Devils Bar Hellebuyck From Playing Tuesday In Winnipeg

Devils Bar Hellebuyck From Playing Tuesday In Winnipeg

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New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will watch Tuesday night’s game against the Winnipeg Jets from the bench or the press box, barred by his new organization from facing his former teammates in his first return to Canada Life Centre.

The decision was finalized and communicated to the veteran netminder following New Jersey’s 4-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night, during which Hellebuyck stopped 23 shots, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

Winnipeg shipped Hellebuyck to New Jersey on October 23 in a high-profile transaction that brought forward Dawson Mercer, goaltender Nico Daws, and a second-round selection in the 2029 NHL draft to the Jets, effectively closing a decorated chapter for the American goaltender in Manitoba.

Devils general manager Sunny Mehta explained the rationale behind the scratch in a public statement issued after Sunday’s win in Toronto.

“This has been an organizational decision for us that we’ve debated at length,” Mehta said in the statement. “Connor Hellebuyck was adamant that he felt a duty to play on Tuesday in Winnipeg. However, in our estimation, playing in this game would potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability.”

When Hellebuyck signed a seven-year, $59.1 million contract extension back in October 2023, few anticipated that his tenure would terminate early via a trade demand with five seasons remaining on the deal. Despite the abrupt exit and the team’s strategic choice to sit him, Hellebuyck voiced a mixture of personal longing and professional acceptance regarding Tuesday’s contest.

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“Selfishly, I want to play, but when you’re looking at the team and what’s best for the team, I understand where they’re coming from,” Hellebuyck said on Sunday night, noting that he still holds a level of disappointment over missing the matchup.

Even without a spot on the ice, the goaltender intends to address the local media in Winnipeg prior to Tuesday’s opening faceoff.

“I love Winnipeg,” Hellebuyck said. “Playing there again and just facing the music and seeing the reaction, it’d be nice, but it’s out of my hands.”

As for how the arena crowd will receive him now that he is wearing a Devils sweater rather than the home colors, Hellebuyck acknowledged the prevailing local sentiment.

“I know there’s a pretty sour taste in Winnipeg,” Hellebuyck said. “But I can only speak to my memories and my cherished moments in the city. I’ve loved every part of my career there. However, I’m perceived, I’m going to choose love.”

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