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![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4600407_web1_CP175725537.jpg\")
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Nick Wass \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
The Winnipeg Jets picked up the club\u2019s new backup netminder Clay Stevenson from the Washington Capitals before the waiver deadline on Monday. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Stevenson is now hoping to make a name for himself in a city that, quite fittingly, translates to \u201cmuddy water\u201d in Cree. The 27-year-old from Alberta was placed on waivers by the Washington Capitals and claimed by the Jets, who were looking to clarify a goaltending situation which was as murky as the Red River.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been on our radar,\u201d head coach Scott Arniel said following the team\u2019s practice at Hockey For All Centre as the club prepares for Friday\u2019s season-opener against the Boston Bruins.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know through Flats (goalie coach Wade Flaherty), and our scouts, that was a name that I heard a while ago. We knew that there could be a possibility with the way Washington was kind of where they\u2019re at. It worked out. We feel very fortunate that we got him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stevenson immediately steps into the role as backup to the other new masked man in town, Stuart Skinner, as the Jets try to move on from Connor Hellebuyck.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel very fortunate that we got him.\u201d<\/p>\n
He needs no introduction to his new job share partner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been pretty good friends with (Skinner) for the past few years, and we\u2019ve been training together in Kelowna,\u201d said Stevenson.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was definitely super stoked to get here and tandem with him. It\u2019s been incredible. See some good chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stevenson\u2019s professional resum\u00e9 is impressive, even if it lacks polish at the NHL level.<\/p>\n
The 6-4, 195-pound puck stopper has gone 63-31-9 with a 2.50 goals against average, .909 save percentage and nine shutouts over parts of four seasons with the Hershey Bears, which included winning the Calder Cup in 2024. His path to full-time work with the Capitals was blocked by No. 1 man Logan Thompson and his backup Charlie Lindgren.<\/p>\n
Stevenson has appeared in five big league games so far, going 3-2-0 with a 2.60 GAA and .906 SV%. He\u2019s going to get the chance to build on that with the Jets, who weren\u2019t ready to hand over the reins to prospects Dom DiVincentiis or Thomas Milic just yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means the world, just to have this opportunity and be able to showcase myself at this level,\u201d said Stevenson. \u201cAnd to come up to Canada means a lot. Back in God\u2019s country. I\u2019m from Alberta, and it\u2019s a blessing to be here, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stevenson said he was prepared to go back to Hershey and continue grinding away if none of the other 31 NHL teams had put in a claim.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t John Woods \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Goaltenders Stuart Skinner (centre) and Thomas Milic (right) chat with Winnipeg Jets goalie coach Wade Flaherty (left) during training camp. The club\u2019s newest goaltender Clay Stevenson is thrilled to work with the \u201cgoalie whisperer\u201d Flaherty.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI always say a thing: If you\u2019re in a dark forest, you can\u2019t get out until you just look down and take your first step,\u201d he said. \u201cI just try to be present wherever I am.\u201d<\/p>\n However, he does feel he\u2019s ready to take a big step forward \u2014 especially now working under the tutelage of Flaherty, who was brought out the best in Hellebuyck and previous backups such as Eric Comrie and Laurent Brossoit.<\/p>\n \u201cHe definitely seems so dialed in there. Has a great personality. Seems super easy to talk to. So smart about goaltending,\u201d said Stevenson.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t be happier to get going here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI actually met him briefly this summer as well. I\u2019ve heard so many good things, and I was really excited to get up here and start really working with him.\u201d<\/p>\n Stevenson trains with renowned goalie guru Adam Francilia, whose many masked clients include Hellebuyck.<\/p>\n \u201cI started working with him when I signed (with Washington) out of college. The past five summers now have just been incredible. My body has changed for the better,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like I\u2019m in the best goaltending shape of my life. Body is strong and performs well and is super mobile and powerful. I can pull strength from really deep end ranges, and that\u2019s the kind of stuff we work on. A lot of core and a lot of balance. That guy has been incredible for my mentals.\u201d<\/p>\n Stevenson described himself as a \u201cchameleon\u201d who is quickly able to adapt to any and all situations, something he credits from a childhood which included attending 13 different schools as his parents moved around.<\/p>\n He\u2019s already heard about the warm welcome Skinner has received from Jets fans \u2014 who was serenaded with \u201cStuuuu\u201d after every save in his pre-season debut at Canada Life Centre.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Gene J. Puskar \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES<\/p>\n The Winnipeg Jets new backup goaltender Clay Stevenson said Wednesday he\u2019s good friends with the club\u2019s new starter Stuart Skinner and the two have already trained together in Kelowna.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Might we soon be hearing some \u201cMud\u201d chants at the downtown rink?<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve wanted to see this building since I started playing pro. The fans here seem incredible,\u201d said Stevenson. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to maybe start building more relationships with them. I couldn\u2019t be happier to get going here.\u201d<\/p>\n Hellebuyck hiatus continues<\/p>\n Hellebuyck\u2019s wildcat strike is now starting to impact his bank account.<\/p>\n NHL players start getting paid as soon as the NHL season begins, which happened officially on Tuesday. That means Winnipeg\u2019s three-time Vezina Trophy winner \u2014 who has demanded a trade to an American team \u2014 is losing the equivalent of US$39,000 per day.<\/p>\n Arniel was asked on Wednesday if the ongoing stalemate is going to become a distraction with the puck about to drop on the 2026-27 campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, and I\u2019m not looking for an easy out, but I have to focus on our 23 guys. I can\u2019t focus on who\u2019s not here and our group feels the exact same way,\u201d said Arniel.<\/p>\n \u201cThey understand it. Now they realize it. It\u2019s reality. We have two goaltenders in camp. Now we\u2019re ready to go and we\u2019re gonna back them. We\u2019re gonna play as a group and we gotta look after ourselves and make sure that we do everything possible for the Winnipeg Jets.\u201d<\/p>\n Do the Jets have a Plan B should Hellebuyck suddenly decide to report to the club, which would be within his right?<\/p>\n \u201cNope,\u201d Arniel replied.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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