Jets lock up Hellebuyck to 6-year, $37M contract

The Winnipeg Jets have solidified the blue paint.

The club signed goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to a new six-year, $37-million contract, the team announced Thursday.

Hellebuyck is coming off a breakout season in which he went 44-11-9 with a .924 save percentage, a 2.36 goals-against average, and six shutouts. He showed incredible durability during his first full year as a No. 1, as he played more minutes than any other netminder. His efforts were good enough to finish second in Vezina Trophy voting.

At 25 years old, this contract will carry Hellebuyck right through the prime of his career at a reasonable salary, considering he'll only be the NHL's sixth-highest paid goalie next season.

As for the Jets, Hellebuyck is just one box checked off a long offseason to-do list. The club still has six notable restricted free agents remaining, including its top defense pairing of Jacob Trouba and Josh Morrissey. Looking ahead to next year, Blake Wheeler and Tyler Myers are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents, while Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor will be RFAs.

The Jets still have $20.6 million in cap space for this season, so inking Trouba and Morrissey won't be problematic, but things could get dicey come next summer.