Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey

Connor Hellebuyck breaks NHL record for American goaltenders

By @MichaelCaples –

Connor Hellebuyck registered his 44th win of the season tonight in Winnipeg.

That’s a new record for American-born goaltenders.

With a 4-1 victory over Chicago, Hellebuyck broke Tom Barrasso’s record of 43 wins in a single season – the most-ever by an American-born netminder.

It was an emotional night at the Bell MTS Place, as the Jets and the Blackhawks were paying tribute to the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team that lost 14 players in a devastating car accident last night.

Here is Hellebuyck talking about his special night and the emotions surrounding the game – one in which the Jets and the ‘Hawks all wore ‘Broncos’ on their name plates instead of their last names.

It’s been a remarkable season for the Commerce native – obviously – as Hellebuyck has helped the Jets to a 114-point campaign.

The Walled Lake Northern alum – a Mike Richter Award winner during his time with UMass-Lowell – finishes the regular season with a 44-11-9 record, a .924 save percentage and 2.36 goals-against average. He also recorded six shutouts on the year.

Saturday night’s victory was also his 30th win at home, which is good for a tie with Wayne Stephenson (Philadelphia, 1975-76) for the NHL record.