Hellebuyck Goalie’s Milan run — two huge saves vs. Canada and a reputational crossroads

Connor Hellebuyck, the hellebuyck goalie for the United States at the Milan Olympics, produced two huge third‑period saves against Canada, intensifying debate over whether Olympic success can reshape a career-long narrative about his postseason reliability. The moment matters because it comes against a backdrop of dazzling regular‑season numbers and persistent playoff shortfalls.

Hellebuyck Goalie in Milan

On the bench in Milan, Hellebuyck’s steely expression has become as notable as his play: eyebrows drawn, mouth corners rarely lifting, the face of what teammates have called a very serious man. Yet he has said he is enjoying the experience. “This is exciting, ” he said, delivering the line with little audible excitement. “This is why I play the game. I don’t chase the money, I don’t chase the fame. I play for fun. And these are those moments that I really enjoy. ” At 32 years old, that blend of intensity and restrained emotion has defined his Olympic presence.

Two huge third-period saves vs. Canada

Hellebuyck’s Milan highlight reel includes two game‑saving stops late against Canada — described in coverage as huge third‑period saves — moments that helped frame him as a US Olympic ice hockey hero. The question now posed by observers is straightforward: would the image of Hellebuyck with an Olympic gold medal, after having conquered Sweden and having conquered Canada, be enough to alter the larger story of his career?

Vezina, Hart and Evolving Hockey metrics

The case for Hellebuyck’s all‑time standing is concrete. He is one of 13 goalies in NHL history with three Vezina trophies, tied with Patrick Roy, Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito. He is one of eight players to win the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player, and one of three to do so this century. Over the last three full seasons he saved 122 more goals than expected — a margin 41 higher than the next‑ranked goalie, Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders, Evolving Hockey. His regular‑season consistency is further captured by a. 922 save percentage from 2022 through 2025 that was tied for the league lead.

Playoff struggles and the Winnipeg Jets

But the hellebuyck goalie’s postseason ledger remains the counterweight to those accolades. Over the past three spring postseasons — the 2023, 2024 and 2025 playoffs — he appeared in 23 games and surrendered 13 more goals than expected, placing him 47th out of the 47 goalies who took the ice in those postseasons. His playoff save percentage over that span was. 872, down from his regular‑season rate and ranking 39th. The Winnipeg Jets, Hellebuyck’s NHL team, won just one series across those three postseasons, and as the club’s top player he drew the bulk of public scrutiny. An injury this season cost him a month, and with the Jets looking like they’re going to miss the NHL playoffs, Hellebuyck will not have that venue this year to offset his springtime reputation. The timing matters because missing another NHL postseason removes an immediate opportunity to answer questions about big‑game performance on home ice.

Matthew Tkachuk, preparation and persona

United States teammate Matthew Tkachuk summed up what many see on the ice: “I just love his confidence, I love his calmness, ” Tkachuk said. “It’s exactly what you want in a No. 1 goalie. ” Those traits — described as Zen‑like calmness that masks a ferocious competitive core — coexist with a near‑scientific approach to the craft. Hellebuyck has laughed off how seriously he studies goaltending, once saying he has probably studied the art and science of goaltending more than any person “in this world. ” Teammates and analysts point to that study and discipline as the engine behind both his elite regular seasons and his capacity for the kind of late, decisive saves he produced against Canada.

What makes this notable is the collision of two narratives: one of sustained regular‑season excellence quantified by trophies and advanced metrics, the other of a springtime record that has not matched those peaks. Milan and the Olympic stage have given the hellebuyck goalie a different, immediate forum to challenge that story.