The Winnipeg Jets can thank goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for their recent run of good fortune

If recent signs are any indication, the Winnipeg Jets have put their miserable goaltending start behind them. After allowing 13 goals in their first two games of the season, the Jets have now found stability in net. The reason for the sudden surge? Their 24-year-old netminder Connor Hellebuyck.

On Monday, the Jets won their sixth game out of their last nine thanks to the 28 saves of Hellebuyck in their 2-1 win over Minnesota. It took a few bad Steve Mason starts for the Jets to get here, but since Hellebuyck took the reins, the Jets have gone 6-0-1 in front of their netminder.

Props have to be given to the Jets for yanking Mason when they did. Winnipeg’s offseason acquisition allowed 11 goals on 65 combined shots in the first two games he played. Instead of giving Mason the chance to bounce back after starting the first two games of the year, they went to Hellebuyck to bring them out of their funk.

And since, Hellebuyck has quietly been one of the NHL’s best netminders so far this season. In eight games played, Hellebuyck has a .940 save percentage and is only behind Kings starter Jonathan Quick as one of the hottest netminders this year. Hellebuyck’s advanced stats are even better, as his even strength save percentage is second behind Pekka Rinne at .945, according to Corsica.

Hellebuyck also leads the NHL in Quality Start Percentage, as his .857 tops all goaltenders with five or more starts on the year.

Of course, the season is still young. Hellebuyck’s numbers could drop off a cliff any day now and Winnipeg would be back at square one, but the stability in net has allowed the Jets to flourish. Thanks to Hellebuyck’s backstopping in goal, Winnipeg is tied for second in the Central Division with the Dallas Stars at 14 points. The Jets have picked up points in five straight games, and even Mason got back into the mix with his best game of the season against Columbus in a recent 2-1 overtime loss.

Now that the Jets don’t have to worry about who’s stopping the puck every night, the team can focus on improving other aspects of their game. Heading into November, the Jets have taken the least amount of shots on goal per 60 minutes while allowing the fourth most shots against, according to Natural Stat Trick. While Hellebuyck has been up to the task, the rest of the team must rally around him.

Players like Mark Scheifele, who is one of the NHL’s hottest scoring forwards since the 2016 All-Star break, will need to give the Jets the goalscoring relief needed to continue to pick up points as the season goes along. Along with Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers have been solid contributors on offense so far this season with a total of 33 points between the three of them. Patrik Laine has slowed down as of late, as he has just two points in his last five games, but the 19-year-old sophomore was in the Calder Trophy race last year for a reason thanks to his scoring touch.

There’s a lot of hockey still left to be played, but the reason the Jets have kept their heads above water so far this year is thanks to the superb play of Hellebuyck in goal.