The Winnipeg Jets' superstar goaltender didn't mince words when assessing his team's season on Friday.
Three-time Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck was candid in his disappointment with Winnipeg's poor play at its season-end media availability.
"What we did was unacceptable, and no one wants to be a part of that," Hellebuyck said.
"This year, it was chaos," he added.
The Jets finished the season with a 35-35-12 record, good for seventh in the Central Division. They missed the playoffs for the first time in four seasons after winning the President's Trophy for the league's best record in 2024-25.
The path back to contender status appears murky for the frigid northern city.
"It's hard, it's hard. Can you get the pieces you need? Will the players come? Those are always questions that you have in Winnipeg," said Hellebuyck. "I've made it my home, and I like it here, but I think the majority of the league doesn't feel the same way."
Hellebuyck's numbers took a dip, as he recorded a 2.86 goals against average — his lowest since 2021-22 — and a .895 save percentage after back-to-back Vezina wins in the previous two seasons.
The 32-year-old did, however, help the U.S. win an Olympic gold medal with a sensational performance against Canada in the final, stopping 41-of-42 shots faced.
According to Hellebuyck, winning comes before anything else.
"For me, it's winning a Stanley Cup," said Hellebuyck. "That's my goal, and that's all I have left. That's what I want on my resume. I don't play this game for the money. I don't play it for the fame."
But the optimism for a path to the Jets contending, given the team's recent woes, was difficult to access.
"It's hard. It's hard," Hellebuyck repeated. "This is hard for any athlete that doesn't make the playoffs. You know, it's the next day, and all the sudden (we're going to) come over here and say 'Oh yeah we're going to be amazing next year after we just did that' it's just not how it works."
Asked about his future in Winnipeg, Hellebuyck held a long pause.
Among the NHL's elite goalies, he would be a sought-after commodity if made available.
"You know, I don't want to go and leave any speculation," Hellebuyck said. "I love this city, and I love playing here. The fans have given me so much, and I've given so much back to fans. There's a real connection there. I wish more people around the league would see that, and could see that.
"Am I going to tell that I feel amazing about going and winning a Cup tomorrow? No. No team out of (the) playoffs is going to say that. You make your decisions, and you live by them. And as time goes by, you try to reevaluate."
Meanwhile, both captain Adam Lowry and Perfetti suggested they came back from their respective injuries too soon, which affected their play.
Jets forward Mark Scheifele's season isn't over. He'll play for Canada at the world hockey championship in Switzerland, May 15-31.
“I’m really excited for it,” said Scheifele, who was snubbed by those picking the Olympic squad earlier this year. “Any chance you have the opportunity to go and compete for your country, you’ve got to take it with honour, and I’m just excited to play more hockey.
"I love this game, I love playing, I love competing. I want to go over there and win a gold medal and do that with some good friends, so I’m really excited for that opportunity.”
Scheifele recorded a franchise-record 103 points this season.
Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo will also play for Canada.
After missing two full seasons, forward Jonathan Toews suited up for 82 games with Winnipeg. He scored 11 goals and finished with 29 points and was noncommittal about his hockey future.
"If I'm being honest with myself and I look back to a couple years ago where I was at, yeah, it definitely feels like a huge accomplishment,” said the Winnipeg native. “I'm very proud that I went after it and did what I could to get back to this level and to play in the NHL again. That being said, I think there were parts of my game that really struggled early on.
“I'm super happy and proud that I went after the dream of playing in the NHL again. But, at the same time, you have expectations in your mind of what kind of player you can be and how you want to contribute to your team. And obviously, I wasn't anywhere close to that, unfortunately.”
If Toews does decide to return, he said it will be as a Jet.
“He’s been an absolute treat to be around, a treat to learn from, a treat to have dinner with, pick his brain on so many things,” Scheifele said. “I hope he keeps playing.
"I think he was fantastic for us.”
--with files from The Canadian Press
