So, here we are again. Doubts have been cast as the Winnipeg Jets lost two straight to the St. Louis Blues, coughing up a 2-0 series lead in their Western Conference Quarterfinal series.
As the series shifts back to Winnipeg for Game 5, the time is now for the Jets to prove that they’re different than the past several years, or if they’re cut from the same cloth as the teams who swiftly exited the playoffs.
Hellebuyck Can’t Shake Playoff Reputation
As most Jets fans will tell you, Connor Hellebuyck is the class of the league in terms of dominant goaltending. Nobody has been better than the two-time Vezina Trophy winner, especially now that he’s likely set to earn his second straight Vezina Trophy and third overall.
That is, however, until the puck drops in the playoffs. Then, you ask just about anyone, and those praises often turn into concerns.
We are, of course, talking about the only goaltender in Jets and Atlanta Thrashers history to win a playoff game. Up until the 2022-23 season, his status as an elite goaltender in all aspects of the game was not questioned.
As the Jets took on the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2022-23 season, the narrative started to flip. In that five-game series, he posted a .866 Save Percentage (SV%) as the Jets washed out.
The following season, he was unable to bounce back against the Colorado Avalanche as the Jets lost in five games once again, with Hellebuyck finishing with a .870 SV%.
In the four games against the Blues in this season’s early playoff run, Hellebuyck has a career worst .817 SV% and has been pulled in back-to-back games. Not exactly what people are hoping for from the best goaltender in the league.
Now, I’m typically the biggest Hellebuyck defender in terms of why he may not look like himself. There are legitimate gripes in terms of how the team has played in front of him, and it certainly makes his life harder.
The Jets, who are often lauded for their stellar defensive play, have often abandoned that structure once faced with playoff adversity. A once strong fortress of high danger defending falls into old habits and creates havoc in front of the net.
The amount of point-blank chances, last-second deflections, and screened shots seems to double in the playoffs, and it costs the Jets. Hellebuyck is often left blind as he goes to make a save, and it’s apparent that the opponents of the past several years have figured that out fairly quickly.
So, the entire blame cannot be placed on Hellebuyck. That said, he’s made the difficult saves in the past, and for whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to do it when it matters most.
Related: Jets Should Start Comrie in Game 5 Due to Hellebuyck’s Profound Playoff Struggles
Hellebuyck confidently claimed in his media availability on Monday, Apr. 28, that he’s “going to be better.” If he can follow up on that, the Jets are in good shape. If not, they’re going to need to find a way to counteract the goaltending factor.
Response Wasn’t There in Game 4
The Jets, to put it lightly, got positively blasted in Game 3. It was one of the all-around worst games they had played in the last several weeks, and they needed to shake it off quickly.
It seemed as if they had done just that. They came out flying in the first period of Game 4, outshooting the Blues heavily and opening the scoring. The Blues tied it up late, but it wasn’t a first period to be angry with because the response was there.
That was until the Blues took their first lead of the game in the second period. After going down, the Jets collapsed and went on to lose 5-1.
Frankly, it should be a concern that after a terrible game in Game 3, they folded under pressure in Game 4 to allow the series to go back home knotted at two apiece.
The Jets looked defeated, and there was little to no fight from the players down the stretch in that game. The “response game” was nowhere to be found.
Now, they have another chance to respond, but this time in a much bigger spot. If they don’t, they head to St. Louis trailing in a series that they once held serve in. This is their moment to prove everyone wrong. To prove that they’re different than last season’s team.
They’ll have a boost as it appears Gabriel Vilardi is set to return from his extended injury absence to play Game 5. He’ll add an immediate impact on that first power-play unit, which has struggled to this point in the series.
Will that be enough? Only time will tell.
Game 5 Will Alter or Affirm Jets’ Playoff Legacy
It seems dramatic, but the Jets’ response in Game 5 could possibly be viewed as legacy-altering. If they respond well and give themselves two chances to close out the series, maybe the sky isn’t falling after all.
If, however, they don’t perform for a third consecutive game, you can be sure that the alarm bells will be ringing. Now, obviously, there will still be a chance to rebound and bring it back to Winnipeg for Game 7. That said, historically, they’ve struggled to do that.
The Jets have not won a playoff game after a loss since 2019. When they lose, they tend to keep losing. After winning Game 1 in each of their last two seasons, they lost four straight.
Now, after winning the first two, they’ve lost two straight. It’s up to them to change their history and start winning after their losses. If they don’t, their window narrows, and that continuous doubt will linger over them until they prove it wrong.
