Connor Hellebuyck

Connor Hellebuyck, the 2020 NHL Vezina Trophy winner, began his relationship with Clark back in 2011 when the current Winnipeg Jets starting goalie was a member of the NAHL’s Odessa Jackalopes. For a number of years, Odessa had been the minor league affiliate of the NHL’s NY Islanders, but Hellebuyck arrived for the franchise’s first year in the NAHL. Clark was the General Manager and also handled the goalies.

Since then, Hellebuyck and Clark have remained close, and the two-time NHL All-Star has used Clark as a sounding board throughout his days in college, AHL and NHL. At UMass-Lowell, Hellebuyck won back-to-back Hockey East championships and became the first Hockey East player to win multiple tournament MVP honors. In both HE championship games, Hellebuyck recorded shutouts, and in fact finished his college career with as many shutouts (12) as losses.

Hellebuyck then signed his entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets, and spent parts of the next two seasons in the AHL, earning All-Star honors both seasons before becoming Winnipeg’s No. 1 goalie. He would eventually have his breakthrough season in 2017-18 when he set franchise records for wins (44) and set the NHL win record for American-born goaltenders. He was a Vezina trophy finalist that year, being edged out by Nashville’s Pekka Rinne for the honor.

Clark was already a member of the Net360 coaching staff in Kelowna when Hellebuyck joined Alpha Hockey Inc. and agent Ray Petkau and trainer Adam Francilia. That duo operates Net360.

“Our relationship means everything to me,” said Hellebuyck. “I trust him. He has always steered me in the right direction, on and off the ice. He is always on the cutting edge of goaltending, knows when to chime in and knows when to listen. He has the perfect blend of personality and experience.”