Jack Hughes exposes Connor Hellebuyck over his offseason priorities
Jack Hughes opened up about Connor Hellebuyck's fishing habits and what makes the Jets goalie the best in the world.
Jack Hughes has a story about Connor Hellebuyck that hockey fans are going to love, and it has nothing to do with save percentage or goals against average.
During a recent conversation, the New Jersey Devils star opened up about what really goes on with his Team USA goalie once the calendar hits summer, and it turns out fishing beats practice pretty much every time.
Hughes and Hellebuyck were teammates on the gold medal winning Team USA squad at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where Hellebuyck stopped 41 shots in a 2-1 overtime win over Canada that Hughes capped off with the golden goal.
The gold medal moment
Hughes did not hold back when describing just how good Hellebuyck was that day, calling it the best performance he had ever witnessed from a goaltender.
It is easy to see why. Hellebuyck backstopped the Americans to their first Olympic gold in men's hockey since 1980, and Hughes still finds himself replaying the game trying to figure out how he even scored his own goal through all the chaos Hellebuyck created in front of the net.
A goalie who loves the lake more than the rink
Away from the NHL and international stage, Hughes says Hellebuyck turns into a different guy entirely.
"Our player of the game award... I gave it to Hellebuyck obviously after the gold medal game. Helle was the best player in the world. And he really was, like he was unbelievable"
"I keep replaying the game in my head. How the hell did I even score that goal? Because Helle made so many ridiculous saves. He stood on his head, and now he's got the highest achievement an American citizen can win"
"I live on the same lake as this guy in the summer, and I just see him fishing all day. He's my goalie in the summer for our summer skates. And there'll be mornings where he'll text my guy and he'll be like, 'Hey man, I can't come in today.' And we know it's because it's good fishing weather"
"And we're like, 'You scumbag!' And he does that all the time. He loves it, he's on the lake, he's an outdoorsy guy."
- Jack Hughes
"I keep replaying the game in my head. How the hell did I even score that goal? Because Helle made so many ridiculous saves. He stood on his head, and now he's got the highest achievement an American citizen can win"
"I live on the same lake as this guy in the summer, and I just see him fishing all day. He's my goalie in the summer for our summer skates. And there'll be mornings where he'll text my guy and he'll be like, 'Hey man, I can't come in today.' And we know it's because it's good fishing weather"
"And we're like, 'You scumbag!' And he does that all the time. He loves it, he's on the lake, he's an outdoorsy guy."
- Jack Hughes
The two live on the same lake during the offseason, and Hellebuyck even suits up as the goalie for their summer skates when he feels like showing up.
According to Hughes, there are plenty of mornings when Hellebuyck simply texts to say he is skipping the skate because the fishing conditions are too good to pass up.
It has become a running joke between the two, with Hughes and his friends calling him out every time it happens.
Hellebuyck does not seem to mind the ribbing one bit.
He is fully committed to the outdoorsy lifestyle, and it clearly has not slowed him down between the pipes.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Michael Hage traded to Detroit in blockbuster multi-piece Dylan Larkin deal from viral proposal
Michael Hage traded to Detroit in blockbuster multi-piece Dylan Larkin deal from viral proposal