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Going into the Olympics, there’s a good chance you didn’t know who Connor Hellebuyck was, but now he’s an American hero.
Hellebuyck made 41 saves in Sunday’s gold medal game, including one with his stick behind his back to help secure the United States’ first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980.
The talk of Hellebuyck in NHL circles has always been his performance in big games, and in the biggest game of his life, he delivered on a worldwide stage.
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Connor Hellebuyck celebrates a 2-1 overtime win against Canada for the gold medal during the Winter Olympics at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Hellebuyck, 32, wasn’t exactly a top prospect in his younger days, but made a name for himself at UMass Amherst. After being a fourth-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets (130th overall) in 2012, he spent two seasons in college, won the Hockey East Conference both times, made the Frozen Four in his first year and was named the best college goaltender in his second season.
Hellebuyck made his NHL debut on November 27, 2015, winning his first four games and picking up a shutout in just his ninth. He broke out in his third season, leading the NHL with 44 wins en route to not only his first All-Star nod but also finishing second in the Vezina Trophy voting as the league’s top goaltender, an award he took home two years later.
The Olympics weren’t Hellebuyck’s first time representing the USA either – he was on the 4 Nations team and played in the men’s world championships in both 2015 and 2017.
The Jets goalie is now the reigning winner of the Vezina Trophy as one of only 13 goalies in NHL history to win the award three or more times. He is also the reigning Hart Memorial Trophy winner, given to the NHL’s most valuable player.
Connor Hellebuyck blocks a shot taken by Canada’s Devon Toews during the gold medal match at the Winter Olympics on February 22, 2026 in Milan. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
However, the success in the regular season has come at the expense of the playoff success.
Ever since reaching the Western Conference Finals in his breakout 2017-18 campaign, Hellebuyck and the Jets have been unable to advance past the second round. He is 24-34 lifetime in the playoffs and his save percentage is .903, down from .917 in the regular season. With a 2.79 GAA (goals-against average) of 2.55 in the regular season since 2017, that number is 2.90 in the playoffs.
History may be unwritten after his spell in Milan. In five games played, he stopped 95.6% of shots on goal (131 of 137) and allowed more than one goal only once – in the semi-final against Slovakia.
Hellebuyck’s heroics earned him the tag of MVP for the U.S. team that was desperate for gold. While Jack Hughes’ golden goal has been the main conversation, President Donald Trump noted Hellebuyck’s achievement and announced at Tuesday’s State of the Union that he will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck raises his gold medal as hockey team members are recognized by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on February 24, 2026. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
The return of the NHL season will be awkward for Hellebuyck, who will have to head back to Canada after crushing his very own Jets fans. His squad needs a miracle to make the playoffs this year, but with Hellebuyck in net, a bounce-back next season should never be counted out.
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