Eric Comrie once again found himself earning a win for the Winnipeg Jets, and his consistent performances should be something the franchise takes advantage of.
Connor Hellebuyck has carried a heavy load throughout his Jets tenure, recording more than 60 games five times, and his rookie season is the only campaign where he played less than 45 games.
The Jets have a nine-point lead on the Dallas Stars for the Central Division and the Western Conference. Although it would be wise not to be complacent and avoid dropping points to weaker opponents, the Jets could afford to give Hellebuyck some additional rest to keep him fresh when the playoffs roll around.
In the first round against the Colorado Avalanche, Hellebuyck likely went through the worst five-game stretch of his career, posting a .870 SV% and a 5.23 GAA. Hellebuyck never claimed the poor performance was due to fatigue, but there is a strong possibility that it played a factor. Laurent Brossoit was outstanding for the Jets during the regular season but only played in 23 games, while Hellebuyck played in 60.
With the lessons they learned from the past two seasons, the Jets could benefit from allowing Comrie to make more starts down the stretch.
In 14 starts, Comrie has a 6-7-1 record but has posted a .910SV% and a 2.59 GAA. Against the St. Louis Blues, Comrie picked up his third consecutive win, allowing three goals on 24 shots and turning away all three Blues shootout attempts.
The 29-year-old was a highly-touted prospect. He was selected in the second round (59th overall) in the 2013 NHL draft and was selected to Team Canada’s 2015 World Junior team. He’s no stranger to playing big minutes and would benefit from making more starts.
Managing Hellebuyck’s workload has been something HC Scott Arniel has repeatedly stated he wants to do. The Jets have positioned themselves to do just that and should feel confident in the play of their backup goaltender to not just keep them floating but allow them to continue to build their lead in the standings.
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