The goal: allow the fewest goals.
It’s a goal the Winnipeg Jets accomplished last season, when Connor Hellebuyck (with help from Laurent Brossoit, although he didn’t get official credit due to falling two appearances short of the minimum) captured the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing a league-low 198 goals.
It’s a goal they are chasing again this season and are in a good position to accomplish.
Kings, Jets, and Stars in a Razor’s Edge Jennings Race
Entering play Thursday (Jan. 16) the Jets have allowed the third-fewest goals in the NHL at 109. The stingier-than-Scrooge Los Angeles Kings have relinquished the fewest at 99, and the Dallas Stars have allowed the second-fewest with 105.
Since the teams have played unequal numbers of games (the Kings 41, the Stars 43, and the Jets 45,) the real stat to look at is goals against per game. Those figures illuminate a race on a razor’s edge as the Jets have allowed 2.42, the Stars have allowed 2.44, and the Kings have allowed 2.41. Really, all the best-nine teams in goals against, who have all surrendered 120 or fewer, are in the mix as the second half settles in.
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The Kings are outstanding at limiting teams’ chances off the rush and have a solid last line of defense in Darcy Kuemper on the rare occasion they do allow a high-danger chance. The Stars have one of the league’s elite goaltenders in Jake Oettinger, who has saved 9.0 goals above expected (GSAA) and a solid defensive core as well.
Hellebuyck’s Outstanding Play & Strong Team Defence Has Jets Among League’s Stingiest Squads
Hellebuyck has obviously been the biggest reason the Jets have potential to repeat as he’s reached a new level of dominance this season, posting a 27-6-2 record, 1.99 goals against average (GAA), .929 save percentage (SV%), six shutouts, and a 27.2 goals GSAA in 35 starts this season. His wins, GAA, SV%, shutouts, and GSAA are all best in the league among qualified goaltenders.
Related: Jets Connor Hellebuyck Deserves to be a Hart Trophy Finalist
The Jets also have a strong overall defensive structure Rick Bowness implemented in his time as head coach and Scott Arniel has continued to stress the importance of. They sometimes surrender a lot of shots (the ninth most), but many are of the low-danger variety (teams can allow plenty of unscreened perimeter shots when they know they’re going to be stopped) and it’s become a key part of the team’s identity to not cheat for offense in expense of defence. Defensively, every pairing and line looks the same and none are a liability.
Hellebuyck feels he’s playing the best hockey of his career, but recently gave credit to his teammates, saying “the team is so predictable in front of me and playing such a good defensive hockey game. Everyone is pretty much where they need to be at all times and that makes my life extremely easy.” (From ‘Hellebuyck riding high,’ Winnipeg Free Press, Jan. 13, 2025.)
Backup Eric Comrie (2.94 GAA and 1.0 GSAA in 10 starts) hasn’t been as good this season as Brossoit was last season (2.00 GAA and 14.9 GSAA in 22 starts and 23 appearances) but he has been serviceable enough and been a tough-luck loser on more than one occasion. He has lost seven-straight starts since winning his first three, but the Jets somehow forget how to score when he’s in the crease, lighting the lamp just 11 times in those seven starts.
If the Jets rest Hellebuyck more down the stretch, which they should to avoid burning him out for what they’re hoping will be a long playoff run, Comrie will have a key role to play in capturing the Jennings (even though, ironically, he likely won’t reach the 25-games-played minimum to be included in the accolade.) Properly managing Hellebuyck’s workload down the stretch is especially important considering he’s also slated to be the United States’ starting goalie at the 4 Nations Face-Off next month.
Jets Aiming to Be First Repeat Jennings Winner in 20 Years
At this point, the Jennings is a toss up and a couple of good games or bad games by any of the top teams could be the difference. The remaining strength of schedule (SOS) shows the Stars have the hardest remaining road (8th-highest SOS, while the Kings and Jets have the 17th- and 19th-highest, respectively) but the NHL has good parity and any team can win or run up the score on any given night.
No goalie or tandem have repeated as the Jennings winner since Martin Brodeur captured two of his five in 2003 and 2004. The Jennings is by no means the most important trophy — especially not to someone like Hellebuyck, who’s been clear he only cares about the Stanley Cup — but the fact he could repeat as Jennings winner, will likely capture his third and second-straight Vezina Trophy, and is in the running to be a Hart Trophy finalist speaks to just how impressive he’s been.