Winnipeg Jets trade Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey Devils

Explainer

The Winnipeg Jets traded star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on Friday. The 33-year-old, three-time Vezina Trophy winner is headed to New Jersey in exchange for forwards Dawson Mercer, Alexander Command, Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. The move ends a months-long saga that began when Hellebuyck requested a trade after last season. The veteran netminder did not report to training camp, leading the Jets to suspend him without pay for 24 days, a suspension that was set to end on the day of the trade.

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff told reporters last month that Hellebuyck expressed his desire to be moved during exit interviews at the end of last season. The goaltender publicly confirmed the request in August through a statement released by his agent. There was speculation the request was linked to online harassment targeting Hellebuyck and his family after he and some Olympic teammates visited the White House. Cheveldayoff said in September that the harassment had escalated to the point where team security and local police were involved, with increased monitoring around Hellebuyck's Winnipeg residence.

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What did the Jets get in return?

The Jets acquired a package of four players and two future draft picks. The prize of the return may be Alexander Command, an 18-year-old Swedish forward selected 12th overall by New Jersey in the 2026 NHL draft. Command has posted seven goals and five assists in six games for Orebro HK Jr. in the Swedish junior league this season. Dawson Mercer, 24, has scored between 17 and 27 goals in each of his first five full NHL seasons, playing all 82 games each year. He has four assists but no goals through 10 games this season.

Goaltender Nico Daws, 25, has appeared in 59 NHL games with a career .897 save percentage and 2.94 goals-against average. Forward Nick Bjugstad, 34, is a veteran centre entering his 16th NHL season. He registered two assists in 26 games for the Devils last season and has not played this year. The Jets also received New Jersey's second-round pick in the 2029 NHL draft and a seventh-round pick in 2027.

Why did Hellebuyck want out of Winnipeg?

Hellebuyck's trade request followed a season where the Jets took a significant step back, dropping from 116 points and the Presidents' Trophy in 2025 to 82 points last season. Despite his individual success, playoff triumphs were rare in Winnipeg. The Jets made the playoffs in seven of Hellebuyck's 11 seasons, with their best run ending in the Western Conference Final in 2018. Others speculated the team's poor performance last season prompted his trade demand. The online harassment reportedly stemmed from a visit to the White House where U.S. President Donald Trump awarded Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour. Anti-American sentiment was soaring in Canada at the time due to Trump's tariffs and references to making Canada the 51st state. Hellebuyck's move to New Jersey continues a trend of American superstars being traded away from Canadian NHL teams, following players like Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk.

What does this mean for the Devils and Jets?

Hellebuyck immediately bolsters a Devils team that holds a 6-4-0 record through 10 games. New Jersey's goaltending, led by Jake Allen and Nico Daws, had combined for an .880 save percentage, ranking 23rd in the league. Hellebuyck, the 2025 Hart Trophy winner as league MVP, joins American teammate Jack Hughes, who scored the overtime winner for the U.S. in the gold medal game at the 2026 Olympics. It was not immediately clear how soon Hellebuyck might be ready to play, as he has been skating in his home state of Michigan during the trade talks.

For the Jets, the trade ends an awkward standoff that required the involvement of the NHL and the Players' Association. Winnipeg has started the season 4-3-3 without Hellebuyck, dropping four consecutive one-goal games. Former Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner has carried the bulk of the load, posting a 3-1-3 record with a 2.67 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. Backup Clay Stevenson has a 1-2-0 record. Hellebuyck is entering the third season of a seven-year contract that carries an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million, with five years remaining. He forfeited $927,835.05 in salary during his suspension.

Hellebuyck leaves Winnipeg after an 11-year career where he compiled a 345-208-55 record with 45 shutouts. He won three Vezina Trophies as the league's top goaltender, the 2025 Hart Trophy, and backstopped the United States to an Olympic gold medal in February 2026. The Jets are set to host Hellebuyck and the Devils at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Nov. 10.

With files from CBC News, Sportsnet and Yahoo Sports