By: The Canadian Press Posted: Last Modified:
WINNIPEG - Winnipeg has traded star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, ending a standoff that has overshadowed the start of the Jets' season.
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WINNIPEG - Winnipeg has traded star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, ending a standoff that has overshadowed the start of the Jets' season.
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WINNIPEG – Winnipeg has traded star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, ending a standoff that has overshadowed the start of the Jets’ season.
The team announced Friday that they will receive forwards Dawson Mercer, Alexander Command and Nick Bjugstad, as well as goaltender Nico Daws and two draft picks, in exchange for the disgruntled netminder, who was once considered the face of the franchise.
The move comes after Hellebuyck made a public request for a trade, and then was suspended by the Jets for not showing up to training camp. The suspension was set to end on Friday.
Hellebuyck is under contract through 2031 at a salary cap hit of US$8.5 million after he signed an eight-year, $59.5 million extension with Winnipeg in October 2023
A three-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top netminder, Hellebuyck will get a fresh start following a difficult, playoff-less campaign in the Manitoba capital after the club won the Presidents’ Trophy for registering the league’s best record in 2024-25.
The 33-year-old went 23-23-11 last season, including four shutouts, with an .895 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average, but also backstopped the United States to a gold-medal victory over Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Hellebuyck, who won the Hart Trophy as league MVP two seasons ago, owns a career record of 354-208-55 across 625 regular-season games with a .916 save percentage, 2.58 GAA and 45 shutouts.
The 130th pick at the 2012 NHL draft from Commerce, Mich., is 24-34 in the playoffs with a .903 save percentage 2.90 GAA and five shutouts.
Since entering the league in 2015-16, Hellebuyck has faced 1,438 more shots than the next closest goaltender.
His best statistical season came back in that banner 2024-25 season when he went 47-12-3 with a .925 save percentage, a 2.00 GAA and an NHL-best eight shutouts.
The Jets are 4-3-3 without Hellebuyck so far this season after dropping their fourth game in a row Thursday night in a 3-2 overtime defeat at Dallas. All four losses have been by one goal.
Former Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner has carried the bulk of the load in goal for the Jets this season. He has a 3-1-3 record with a 2.67 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Backup Clay Stevenson has posted a 1-2-0 record with a 3.08 GAA and .893 save percentage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2036.
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