Comrie rejoins Jets looking to restart career behind Hellebuyck

WINNIPEG — Eric Comrie is a prime example of the old 'student of the game' cliche. 

Many will overlook the characterization, chalking it up as another buzzword — like a 'good 200-foot game,' or a 'full 60-minute effort' — that coaches spew. But ask Comrie to analyze a hockey play and you’ll understand why calls himself a "hockey nerd."

Following Saturday’s practice, the Winnipeg Jets goaltender was asked to break down the intricacies behind two goals scored during his team's first two games. First, he described how Mason Appleton's goal against the Oilers' Stuart Skinner in the season-opener was an excellent shot — right below the glove, above the pad — and all the more lethal given that a cross-slot pass created it. Then, he contextualized how a goal Connor Hellebuyck surrendered to the Blackhawks' Ryan Donato was a hard save to make.

“When you're coming down the wing like that, you're changing the angle without knowing it because you're skating toward the goalie and you're really expecting, as a lefty, (for the puck) to go far side,” Comrie explained. “That's the easier shot as a lefty. For him to hit that low blocker shot, that's a special shot to be able to hit that area. It's a small window to hit. It's a really good shot and it's really hard (to save) because the angle changes so much for every single stride that he takes, it's getting exponentially bigger and bigger. You're creating a lot more angle to score on with that shot.”

The Jets are hoping Comrie — who inked a two-year, $1.65-million contract this summer — can rebound as Hellebuyck’s understudy after a disappointing two-year stretch with the Buffalo Sabres. It’s a gamble, not just because of Comrie’s recent track record but also because giving him the job out of camp led to Kaapo Kahkonen, who has a more padded NHL resume, being scooped up off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche. And with Hellebuyck being a near-lock to represent Team USA at the 4 Nations Cup, the Jets need stability at the backup position more than ever. 

“We’ve got some interesting back-to-backs. We’ve got some interesting four (games) in six night (stretches) on some of these road trips coming, so we’ll have to handle that, obviously with (Comrie) in mind,” head coach Scott Arniel said.

The ingredients are there for Comrie, who returns to Winnipeg for what is technically his fourth stint with the club (if you count the two times he was re-claimed off waivers), to succeed.

"I think the biggest thing is that he had a great relationship in the past, both with (Hellebuyck) and with (Jets goaltending coach Wade Flaherty),” Arniel said.

Those bonds are a big reason why Comrie wanted to return to Winnipeg. 

“Wade Flaherty's one of the best goalies coaches in the NHL and Connor Hellebuyck is the best goalie in the NHL,” the 29-year-old said. “For myself, to be around that every single day, it's a special thing.”

Comrie’s best stretch of NHL action was with Winnipeg during the 2021-22 season. In 19 games, he posted a .920 save percentage and ranked second in Goals Saved Above Expected per 60 minutes (0.603) among goalies who played at least 15 games, according to MoneyPuck.com.

Stylistically, Comrie is similar to Hellebuyck. He doesn’t boast high-end athleticism — contrary to Kahkonen, who is more of a typical butterfly goalie — but he relies on his instincts to read shooters and react accordingly to make saves. As he showed three seasons ago, Comrie can be a dependable backup when in control.

His time with the Sabres didn't go as well.

While Comrie was, statistically, one of the NHL’s worst goaltenders throughout the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, he battled a pair of lower-body injuries and was hung out to dry most nights in Buffalo. 

Flaherty and the Jets have a track record of revitalizing backups, the prime example being Laurent Brossoit. After posting a .913 save percentage in 54 games with Winnipeg between the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons, Brossoit’s save percentage dropped down to .906 in 35 games with the Vegas Golden Knights over the next two seasons. Brossoit, like Comrie, promptly re-joined the Jets and went on to have a bounceback year, posting a .927 save percentage in 23 starts last year. 

While the Jets try to stabilize the backup role, Hellebuyck has looked dialled in to start the season.

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was named the NHL's second star of the week after posting an astounding .976 save percentage, 0.66 goals against average and one shutout through Winnipeg’s first three games. 

“I think the way I’m seeing the game is mid-season form right now,” Hellebuyck said Thursday. “Things are just clicking. I’ve got a really good read on the game and mentally, I’m not overthinking.”

Logan Stanley shed his yellow no-contact sweater at Jets practice on Thursday. 

Stanley had knee surgery in late September and was anticipated to miss a minimum of four weeks. The Jets will have 23 healthy skaters once the six-foot-seven blueliner is cleared to play but Arniel stated during camp that the team was aiming to have a 22-man roster. Having just one extra forward and defenceman would allow general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to accrue cap space, providing him more room to add players later in the season.

Running a 22-man roster would likely mean that either Haydn Fleury or Dylan Coghlan would be placed on waivers. Coghlan is more likely to be the odd man out as Fleury will probably still rotate on the blue line even once Stanley returns.