Connor hellebuyck Earns NHL's weekly recognition
It couldn't have been a better week for Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets. Some might even call it a 'Helle of a week'.
Beginning the year with 4-2 home victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning, Hellebuyck and company packed their bags and hit the road for a three-game trek to San Jose, Anaheim and Arizona.
It just so happened it was the team's mentors trip, meaning each player had the opportunity to bring along a person near and dear to their heart and hockey development path on the road trip.
For Hellebuyck, it was his father Chuck. A common theme surrounding the team was bringing the fathers - for those who were unable or no longer around, others filled in handsomely.
Hellebuyck's father proudly live-tweeted the experience in a slew of exciting news bits for his following back home. From time on the golf course, to the team's late-night travel schedule, to the ideal press box meal, things couldn't have been more exciting through the lens of 'Old Man Helle'.
On the ice, the team's stellar stretch of play continued, and do so in such a manner that captured international attention.
With three more wins on the road, the Jets propelled themselves into first-place, league-wide. Currently sitting a 16-9-4, the Jets own the best record, point total and points percentage of their 31 competitors and remain on a busy schedule as the week continues.
For Hellebuyck, it has been another sensational week of play.
The 30-year-old picked up three wins and put up a stellar 1.68 goals against average and a .937 save percentage over his three starts.
For that, the league recognized him as the NHL's Third Star of the Week.
This award comes just after Hellebuyck was named the NHL's Third Star of the Month for all of December, and more recently his selection to the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto this February.
There very well may never be as great of a week in Connor's career as the one just experienced.
But with the club sitting in first place and every other competitor knock-knock-knocking on heaven's door, the focus needs to be on the possibility of another Star of the Week selection for the second week of January.
The Jets are at home to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, before hosting the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Both games are at 7:00 PM central and can be viewed live on TSN.
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