Winnipeg Jets standout goalie Connor Hellebuyck will be sidelined for four to six weeks to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery, the NHL franchise revealed on Friday. Hellebuyck, with a record of 8-6-0 this season, maintaining a 2.51 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage, plays a crucial role for the Jets, who currently hold the third position in the Central Division before their match against Carolina on Friday.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel disclosed that Hellebuyck had been managing a nagging knee injury since training camp and has decided to address it now. Arniel mentioned, “He’s been fairly healthy for 10 years, but this issue has persisted. He tried to tough it out, but now is the right time to address it.”
Hellebuyck, who secured his first Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the third Vezina Trophy for best goaltender in the 2024-25 season when the Jets claimed the top regular-season record, faces this setback less than three months ahead of the beginning of the Olympic men’s hockey tournament in Milan, Italy. Although not initially named in the first batch of six players for the United States’ Olympic preliminary roster, Hellebuyck was widely anticipated to be included.
In Hellebuyck’s absence, Eric Comrie is slated to step into the starting goalie position for the Jets. Comrie holds a 4-1 record this season with a 2.60 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Additionally, the Jets have brought up goaltender Thomas Milic from the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose as part of the corresponding roster adjustment.