Connor Hellebuyck is getting ready for another major test as a member of the New Jersey Devils.
The three-time Vezina Trophy winner is expected to get his first home start Tuesday night when the Devils host Connor McDavid and the high-scoring Edmonton Oilers at Prudential Center.
Acquired from the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 23, Hellebuyck has been very solid in his two starts with the Devils, picking up wins over top-tier teams in the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights while allowing just three goals on 39 shots, good enough for a .923 save percentage.
“I’m just kind of playing my game, but the guys have been playing really good in front of me,” Hellebuyck told NHL.com. “They pressure the puck really well. They take space away from the other team, and their back pressure has been phenomenal, which is creating a lot of turnovers for us.”
The 33-year-old did not appear in any games with the Jets this season prior to the trade as he was suspended by the organization from not showing up to training camp in September.
New Jersey sits second in the Metropolitan Division with a 9-5 record.
“Obviously he’s [Hellebuyck] played well and he’s just going to keep getting better and keep getting more comfortable,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He’s just stepped right in like he’s been here all along.”
Devils winger Jesper Bratt, who has 12 points in 14 games this season, says Hellebuyck’s transition to his new team has been seamless.
“From Day 1, it felt like he had been here for a while,” Bratt said. “He just fit into our group in the room really, really well. He’s competitive. You see it in the room, you see it in practice, and he just fit into our group perfectly.”
Hellebuyck, who also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as a member of the Jets in 2025, is enjoying his early days in New Jersey.
“I’m pretty excited,” Hellebuyck said. “I’m just having fun. I learned a while ago that you can’t stress too much about the NHL. You’ve got to go out and have fun, trust your process, trust the hard work you put in and really enjoy the time that you have here.”
Selected by Winnipeg in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the American earned 345 wins alongside a 2.58 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage over 11 years with the Jets organization.
Hellebuyck is in the third season of a seven-year, $59.1 million contract which features an $8.5 million average annual value.
Facing Oilers on Tuesday
The 11-2-2 Oilers have been lighting the lamp all season long, averaging 4.27 goals per game which ranks second in the NHL behind the Colorado Avalanche.
They are led by McDavid, who is on pace for one of the greatest seasons in NHL history.
The 29-year-old captain has tallied nine goals and 30 assists this season, recording a least one point in all 15 games for Edmonton. During a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday, McDavid became the quickest player to reach 30 assists, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 16 games in 1984-85.
“You can’t help but take notice of the pace that he’s set,” said Keefe. “Power play, 5-on-5, he’s just so dangerous and drives so much for their team. It’s reaching outrageous.”
Hellebuyck believes McDavid’s speed and balance makes him one of the toughest players in the NHL to defend.
“His speed will push defenders back and really make you make tough decisions,” Hellebuyck said. “But his balance, being able to go both directions, that’s what makes it hard to read because he’s not really committing to one or the other.”
Following Tuesday’s game, the Devils will host the St. Louis on Thursday.