Is his trade saga truly over?
Photo Courtesy of The AHL- Wikimedia Commons
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been the name on every NHL fan’s mind in the off season. After requesting a trade from the Winnipeg Jets, Hellebuyck is now a New Jersey Devil, as the Devils hope to make a playoff push this season.
This past Friday, Oct. 23, one of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) most highly publicized trade sagas finally came to an end. Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, whose trade request and absence from training camp resulted in a suspension, was traded to the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils acquired the three-time Vezina Trophy and 2025 Hart Trophy winner in exchange for forward Dawson Mercer, goaltender Nico Daws, forward Nick Bjugstad, the rights to unsigned draft pick forward Alexander Command, a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft, and a seventh-round pick in the 2027 Draft.
When you look at this trade from an outside perspective, it seems like a lot to give up just for a goaltender, but goaltending has been the Devils’ Achilles’ heel for years and Hellebuyck is one of the best goaltenders in the league. However, he ended last season with a 2.86 goals against average (GAA) and a .895 save percentage, which was his worst season in his 11 years in the NHL.
That is not to say that he cannot have a bad season, especially considering how instrumental he was for Team USA in the Winter Olympics. In the gold medal game, Hellebuyck stopped 41 of the 42 shots he faced in 60-plus minutes against one of the most dangerous Canadian teams seen in recent years. It also helps to look at his career as a whole; he has earned a 2.58 GAA, 9.16 save percentage, and 45 shutouts, so maybe a move to the Garden State is all he needs to get back to being the best.
Hellebuyck spoke on the trade saying, “I’m just really excited to play hockey again…That was the hardest part about all of this, wanting to go back and not being able to. I’m just ready to do what I do best.”
Adding Hellebuyck to the roster is obviously one of the Devils’ final major pieces for their hopeful championship push. The other part of this championship equation is the future of Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes, older brother to Devils’ forward Jack Hughes and defenseman Luke Hughes.
Quinn Hughes has a future in Minnesota, and Wild management has made keeping him a top priority. On July 1, 2027, Hughes will become an unrestricted free agent and now that Hellebuyck is a Devil, that could make New Jersey even more appealing. Hellebuyck, Quinn, and Jack Hughes all played together in the Winter Olympics, with Jack and Hellebuyck being the true stars of the gold medal game. They have played extremely well together before, so why not make it official?
Now, the only problem with this Hellebuyck trade debacle is what exactly happened between the Jets and their once-star goaltender? NHL insider Elliotte Friedman suggested that while the trade has happened, unresolved frustrations may still exist between Hellebuyck and the Jets. Hellebuyck has repeatedly declined to publicly discuss his relationship with Winnipeg but has said that he may speak about it in the future.
If both Winnipeg and Hellebuyck take this to the media, there is no way that this will not blow up in both of their faces. Let us just say that if Hellebuyck feels the need to express his feelings, then the Jets have the right to respond and protect their franchise, which makes sense.
Essentially, while the on-ice portion of the Hellebuyck saga is over and he is now a New Jersey Devil, there may still be some unresolved tension between him and the Jets organization, which should make for a very interesting article if either party goes public—so stay tuned!