Connor Hellebuyck finally has his new team.
The New Jersey Devils acquired the star goaltender from the Winnipeg Jets for a package that includes four players and two draft picks. The marquee pieces heading to Winnipeg include 24-year-old forward Dawson Mercer, 2026 first-round pick Alexander Command, and a 2029 second-round pick.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the full details of the deal.
Hellebuyck was held out at the start of the 2026-27 campaign over a trade-request dispute that led him to forego attending Jets training camp and be suspended by the club. That suspension, which cost Hellebuyck hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary, was reportedly set to be lifted on Friday.
After privately requesting a trade from the Jets during the 2025-26 season, Hellebuyck went public with his desire to leave in late August. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner and one-time NHL MVP was reportedly displeased with the Jets’ current direction, as the club finished outside the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Hellebuyck is signed through the 2030-31 campaign at an $8.5 million cap hit. In 57 games for the Jets last season, Hellebuyck posted a 23-23-11 record, a 2.86 goals-against average, and an .895 save percentage.
In requesting the trade, Hellebuyck became another member of the 2026 Olympic-gold-medal-winning Team USA to try to force their way out onto another NHL team. Brady Tkachuk ultimately received his move from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers, while Dylan Larkin is still waiting for a resolution with the Detroit Red Wings.
With the Devils, Hellebuyck will join Team USA teammate Jack Hughes, who is New Jersey’s leading scorer with 11 points (3g, 8a) in 10 games. New Jersey had previously been utilizing Jake Allen as their number-one goalie, with Nico Daws, part of the return headed to Winnipeg, serving as Allen’s backup.
The acquisition represents a reversal of course from Devils general manager Sunny Mehta. The first-year GM previously said he was reluctant to part with major assets in a trade for goaltending due to how volatile goalies can be season to season. New Jersey hasn’t had a true superstar in their net since Martin Brodeur won three Stanley Cups with the club from 1995 to 2003 and departed after the 2013-14 season.
“Even if we went out and got whoever you think is the best goaltender, the probability of that person actually performing as the best goaltender results-wise next year is far lower than if you took a bet on, say, whether Connor McDavid is going to be in the top five in scoring,” Mehta told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski earlier this month. “There’s way higher probability of that bet being right than any bet on goaltending.”
New Jersey’s lone trip to Winnipeg this season is right around the corner on November 10. It’s unclear whether Hellebuyck will be ready to play in that game after not skating with the Jets since last season.
