Jets closer, stronger after emotionally challenging season, Hellebuyck says

Judy Owen · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 20, 2025 9:04 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Connor Hellebuyck knows however beardown bonds tin turn erstwhile a radical deals with adversity.

That's wherefore the Winnipeg Jets prima goaltender believes the squad volition rally aft a disappointing — and emotionally challenging — end to its NHL season, and beryllium amended for it.

"I deliberation this playoff run, determination was a batch of learning curves and a batch of things that we've learned and tin instrumentality away," Hellebuyck said Tuesday erstwhile immoderate players had their last media interviews.

"I cognize this radical is going to get a batch amended from that. Not lone did we get tighter arsenic a family, but our crippled got tighter and we're going to proceed to turn that and physique that."

The Jets won the Presidents' Trophy this twelvemonth with a franchise-record 56 wins and 116 points successful the regular season, but the curse of the grant followed them into the playoffs. Since it was awarded successful 1985-86, lone 8 winners person captured the Stanley Cup.

Winnipeg bettered its erstwhile 2 post-season first-round exits by winning the opening circular successful a melodramatic Game 7 double-overtime triumph implicit the St. Louis Blues.

Next up was the Dallas Stars, who eliminated the Jets 2-1 successful a Game 6 that was an affectional wringer for top-centre Mark Scheifele and his teammates.

Scheifele learned the greeting of the crippled that his 68-year-old father, Brad, had unexpectedly died overnight. He decided to play for his dada and adjacent scored the game's archetypal goal, but was successful the punishment container erstwhile Stars defenceman Thomas Harley netted the victor 1:33 into overtime.

Jets skipper Adam Lowry went to the container to console Scheifele, who was past hugged by his teammates. Dallas players besides embraced the Kitchener, Ont., merchandise successful the handshake line.

Forward Vladislav Namestnikov said the mode the squad supported Scheifele could beryllium a motivator heading into adjacent season.

"Yeah, 100 per cent," helium said. "That was a precise bittersweet day, but I thought Mark was a trooper. The squad rallied astir him."

"It's not the effect that we wanted astatine the extremity of the day, but I thought it brought the radical adjacent closer," helium said. 

Veteran defenceman Josh Morrissey described Scheifele arsenic his champion friend. 

"It was tough. Beyond inspiring by Mark," helium said. "And everyone knows however arrogant Brad would person been watching him play."

Morrissey's begetter died successful 2021. He said Scheifele was determination for him then, and present he'll bash everything to assistance his friend.

He has talked to Scheifele since helium went location to beryllium with his household and hole for his dad's ceremonial this week that teammates volition attend.

Morrissey had to hold until Scheifele came disconnected the crystal to springiness him a hug due to the fact that the bluish liner was injured precocious successful the 2nd play of that last crippled against Dallas and didn't return.

His near limb got caught nether Stars guardant Mikko Rantanen erstwhile they collided into the boards. Morrissey said nary country is required from the ligament injury, but it would person been season-ending had the Jets continued successful the playoffs.

Jets defenceman Luke Schenn missed the 2nd and 3rd games successful the Dallas bid and revealed helium had cracked a mates of ribs during the 3rd play of Game 2 against the Blues.

"I conscionable went to spell deed a feline and felt it close there," helium said. "It's not [the aforesaid arsenic broken], but I'm not the doctor. But each I cognize is it doesn't consciousness great."

Support from acold and wide

After quality of the decease of Scheifele's begetter broke, a Stars instrumentality took to societal media and urged radical to amusement their enactment by donating to a foundation linked to Scheifele. One magnitude suggested was $55 to correspond his jersey number.

"The information that radical person been showing enactment careless of who they cheer for, I deliberation that's what athletics is each about," Morrissey said.

Director of firm communications Krista Sinaisky said successful an email that True North Youth Foundation had received 1,065 donations totalling $72,000 by Tuesday morning. It includes $5,500 from the Dallas Stars and a matching magnitude by SkipTheDishes.

"The True North Youth Foundation is honoured to usage these funds to meaningfully interaction younker successful our assemblage successful honour of Brad Scheifele and volition enactment with Mark and his household to bash truthful successful a mode that builds bequest for their family," Sinaisky wrote.