellebuyck was born on May 19, 1993, in Commerce, Michigan. In 2010-11, Hellebuyck played for Team Michigan in the USHS-MI, posting a .930 save percentage. Hellebuyck, in 2011-12, played for the Odessa Jackalopes in the NAHL. In 53 games, he went 26-21-5 with a 2.49 goals-against average, a. 930 save percentage, and three shutouts. In four playoff games, he went 1-3-0 with a 3.46 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.

He would go on to play in the NCAA at UMass-Lowell for the River Hawks. Hellebuyck played two seasons for the River Hawks. In his freshman season, he was named NCAA Tournament Northeast Regional MVP, leading the River Hawks to the Frozen Four with 59 saves on 60 shots in wins over Wisconsin and New Hampshire. He also led UMass Lowell to it’s first ever Hockey East title. Hellebuyck was a unanimous selection to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. He finished that season going 20-3-0 with a 1.37 goals-against average, a .952 save percentage, and six shutouts. In his second and final season, he made 29 appearances, going 18-9-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average, a .941 save percentage, and six shutouts. He finished his collegiate career going 38-12-2 with a 1.58 goals-against average, a .946 save percentage, and 12 shutouts. He left UMass-Lowell as the school’s shutout leader. Hellebuyck’s name is also all over the NCAA record books. He’s second all-time in career save percentage, and he has the record for best save percentage in a freshman season. He also has the second-best save percentage in a season in that freshman season and the 19th-best save percentage with that .941 in his second season.

Connor Hellebuyck Drafted 130th overall by Winnipeg in the 2012 NHL Draft

The Winnipeg Jets selected Hellebuyck in the fifth round of the NHL Draft in 2012. The UMass-Lowell star was the 13th goaltender taken in the draft. He was the third US goalie taken in the draft after Anthony Stolarz, now of the Maple Leafs, and Jon Gillies, now of the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL.

Hellebuyck’s NHL Debut To Today

On November 27, 2015, Connor Hellebuyck made his NHL debut, getting the start against the Minnesota Wild. Hellebuyck would stop 14 of the 15 shots he faced en route to his first career win. The left-catching goalie had signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Winnipeg in 2014. Hellebuyck would play in 26 games in his rookie seasons going 13-11-1 with a 2.34 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Since then, he has spent all 11 seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, making 599 appearances, going 334-198-50 with a .917 save percentage, a 2.56 goals-against average, and 45 shutouts. Hellebuyck has also taken home a lot of hardware, winning three Vezina Trophy Awards, two Jennings Trophies, and last season a Hart Trophy for MVP. He signed an extension with the Jets on October 9, 2023, for seven-years with an $8.5 million AAV. He won’t be a free agent until the summer of 2031.

This article first appeared on Inside The Rink and was syndicated with permission.

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