Devils Stoke Drama With Bizarre Hellebuyck Announcement
The star goalie’s departure from Winnipeg comes back into sharper focus.
The New Jersey Devils have injected fresh drama into an already contentious situation by announcing that goalie Connor Hellebuyck would not play in their upcoming game against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. This decision sparked immediate backlash, with the Devils facing widespread criticism and embarrassment. Hellebuyck, who had demanded a trade from Winnipeg two seasons ago, had played all five games for the Devils since their blockbuster trade acquisition on October 23.
He has led the U.S. national team to a gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Devils' statement came after lengthy debate, with General Manager Sunny Mehta explaining that Hellebuyck's presence in the game would negatively impact their win probability. Hellebuyck himself expressed disappointment, stating that while he wanted to play, he understood the team's decision.
The Jets responded with a veiled criticism of the Devils, referring to Hellebuyck's sudden return to Winnipeg as "ridiculous." The Devils will not return to Winnipeg until the 2027-28 season.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
