Jets’ Hellebuyck, Blues’ Binnington set for sequel of goalie duel in playoffs

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves the shot from Anaheim Ducks' Troy Terry (19) during second period NHL action in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

WINNIPEG — If hockey fans enjoyed the duel between the pipes in the 4 Nations Face-Off final, a sequel of sorts is just around the corner.

Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and St. Louis Blues veteran Jordan Binnington are feature performers when the teams’ first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs begins Saturday.

Binnington backstopped Canada to a 3-2 overtime victory against Hellebuyck and the United States in the late February tournament.

Jets head coach Scott Arniel said the goalie matchup is an interesting storyline for the best-of-seven series.

“Binnington has been in this league, he’s won a Stanley Cup,” Arniel said Thursday after practice. “The 4 Nations, his spectacular play there. At the end of the day, they’ve been on a run and he’s been a big part of it. He’s experienced at this time of the year.

“On the other side with (Hellebuyck), that 4 Nations was a great opportunity for him to go head-to-head, not only against Binnington but against the other goalies from the other nations, and be in pressure situations much like playoff games. Those are all the kind of learning things for him.”

Hellebuyck didn’t show any downward trend after the tournament disappointment.

The Commerce, Mich., product was the backbone for a Jets team that claimed the franchise’s first Central Division and Western Conference titles, as well as the Presidents’ Trophy for the NHL’s best regular-season record (56-22-4).

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner led the league in wins this season with 47 in 63 appearances (47-12-3), extending his franchise record. Only two other netminders in league history have registered more, a tie at 48 wins for Martin Brodeur in 2006-07 with New Jersey and Braden Holtby in 2015-16 for Washington.

Hellebuyck joked – or maybe not – that he could have “played a little bit more” this season.

“I kind of have everything dialled in,” he said after taking Thursday’s practice off. “I’ve got the right people around me to make myself feel good every day. I’ve got a good rhythm. I feel rested, I feel ready for what’s next.”

Hellebuyck had the league’s best goals-against average (2.00) and most shutouts (eight). His .925 save percentage was just a smidgen behind leader Anthony Stolarz (.926) of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

His name was etched on the William M. Jennings Trophy for a second consecutive season after being the netminder who played a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. The Jets allowed 191 goals.

He became only the fifth goaltender in the league to capture the trophy in back-to-back seasons since it was first handed out in 1981-82. He joins Brodeur, Roman Turek, Patrick Roy and Brian Hayward.

“For me, it’s a team award. A tandem award, a team award,” said Hellebuyck, who’s backed up by Eric Comrie. “There’s just so much that goes into that.”

Binnington, who hails from Richmond Hill, Ont., has been in top form since the 4 Nations tournament.

He ran up a 13-3-1 record after putting a gold medal around his neck and helped propel the Blues to the final playoff berth in the West (44-30-8) along with Manitoba-born backup Joel Hofer.

Binnington finished the regular season with a 28-22-5 mark in 56 games. He had three shutouts, a .900 save percentage and 2.69 goals-against average.

What he has that Hellebuyck doesn’t is a Stanley Cup from 2019, which included eliminating the Jets in the first round in six games.

Winnipeg was also bounced out of the playoffs in the first round the past two seasons.

After last year’s exit, Hellebuyck told reporters he shouldn’t try to put everything on his shoulders. He said he needed to dive more into a team game to find “peace of mind.”

When asked Thursday if he did that, he got out the eraser.

“I scrapped that real fast,” Hellebuyck said. “Not saying that I am putting everything on my shoulders, but my goal throughout my entire career is to get a shutout every single night.

“That is what makes me me, and that is what I feed off of. I am going to continue to do that because I know that gives this team the best chance to win.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2025.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press