With no trade yet, and suspension nearing its end,...

Match Overview

Winnipeg concluded their three-game road trip with a 3-2 overtime defeat to the Dallas Stars, marking their fourth contest without Connor Hellebuyck. With front-office trade discussions failing to produce a deal and his five-game NHL suspension concluding this week, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner is slated to rejoin the Jets’ active roster.

Backup goaltender Eric Comrie stopped 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%) in the loss, as Winnipeg surrendered the game-winning goal at 3:14 of overtime. Despite constant trade speculation linking Hellebuyck to Eastern Conference contenders, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed no trade is imminent, clearing the path for the franchise netminder to start Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.

Key Stats & Facts

• Jets record during suspension: 1-2-1, conceding an average of 3.75 goals per game compared to their season average of 2.38 with Hellebuyck.
• Special teams in the absence: Penalty kill dropped to 71.4% (10-for-14), down from an 81.2% season mark.
• Goaltending split: Backup netminders allowed 15 goals on 118 shots (.873 SV%) over the four-game stretch.
• Disciplinary timeline: The five-game suspension resulted from an illegal check/crease altercation on February 12; game five concludes Tuesday against St. Louis.
• Contract and trade status: Hellebuyck holds a $8.5 million cap hit with an active modified no-trade clause; zero formal offers met Winnipeg’s asking price of a first-round pick and an NHL-ready prospect.

Player Spotlight

Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets)

Before the suspension, Hellebuyck remained among the NHL’s elite statistical performers across 42 starts this season:

• Record: 26-12-3
• Save Percentage (SV%): .921 (ranked 3rd in the NHL)
• Goals Against Average (GAA): 2.24 (ranked 2nd in the NHL)
• High-Danger Save Percentage: .842 at 5-on-5
• Shutouts: 4 (tied for 2nd in the NHL)

Hellebuyck has accounted for 54.2% of Winnipeg’s total point production this season. His return stabilizes a defensive unit that dropped from 4th to 14th in expected goals against (xGA) over the last 10 days.

Standings Impact

The overtime point in Dallas moved Winnipeg to 34-18-6 (74 points), keeping them in third place in the Central Division. They sit three points behind the division-leading Colorado Avalanche (77 points) and one point back of Dallas (75 points), with one game in hand on both rivals.

Securing Hellebuyck’s return protects Winnipeg from falling into wild-card territory, where the Nashville Predators (70 points) and Los Angeles Kings (69 points) are closing the gap. Winnipeg faces three division opponents over their next four fixtures, making netminding stability vital to maintaining home-ice advantage for the postseason.