Connor Hellebuyck trade grades: Devils take gamble on star goaltender, Jets make most of bad situation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Devils made a major splash on Friday, acquiring Jets star Connor Hellebuyck via blockbuster deal.
Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina winner who in 2025 became the first goaltender to secure Hart Trophy honors since Carey Price (2014), formally requested a trade in the offseason. Winnipeg responded by handing him a suspension. The 33-year-old lost out on nearly $900,000 as a result of his ban.
Hellebuyck endured a trying final season with the Jets, producing some of the worst numbers of his career as the Jets missed out on the playoffs. Only time will tell if he can stop the rot in New Jersey in the coming few years.
With that, here's a look at how Winnipeg and the Devils fared in their deal for Hellebuyck.
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Connor Hellebuyck trade grades
Devils grade: A-
- Devils receive: G Connor Hellebuyck
New Jersey have been trapped in purgatory since winning 52 games in 2022-23, missing the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. The Devils have rarely received inspired play from the crease during that spell — since the start of the 2023-24 season, New Jersey goalies have combined to post a -16.9 goals saved above average mark.
By most metrics, Hellebuyck endured one of the worst seasons of his career in 2025-26. His stock has diminished slightly, especially when compared to his best campaigns in Winnipeg colors. And yet, his numbers still dwarf that of Jake Allen and Nico Daws, both of whom have toiled in net for the Devils thus far.
New Jersey general manager Sunny Mehta took a swing on Hellebuyck, one of his generation's best netminders. It cost the organization a pretty penny to do so — not only did the Devils relinquish the rights to some of their best assets, they'll also be tasked with shelling out the remainder of the seven-year, $59.5 million extension Hellebuyck and the Jets hammered out ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. In other words, Winnipeg will be paying Hellebuyck's game checks until his age-38 season.
That constitutes major risk. And yet, Hellebuyck might be one of the few players worth the gamble. The former three-time Vezina winner's playoff performances have left something to be desired, particularly in his last three appearances in the postseason. But the fact remains; when Hellebuyck is on, there's not a better goaltender in the league than him.
Hellebuyck ranks second in the league in wins (345), goals-against average (2.58) and save percentage (.916) since entering the league in 2015. He also places second in goals saved above average (166.7), fourth in GA%- among goalies with 300 or more starts during that spell (91), fourth in quality start percentage and first in goalie point shares.
Hellebuyck wanted New Jersey. The Devils wanted Hellebuyck. They gave away a decent amount of capital to secure the standout goaltender's services. But if he can deliver performances at all similar to those he authored up in Winnipeg colors, the deal will prove worthwhile.
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Jets grade: B+
- Jets receive: F Dawson Mercer, F Alexander Command, G Nico Daws, F Nick Bjugstad, 2029 second-round pick, 2027 seventh-round pick
The Jets didn't appearing to have much leverage heading into Friday, the day that Hellebuyck's suspension ended. The veteran goaltender's contract came with a no-movement clause, meaning he would have the ultimate choice on deciding where he would call home for the 2026-27 season and beyond.
Given these parameters, it's a minor miracle that Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff walked away with this return. Command is the most dazzling of the Jets' newly-acquired gemstones, having only just heard his name called with the No. 12 pick in the 2026 Draft. The Swede has playmaking chops, silky skating and two-way potential that could serve him well in the Jets' middle-six lines going forward.
Daws has struggled in 2026. But his performances in a smattering of appearances for New Jersey over the years suggests he could make an impact in a limited role in the Jets' crease. Stuart Skinner has also been one of hockey's best goaltenders since surging to the top of Winnipeg's depth chart at the start of the year. That could provide Daws with an ideal environment to continue his development.
Mercer is a competent middle-six forward who has made strides around his own net in recent years. The 2020 first-rounder is hardly remarkable by most metrics. But he should prove steady enough to man the Jets' third-line for some time.
Winnipeg likely coveted a first-rounder for Hellebuyck's services. The organization will have to settle for a second-rounder that won't convene until 2029. Draft picks are magic beans, particularly after the first round. It's anyone's guess how Winnipeg handles that selection.
Ultimately, the Jets would have liked to receive more for the franchise's greatest-ever player. Hellebuyck's 2025-26 struggles put a cap on what the organization could command for him. His no-movement clause, trade request and subsequent suspension made it that much harder for them to secure a fair fee for one of the best goaltenders of the 21st century.
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