Could Connor Hellebuyck win the 2025 Hart Trophy as NHL’s MVP?

Credit: Dec 1, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It has been a decade since legendary Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price stole the show and won the Hart Trophy, becoming the first netminder since Dominik Hasek in 1998 to win the title as the NHL’s most valuable player.

While this year’s Hart Trophy race is being dominated by Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, there’s one masked man who’s doing everything he can to give them a run for their money.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been having a sensational year. Along with leading his team near the top of the league standings, giving them an honest shot at winning the President’s Trophy, he’s also well on his way to winning another Vezina Trophy.

How well Hellebuyck has played this season, and his substantial workload has put him in the Hart Trophy conversation. In today’s age, it’s been tough to tab goaltenders as true difference-makers, as starters don’t play nearly as much as they used to. Hellebuyck is erasing that notion with a 38-9-3 record in 50 appearances, leading the league in goals-against average (1.99) and shutouts (6).

On Friday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discusses Hellebuyck’s chances of winning league MVP.

Carter Hutton: I guess maybe you can make the argument for Hellebuyck because he plays so many minutes, and he plays a lot of games, and he is the most important player for the Winnipeg Jets. At the same time, it’s hard when you’re a guy that doesn’t have an impact on every single game, right? You think about Draisaitl and McKinnon playing every single night. There’s no nights off. So I am biased because he is a goalie, and he’s the best goalie in the world, but I still think it’s always going to bode toward the player because you’re playing every single night. For Hellebuyck, I think this whole Jets team is only going to go as far as he can take them come playoff time. I think we saw that at the deadline. What they added, they added…Because I feel like at this point, [Hellebuyck’s] going to have to be the difference for them.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…