Jets’ Goaltending Good News: The Backup Is Playing Like a Starter

Winnipeg’s start to the season has had that familiar feel: the grind, the tight games, and the constant question of whether the team’s netminders can keep them afloat. Connor Hellebuyck, the long-time starter, has been doing the job, but there’s a sense he hasn’t quite found the peak of his form. Behind him, Eric Comrie has been quietly steady, showing that the Jets might finally have some insurance when the workload piles up.

Connor Hellebuyck: The Jets’ Anchor in the Net

As always, Connor Hellebuyck has been logging heavy minutes — ten games, almost sixty minutes each — and the numbers are solid. He’s put up a .921 save percentage, 2.32 goals against. He’s facing a lot of shots and weathering the storms without drama. That said, there’s a feeling that he could push a little harder, grab a little more.

The team leans on him heavily, and while he’s keeping games close, he isn’t carrying the team on his back the way the elite goalies can. The saves are there, the calm under pressure is there, but perhaps the edge, the extra gear, hasn’t shown up yet this season. When it comes, watch out.

Eric Comrie: The Jets’ Backup Is Stepping Up Strong

Eric Comrie has been a pleasant surprise. Three games, .929 save percentage, 2.33 goals against. That’s not a bad day’s work at all. He’s quiet, efficient, doesn’t get flustered, and gives the Jets confidence when Hellebuyck needs a rest or the schedule stacks up.

Comrie is a reminder that a backup goalie isn’t just a placeholder; he’s insurance, yes, but he can also shape the team’s mood and keep the ship upright. Comrie has looked ready when called upon, and in a league where goaltending can tilt a season, that’s worth noting. He’s playing like a starter.

The Jets Goalies So Far in 2025-26

Winnipeg’s goalies are giving the team a chance to breathe. Hellebuyck is steady, reliable, doing what he always does, while Comrie quietly reassures and contributes. It isn’t flashy, it isn’t dramatic, but it’s exactly what a team needs in the first weeks of the season: solid net play, room for improvement, and hope that when the road gets long, the two men in the crease can handle it.

So far, in 2025-26, the Jets’ goalies are just as one would expect. They’re top-notch.

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