Home · Sports · Oct 23 archive
Winnipeg Jets Trade Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey Devils
· Confirmed
In Short: The Winnipeg Jets traded star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, ending months of speculation.
The Winnipeg Jets traded star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, a move that concludes months of speculation and tension.
According to reports, the Jets and Devils finalized the blockbuster deal on Friday, sending Hellebuyck to New Jersey in exchange for center Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, forward Nick Bjugstad, a 2029 second-round pick, and a 2027 seventh-rounder.
Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, had expressed a desire to play in an American market with a legitimate Stanley Cup window.
The trade ends a standoff between Hellebuyck and the Jets, which began when the team suspended the goaltender for failing to report to training camp.
Hellebuyck's season-opening suspension was reportedly set to end on Friday, but the trade resolved the issue.
The 33-year-old goaltender has five seasons left on his seven-year contract with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million.
Hellebuyck's trade request came after the Jets failed to move him in June, and the standoff required the involvement of the league and the Players' Association.
The Devils, who have been seeking elite goaltending stability, now align themselves with a talent-stacked roster.
Hellebuyck's move to New Jersey reunites him with Jack Hughes, who netted the golden goal in the gold medal game against Canada.
Mercer, 24, was a first-round pick of the Devils in 2020 and has scored 20 goals in three of the previous five seasons.
Daws, a third-round pick of the Devils in 2020, has put together an.897 save percentage in 59 NHL games across five seasons.
The Devils hope that Hellebuyck's addition will push them into true championship favorite status.
What this adds
The trade ends months of speculation and a standoff between Hellebuyck and the Jets, resolving the issue before the end of the month.
Background
The Winnipeg Jets traded star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, ending months of speculation.
What's confirmed
- The Winnipeg Jets were hoping to avoid a distraction during the Heritage Classic this weekend with all-star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck ‘s season-opening, team-imposed suspension reportedly ending on Friday.
- The Jets did give up Hellebuyck, one of the best goaltenders of this era, to get that package.
- Hellebuyck is reportedly getting traded to the New Jersey Devils!
- The Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils are closing in on a massive trade for Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, with top insiders Emily Kaplan and Elliotte Friedman confirming talks have rapidly progressed.
- Hellebuyck has consistently voiced a desire to play in an American market with a legitimate Stanley Cup window, making Winnipeg’s lingering re-tool a non-starter for his long-term ambitions.
- By targeting New Jersey, Hellebuyck aligns himself with a talent-stacked roster seeking elite goaltending stability to push them into true championship favorite status.
- According to reports from top NHL insiders Emily Kaplan and Elliotte Friedman, the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets are actively finalizing details on a blockbuster deal.
- The Devils sent center Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, forward Nick Bjugstad, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-rounder to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck.
What's still developing
- The tension reached a boiling point in recent weeks, with Winnipeg allowing Hellebuyck to stay away from the team while continuing to scout potential trade partners.
- Hellebuyck and Hughes were the stars who helped the United States bring home its first gold medal in Olympic hockey since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.
- More than that, he has never missed a game – appearing in all 420 games that the Devils have played since the start of the 2021-22 season.
- Mercer spent most of his time next to Devils’ captain Nico Hischier, which certainly supported the successful start to his NHL career.
- This move brings an end to a standoff between Hellebuyck and the Jets that was set to reach a climax over the coming weeks.
- Rumors had been swirling for the majority of Friday that the Devils were going to be the ones to land Hellebuyck, but details of the deal were finally broken by Elliot Friedman.
- The 24-year-old has never really reached his full potential since the Devils took him with their 1st round pick in 2020, meaning the Jets are hoping some development can happen here is well.
- The most fascinating part of this trade is what the Devils are clearly trying to achieve.
- The Connor Hellebuyck saga has finally coming to an end.
- He is signed thru next season at a very reasonable $1.1M cap hit.
- But they got three really nice pieces back that can help them more immediately.
- If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.