Hellebuyck relishing heavy load
Jets’ No. 1 goaltender taking steps to avoid fatigue, stay fresh as playoffs approach
WINNIPEG — How much is too much?
When it comes to the topic of goalies and fatigue, there are a lot of variables to consider and no shortage of opinions being offered.
So when Winnipeg Jets all-star netminder Connor Hellebuyck allows eight goals during his past two starts, it’s natural to wonder whether the heavy workload is beginning to take a toll on him.
Hellebuyck has already appeared in 45 of the Jets 55 games this season, leading into Sunday’s matinee with the New York Rangers — which is expected to be his 44th start.
For a guy who made 56 appearances (and 53 starts) in his first full NHL season in 2016-17, Hellebuyck is on pace to easily eclipse his career high.
Like most goalies, Hellebuyck embraces the opportunity to be leaned on heavily, but he also keeps the bigger picture in mind.
So, how many starts would he like to make during the final 27 games in the regular season?
“That’s a tough question for me to answer,” said Hellebuyck. “I’m just going to go out and play when my name is called. I don’t want to be burned out for playoffs, but I also would like to get to the playoffs and be the reason we’re going to be part of it. Whatever coach says, I’m going to make due. If that means I have to recover a little bit more in the gym, I’m going to have to do that.
“I’m going to have to make sure I’m ready to go.”
Hellebuyck has gone 28-7-8 this season with five shutouts, a 2.36 goals-against average and .923 save percentage — numbers that have him in the discussion for the Vezina Trophy.
In recent weeks, Hellebuyck has taken measures to help keep his energy up, including skipping the morning skate on occasion.
“It’s about understanding that as an NHL player, you’re not going to feel amazing every single day,” said Hellebuyck. “It’s what you do when you don’t feel amazing to put forth your
best effort. By playing a lot of games over the years, I know what it feels like to hit that wall and I’ve finally learned what it takes to get through it.”
Currently, the Jets are dealing with a couple of unusual factors when it comes to looking for spots to find a break in the schedule to give Hellebuyck a breather.
First and foremost, with Steve Mason and Michael Hutchinson both sidelined with a concussion, Eric Comrie is up from the Manitoba Moose serving as the backup.
Comrie is developing nicely and enjoying a strong season, but he has only two games of NHL experience on his resume.
And since the Jets are midway through a 10-game homestand, it’s a bit easier for Hellebuyck to find time to recover between games that are more evenly spaced out.
Trying to gauge where a goalie is at when it comes to where his energy level is and when he might need a break all boils down to communication.
“Well, you talk to him every day. You do a bit of an accounting in terms of your schedule,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “When they get off airplanes is important. How much practice time, how many days off they take. How they feel about themselves mentally.
“If they’re feeling good and confident in their game, they’re more resilient. If they struggle in games or getting bad results, you find fatigue sets in quicker. So you do an awful lot of talking to your No. 1 guy.”
But when a guy is about to enter uncharted territory, there are definitely some potential speed bumps to navigate during the stretch drive.
“You won’t be blind about it and run him straight through,” said Maurice. “But we’re going back to last season, training him for a job. So we want him to play some games, we want him to get into a bigger number of games and see if he can handle it. There’s fatigue that goes with that. That’s part of being a solid No. 1, which he’s been for us.”
Hellebuyck has done an excellent job of limiting the off nights and weak goals have been kept to a minimum this season. Improved goaltending is one of the biggest reasons the Jets are battling for top spot in the Central Division standings.
But the biggest tests are still to come for the Jets and the combination of how Hellebuyck handles them and how his playing time is managed could ultimately play a huge role in how this organization positions itself for the post-season.