Connor Hellebuyck's holdout with the Winnipeg Jets drew a blunt public rebuke Wednesday, and Craig Button wasn't interested in softening it.
"Stop being a baby," Button said on OverDrive. Stripped down, his message was simple: quit dwelling on how he feels and go play hockey.
Harsh, sure. But the timing stings, because the Jets keep winning without their franchise goalie anywhere near the crease.
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Winnipeg sits at 3-0-1, riding a three-game winning streak into Friday's home date with the Anaheim Ducks.
Last night, Stuart Skinner turned aside 32 of 34 shots in a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
Kyle Connor handled the scoring end with two goals, including the winner. He's up to five on the season, three of them on the power play.
Here's the uncomfortable part for Hellebuyck. Every win without him chips away at whatever leverage this holdout was supposed to create.
Stuart Skinner keeps the Jets rolling without their star goalie
Skinner owns a .920 save percentage through four appearances. Clay Stevenson has been even sharper in a smaller sample, posting a .935 mark across three games.
Scott Arniel has leaned on both, and the crease has held. Each of the last three wins came by a 3-2 score, which leaves zero room for a soft goal.
Winnipeg's goal differential sits at just +2. Margins that thin usually expose a goaltending gap in a hurry, and so far nothing has cracked.
Then there's the money. Hellebuyck's $8,500,000 cap hit ranks fourth among NHL goaltenders.
Skinner comes in at $3,750,000. Stevenson costs $850,000.
It's like calling in sick during crunch week, then watching the temp close the biggest deal of the quarter. Nobody in the office forgets that.
Button's phrasing was cheap, the kind of line built to get clipped and shared. The point underneath it is a lot harder to wave away.
How long does patience last in a front office when the cheaper option keeps winning?
That one lands with Kevin Cheveldayoff, who has run the Jets since 2011. He's outlasted plenty of noise from that chair.
Anaheim visits Friday, then Minnesota comes to town Tuesday. If Skinner keeps stacking saves, the next voice telling Hellebuyck to get back on the ice might not be coming from a radio studio.
Is Craig Button right that Connor Hellebuyck should end his holdout and get back in the Jets crease?
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