Hellebuyck’s time draws near

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This article was published 07/12/2015 (3574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

His timing stank. Michael Hutchinson knew it — and was honest enough about his game to publicly provide a ‘my bad’ afterward.

The Winnipeg Jets were going toe-to-toe with the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks — in their backyard, no less — and carried a 1-1 tie into the third period Sunday, when the netminder was beaten on a softy from a horrible angle by Teuvo Teravainen.

It came just 21 seconds into the third and — in a physical, intense contest that looked, smelled and felt like a game in April not December — was like a low-blow punch from which the Jets could not recover in a 3-1 loss. It was one mistake in an otherwise solid performance for Hutchinson (29 saves on 31 shots), but it was also part of why the Jets left the United Center without at least one point and both frustrated and surly.

So now the bigger question for Jets: is it time to turn to rookie Connor Hellebuyck and let him have an extended shot at the No. 1 goaltending gig?

Head coach Paul Maurice’s decision to go with a struggling Hutchinson — 0-6-1 in his last seven starts heading into Sunday — had merit. Hutchinson had previously owned the Blackhawks (4-0-1 in his career) and the Jets were playing another back-to-back after edging Washington with Hellebuyck in the blue paint Saturday.

But there are numbers Hutchinson and the Jets can’t escape: the team is 5-7-1 this season with him in the net. Rewinding even further, there are more alarming totals: Hutchinson was 14-4-2 with a .935 save percentage as a rookie of the year candidate leading up to the NHL all-star game last year, but just 12-13-4 with a .893 save percentage since.

It’s understandable the Jets are being careful in how they handle Hellebuyck.

He’s long been tabbed the franchise goalie of the future and the list of puckstoppers thrust into the NHL spotlight only to flame out is littered with flashes in the pan. There remains a whole lot of unknown about the 22-year-old and, guaranteed, he will also give up some bad goals going forward. But maybe — just maybe — the future is now for Hellebuyck and the Jets.

This is a winning business, Maurice said after Sunday’s loss. And while his NHL resumé is thin, business has been good with Hellebuyck in the net.

FIVE OTHER HOT TAKES ON THE JETS

1. REMEMBER WHEN… Nikolaj Ehlers was a Calder Memorial Trophy candidate? The young Dane was wowing lots of folks across the NHL earlier this season, and became a dark horse pick as the league’s top freshman when Edmonton Oilers rookie sensation Connor McDavid injured his shoulder. But while the Jets winger’s ice time has remained steady at 14 minutes, 32 seconds, his opportunities since being moved off a line with Mark Scheifele have dropped dramatically. In his first 14 games, Ehlers had 51 shots, four goals and nine points. And in the 14 since (paired with Alex Burmistrov on the third line), he has just 21 shots, one goal and three points.

2. NOBODY ASKED ME, BUT… The post-game chatter Sunday in Chicago was about how, even in a loss, the Jets defensive foundation has been solid. That’s a bang-on assessment — and it’s the encouraging part of Winnipeg being on the outside looking in at the playoffs right now. If the Jets keep playing as they have recently, they will very much remain in the post-season picture.

That said, while the Jets have picked up goals from their third and fourth lines over the last three games (courtesy Anthony Peluso and Chris Thorburn), it’s hard not to wonder if coach Paul Maurice might be tempted to bring out the line blender again. Burmistrov has two goals and seven points; Adam Lowry is still goal-less and has seven points. Both have had turns at the third-line centre role, both to so-so results. A thought from my perch: what would a line with Lowry flanked by Burmistrov and Ehlers look like?

3. A SURE SIGN… The Jets have been chasing too many games of late: Artem Panarin’s marker with 1:46 left in Sunday’s loss to Chicago was the ninth empty-net goal Winnipeg has surrendered this year (tied with Columbus for the most in the NHL). Worth noting: the four division leaders (heading into Monday’s games) — the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars — have combined to surrender just five empty-net goals.

4. IT’S ABOUT THE… Off-ice distraction: over the weekend, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Jets and the camp for defenceman Jacob Trouba have amicably decided to put potential contract talks off until the summer. Trouba is a restricted free agent this summer, and not having to deal with those kind of discussions while the season is unfolding is a common tactic by players, teams and agents. As much as Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien — both unrestricted free agents after this season — are pros, the growing chatter about their future is only going to get louder, especially as the trade deadline nears. It’s hard not to wonder if all this talk about future term and future dollars is impacting what’s unfolding in the right here and now.

5. DISCUSS AMONG YOURSELVES… The Jets finished 43-26-13 last year for a franchise-record 99 points… and just eked into the playoffs as the second wild card in the Western Conference. At 13-13-2 and with 28 points, the Jets entered Monday’s NHL action three points behind Nashville and the final wild-card spot. In order to get to 99 again — which it might take to be in the Stanley Cup derby — the Jets would need to get 71 points out of their remaining 54 games. That’s the equivalent of a 32-15-7 record.

QUOTABLE

“They’re a joy to watch. Chicago should be proud to have the likes of (Jonathan Toews) to captain the team and the likes of Patrick (Kane) to entertain the people. If they don’t have a statue made for them out there, I may come along and build one for them.”

— Blackhawks/Jets legend Bobby Hull, whose likeness graces a bronze statue outside of United Center

 

NOTABLE NUMBERS

69.7 — Six Jets have combined for almost 70 per cent of the team’s goals this season: Bryan Little (10), Mark Scheifele (10), Drew Stafford (nine), Blake Wheeler (nine), Andrew Ladd (eight) and Dustin Byfuglien (seven) have 53 of the team’s 76 goals. The other 15 players who have dressed for games this season have combined for 23.

Minus-8 — The Jets’ goal differential this season. At the end of last season, it was plus-20.

3-8 — Winnipeg’s record against Central Division rivals this season. It was 16-8-5 at the end of last season.

 

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait