Quoting: F50marco
Well in all fairness, the entire team wasn't exactly killing it in those others years either. Other than that one year where everyone was good, the entire team was mediocre. (aside from the staples like Wheeler and Scheifele)
I think so goes the team, so does Hellebuyck and vice versa. he's not good enough to do it all himself but then again neither is more than half the leagues goalies.
Totally, totally, totally disagree! In Hellebuycks full rookie season which was also Laine's rookie season the Jets were very good, scored a ton and the defense was solid but Helly sucked and so did Hutchinson, had Chevy acquired almost anyone to tend the net they would've made the playoffs that season.
I remember that season as being the most frustrating one since they arrived from Atlanta, everything was there but the goalies were garbage and Chevy didn't do a thing about it and whatever spat Maurice and Pavelec were having kept Pavelec in the minors, not that Pavelec was great but even he would've been good enough to get that team into the playoffs. How much better had the Jets might of been in the 17-18 playoff run had they got some playoff experience the season prior.
No one expects their goalie to do it on their own but when you're letting in a steady flow of stinkers there's an issue and some are gonna question how good a goalie really is, I've never understood why goalies are given so much leeway/free pass. I think Hellebuyck is gonna get a pass cause of the defense and while that is a factor it doesn't change the fact that the simple shots have to be stopped, there's no excuses for letting in the weak ones.