The Winnipeg Jets didn’t have a ton of questions entering the season. One of them was definitely not whether or not the backup goaltender could usurp the starter.
The Winnipeg Jets have a Vezina runner-up from just last year in net. Connor Hellebuyck even set a record for wins by American-born goaltenders.
I am not suggesting that Laurent Brossoit will become the starter. He has had one start. He’ll get another chance this afternoon. Yes, he looked great against Carolina. I know, it’s Carolina.
But he made some really great saves. His positioning was good, and he’s clearly very athletic. I know Arizona is bad, but if he looks like that again, he’ll garner some more support around Winnipeg. Definitely outside the organization, but also within.
We know Brossoit has fans in the front office. They didn’t go and get him to be the backup for no reason. They really like him. And you know what, I do, too. Brossoit allowed 1 goal in 43 shots, good for a .977% save percentage.
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Connor Hellebuyck has been adequate through six games, allowing 16 goals 186 shots, or a .914% save percentage, which is…fine. Not bad enough to warrant replacement, but not good enough to make an All-Star game.
I was surprised to see Brossoit start against Carolina. I didn’t think the Jets would try to get him in games. I assumed he would be a necessary evil. I assumed his first game would be against Detroit next week.
That will likely be his third game. And hey, if he keeps playing well, they’ll throw him out there more often. They want to rest Helly as much as possible. Six starts hasn’t changed how they feel about Connor, nor should it.
He’s great! They’re lucky to have him. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t play Brossoit whenever they can. And he can dictate how many starts they give him. If he gets shelled a bunch, they’ll shy away. If he can play well in this game and the next (theoretically against Detroit), he’ll get more looks.
I could see him starting ~3 games a month, or roughly 20 starts. I think that’s fine. Maybe they throw him some extra games, something like two or three starts in a row to give Hellebuyck a week off.
Hopefully he keeps playing well. I love backup goalies. Don’t know why. But it’s always good to have a sturdy one. I suppose I’d rather have a great starter, but maybe the Jets can do both.
Either way, Jets and Yotes going at it this afternoon, so if you’re reading this, the game might be on already! Go get it. Go Brossoit.