Team USA Hockey Counting on Hellebuyck’s Helping Hand in Rush for Gold
Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, at 4-6-4 since Jan. 1, is in a hockey funk. Starting for Team USA couldn’t come at a better time.
(L-R) Jeremy Swayman #1, Connor Hellebuyck #37, and Jake Oettinger #30 of Team United States pose for photographs during training on day 3 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan on Feb. 9, 2026. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Thursday’s game for Team USA with Latvia can’t come soon enough for goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
Hellebuyck has to be ready to pull out his A-game from the equipment bag sitting in Team USA’s Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games locker room. All eyes are on the Americans who traveled to Italy to bring home a gold medal in men’s hockey, and many will no doubt focus on the man protecting Team USA’s net.
Donald Laible
Author
Don has covered pro baseball for several decades, beginning in the minor leagues as a radio broadcaster in the NY Mets organization. His Ice Chips & Diamond Dust blog ran from 2012-2020 at uticaod.com. His baseball passion surrounds anything concerning the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and writing features on the players and staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Don currently resides in southwest Florida.
