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Connor Hellebuyck punched his ticket out of Winnipeg, and the betting markets are confident he’ll help the Devils punch theirs to the playoffs.
New Jersey’s chances of making the postseason surged 15 percentage points on Kalshi, climbing from 55 percent to 70 percent following the deal.
DraftKings Sportsbook now lists the Devils at -400 to make the playoffs, implying an 80 percent probability.
Their movement in the Stanley Cup markets was less pronounced, rising from 3 to 5 percent on Kalshi and 15/1 to 14/1 odds on DraftKings.
The Devils, who enter the weekend 6-4-0 and in the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot, exchanged forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, and two draft picks for the veteran superstar.
Since Hall of Fame legend Martin Brodeur left the team in 2014, the Devils have consistently struggled to find a secure goaltending situation.
Right now, New Jersey has allowed the third-fewest expected goals per game in the NHL, yet ranks just 24th in team save percentage. Per MoneyPuck, Daws has surrendered 2.3 goals more than expected (GSAx), ranking 53rd among all goaltenders.
Jake Allen has fared worse, allowing 3.7 goals above expected to rank 60th.
Hellebuyck has led the NHL in goals saved above expected in four of the past seven seasons. The Devils’ best individual goaltending campaign over the past decade came from journeyman Vitek Vanecek in 2022-23, when he saved 15.4 goals above expected — Hellebuyck has topped that number in six of his last seven campaigns.
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Hellebuyck captured the Hart Trophy and his third Vezina Trophy in 2024-25 before a disappointing final season in Winnipeg.
His arrival in Newark reunites him with Jack Hughes, his Team USA teammate during February’s Winter Olympics, where Hellebuyck made 41 saves in an overtime victory over Canada to win the gold medal for the first time in 46 years.
The Devils have made the playoffs twice in Hughes’ eight-year career in New Jersey. They have appeared three times since their last visit to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.