Connor Hellebuyck just got handed the ultimate compliment and the harshest criticism of his career, all in the same week. NHL Network crowned him the league’s best goaltender, but hockey fans aren’t buying it. The debate isn’t just about numbers anymore – it’s about when those numbers actually matter.
Why Are Fans Rejecting Connor Hellebuyck as the NHL’s Top Goaltender?
NHL Network rolled out its list of the league’s top 10 goaltenders on September 4, and the reaction exploded immediately. Hellebuyck claimed the No. 1 spot, beating out names like Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin, and Sergei Bobrovsky. Within hours, hockey fans were tearing the decision apart.
On paper, the Winnipeg Jets starter’s case looks bulletproof. He has three Vezina Trophies, plus a Hart and two Jennings awards to his name. Last season, he turned in one of the most dominant years ever for a goalie: 47 wins, eight shutouts, a 2.01 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage. His play backstopped Winnipeg to the Presidents’ Trophy while the team gave up the fewest goals in the league.
Those numbers explain why analysts placed him on top. But outside the studio, fans weren’t having it.
Social media lit up the moment the rankings went live. Some praised the selection, but most of the commentary focused on Hellebuyck’s struggles in big moments.
One post read: “Matthews 7 best centre cause of his playoffs but then we got Hellebuyck chillin here make it make sense.”
Matthews 7 best centre cause of his playoffs but then we got hellebuck chillin here make it make sense
— Cm (@curtism19671) September 5, 2025
Another fan was even harsher: “Helle is garbage on skates. Pure dumpster fire every time playoffs roll around. Laughable at best.”
Helle is garbage on skates. Pure dumpster fire every time playoffs roll around. Laughable at best.
— Jason Bekiaris (@JasonBekiaris) September 5, 2025
The criticism stretched beyond just NHL performance. One fan wrote, “Hellebuyck shouldn’t even be top 10, hope he doesn’t start in the Olympics.”
Hellebuyck shouldn’t even be top 10, hope he doesn’t start in the Olympics
— Daniel Elkin (@PhiKnight230) September 5, 2025
Another added bluntly: “Hellybuyck gets lit up every playoffs.”
Hellybuyck gets lit up every playoffs
— ✈️JetLife✈️ (@KeNnyNYJ24) September 5, 2025
For all his regular-season dominance, many fans still see a massive gap between Hellebuyck’s individual accolades and his postseason record.
Behind Hellebuyck, the top five featured Tampa Bay’s Vasilevskiy at No. 2, the New York Rangers’ Shesterkin at No. 3, Bobrovsky at No. 4 after leading Florida to back-to-back Stanley Cups, and Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger at No. 5.
• 17 All-Star Game appearances
• 8 Vezina Trophies
• 6 Stanley Cups
• 3 William M. Jennings Trophies
• 1 Hart Trophy
• 1 Conn Smythe TrophyIntroducing our Top 10 Goalies Right Now list! #NHLGoalieWeek | #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/eUSmRB2gWl
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) September 4, 2025
The remaining spots went to Ilya Sorokin, Jordan Binnington, Filip Gustavsson, Darcy Kuemper, and Linus Ullmark. Each brings solid credentials, though none matched Hellebuyck’s raw numbers from last year.
These lists always spark debate, and this year proved no different. Past rankings of top centers and defensemen have drawn similar fire from fans who felt playoff performance wasn’t weighted heavily enough.
How Does EA Sports NHL 26 Rate Connor Hellebuyck?
The goalie debate didn’t stop with NHL Network. EA Sports NHL 26 also picked Hellebuyck as the game’s best netminder, giving him a 94 overall rating that places him among the top 10 players league-wide.
Connor Hellebuyck is rated the best goalie in #NHL26 🧱
Should Shesterkin, Vasilevskiy or someone else be on top instead?
See more Ratings: https://t.co/1ZOOUJeVAz pic.twitter.com/D4YE8nENnp— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 27, 2025
He wasn’t the only Jet recognized. Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor, and Mark Scheifele all earned top-10 positional ratings, showing that Winnipeg looks stacked on paper heading into the new season.
For Hellebuyck, the video game and analyst praise cap off a milestone year. He became the fastest U.S.-born goalie to reach 300 career wins, cementing his place in the record books at age 32.
Whether that’s enough to silence the playoff criticism remains to be seen. As the new season approaches, the debate around Hellebuyck isn’t slowing down, and neither are the expectations.
