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Coming into the Olympics, chances are you wouldn’t know who Connor Hellebuyck was, but he’s now an American hero.
Hellebuyck made 41 saves in Sunday’s gold medal game, including one with his stick behind his back, to help the United States win the first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980.
The talk around Hellebuyck in NHL circles has always been his performance in big games, and in the biggest game of his life, he delivered on his promise on the world stage.
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Connor Hellebuyck celebrates a 2-1 victory over Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Grégory Shamus/Getty Images)
Hellebuyck, 32, wasn’t exactly a top prospect growing up, 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, winning the Hockey East Conference each time, making the Frozen Four in his first year and being named the best college goaltender in his second season.
Hellebuyck made his NHL debut on November 27, 2015, winning his first four games and recording 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 title, but also finishing second in the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender, an award he won two years later.
The Olympics weren’t Hellebuyck’s first time representing the United States either: he was a member of the 4 Nations team and competed in the men’s world championships in 2015 and 2017.
The Jets goaltender is now the back-to-back winner of the Vezina Trophy, one of 13 goalies in NHL history to win the award three or more times. He is also the reigning winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s most valuable player.
Connor Hellebuyck blocks a shot by Canadian Devon Toews during the gold medal game at the Winter Olympics on February 22, 2026, in Milan. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
However, regular season success came at the expense of playoff success.
Since reaching the Western Conference Finals during his 2017-18 campaign, Hellebuyck and the Jets have failed to advance past the second round. He is 24-34 lifetime in the playoffs and his save percentage is .903, compared to .917 in the regular season. Possessing a goals-against average of 2.79 and 2.55 in the regular season since 2017, that figure is 2.90 in the playoffs.
Perhaps history might not be made after his magic 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 exploits arguably marked him as the MVP of the American team that was desperately seeking gold. While Jack Hughes’ golden goal was the focus of discussion, President Donald Trump took note of Hellebuyck’s performance and announced at the State of the Union conference Tuesday that he would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck raises his gold medal as members of the hockey team are recognized by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol, February 24, 2026. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
The return to the NHL season will be tricky for Hellebuyck, who will have to return to Canada after breaking the hearts of his own Jets fans. His team needs a miracle to make the playoffs this year, but with Hellebuyck in net, a bounce-back next season should never be ruled out.
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