Michael Remis on Connor Hellebuyck return to Winnipeg

Michael Remis on Connor Hellebuyck return to Winnipeg was the central topic when the Winnipeg Sports Talk host joined John Carlo Lino on The Game Plan. Remis said the New Jersey Devils’ statement about Hellebuyck not playing backfired before a charged night at Canada Life Centre. He also explained why he still sees a path to the playoffs for the Winnipeg Jets and trusts Stuart Skinner in goal.

What did Michael Remis say about Connor Hellebuyck’s return to Winnipeg?

Michael Remis said the Devils’ announcement that Connor Hellebuyck would not play against his former team made an already emotional return more contentious. In his view, the statement looked like an attempt to provoke a reaction, angered people following the game and added to the hostility Hellebuyck’s teammates faced in Winnipeg.

The Devils’ pregame statement

Remis said New Jersey could have said nothing about its goaltending plans and let Jake Allen take the starter’s net at the morning skate. Instead, he thought the club’s explanation drew more attention to Hellebuyck’s absence. Remis summed up his reaction to the statement:

I think it totally backfired. I think it angered everyone.

The reaction at Canada Life Centre

Fans chanted throughout the game, and Remis described signs and altered jerseys in the crowd. He noted that Canada Life Centre has no regular bench spot for a backup goalie, who instead sits on a stool in the corner. Remis said Hellebuyck was in the dressing room while his Devils teammates took the fans’ heat.

Remis viewed the reception in the context of Hellebuyck’s desire to leave after a difficult season in which Winnipeg missed the playoffs. He called it sad to see a goaltender who had been so well loved face such a sharp change in sentiment.

Why does Michael Remis think Winnipeg Jets fans booed Connor Hellebuyck?

Michael Remis said Jets fans were angry about how Connor Hellebuyck left, and the game gave them a chance to express feelings they had not voiced while supporting him. Remis does not think that anger defines Hellebuyck’s legacy forever, but he expects it to shape how fans view him for now.

He contrasted the reception with Nikolaj Ehlers’ return after leaving as a free agent. Remis said Ehlers received cheers and that fans understood his departure. With Hellebuyck, Remis pointed instead to the trade request and the circumstances surrounding his exit.

For perspective on how feelings can change, Remis recalled booing Vince Carter when Carter returned to Toronto with the Nets, then seeing him cheered later. He also mentioned Dustin Byfuglien, whose departure from Winnipeg came during a contract but whose eventual return drew a warm response. Remis suggested fans might one day look back more favorably on Hellebuyck’s Vezina Trophy wins, Hart Memorial Trophy and years with strong Jets teams.

What are Michael Remis’s expectations for the Winnipeg Jets’ playoff chances?

Michael Remis sees the Winnipeg Jets as contenders for the second wild-card spot, not as a team whose season was settled by its nine-game losing streak. He pointed to a recent scoring rebound, changes to the forward lines and Josh Morrissey’s return on defense, while expecting a playoff race that lasts deep into the season.

The comeback in Montreal

Remis identified Winnipeg’s late comeback in Montreal as a possible turning point after a stretch when the Jets struggled to score and their power play had dried up. He said the team followed it with wins over Vancouver and Tampa Bay, then an emotional game against New Jersey. At the time of the conversation, he put Winnipeg at 8-8-3 with 19 points, two points from a playoff spot.

Changes to the Jets’ lines

Winnipeg reunited Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi, while Cole Perfetti moved to a second line that Remis thought could provide needed secondary scoring. He also noted that a young winger had recently found a fit alongside Adam Lowry on the third line, producing four points in three games after an earlier struggle to convert chances.

Morrissey’s return mattered beyond his own minutes and power-play role, Remis said. Having the Jets’ top defenseman back allowed other players, including Dylan Samberg, to take on different matchups. Remis remained cautious about the team’s ceiling, but called its position better than it had looked during the losing streak.

Why does Michael Remis trust the Winnipeg Jets’ goaltending?

Michael Remis does not think Winnipeg needs a goaltending upgrade after trading Connor Hellebuyck. He believes Stuart Skinner can handle the workload and sees the Jets’ record of getting improved play from incoming goalies as another reason for confidence, though he expects the club to make decisions about its three-goalie roster.

Remis cited goaltending coach Wade Flaherty when discussing why goalies have performed well in Winnipeg. Laurent Brossoit stood out to him as a player whose numbers improved with the Jets. Skinner, he said, has already shown he can carry a substantial load.

With Nico Daws and Clay Stevenson also on the roster, Remis wondered how long Winnipeg would keep three goalies. He said Daws appeared to have taken the backup role, leaving Stevenson third, and raised the possibility of trying to send Stevenson through waivers to the Manitoba Moose.

The arrangement is unfamiliar after years in which Hellebuyck regularly played more than 60 games and left relatively few starts for his backups. Remis said the Jets had been rotating goalies but had not yet shown how they would manage a more balanced workload over time.

What did Michael Remis say about Cole Perfetti and the Jets’ young players?

Michael Remis called Cole Perfetti’s season a breakout and said his move to the second line could give Winnipeg another reliable scoring option. Remis is also watching whether a young third-line winger can sustain his recent improvement after a difficult start, rather than judging him solely by his early lack of points.

Cole Perfetti on the second line

Perfetti played well with Scheifele and Connor on the top line, Remis said, but his production lower in the lineup may be more consequential for Winnipeg. Remis felt the Jets had lacked a consistently scoring second line since Ehlers left. He described Perfetti, who had signed a long-term deal, as a young player already giving them another option.

A rookie’s progress alongside Adam Lowry

Remis said the 18-year-old rookie had gone roughly 15 or 16 games without a point, raising questions about whether Winnipeg would keep him in the NHL. His recent four-point stretch in three games alongside Lowry changed the immediate discussion. Remis also praised his defensive work against top players and said another productive line would be important for the Jets.

What did Michael Remis share about his interests away from Jets coverage?

Michael Remis named favorite movies, television shows and childhood athletes, but hockey still occupies much of his time outside work. He said he plays hockey to see friends and usually chooses a simple snack when he is working late at his computer and watching sports.

His movie choices included the Adam Sandler comedies Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer, along with The Matrix, Ace Ventura and Dumb and Dumber. For television, he picked Breaking Bad as a drama he enjoyed immersing himself in and Curb Your Enthusiasm as a comedy he had watched repeatedly.

Remis remembered following Pavel Bure with Vancouver and Joe Sakic with Team Canada at the 2002 Olympics; he said he still has a Sakic jersey. He also named Ken Griffey Jr. as a childhood favorite from his interest in the Seattle Mariners. On late work nights, Remis said he reaches for Raisin Bran with vanilla almond milk or a bowl of popcorn.

How did Michael Remis start Winnipeg Sports Talk?

Michael Remis said he and partner Andrew Paterson started Winnipeg Sports Talk after they were laid off from a TSN radio station in Winnipeg. Nearly six years into the project, he said its Facebook and Instagram accounts had each reached 10,000 followers, giving the independent show a sizable audience for its Jets coverage.

Remis encouraged viewers to follow Winnipeg Sports Talk rather than his personal accounts. He pointed to its presence on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, as well as its website, and said the ongoing Hellebuyck story had given the show plenty to discuss.