Connor Hellebuyck was a cornerstone of the Winnipeg Jets franchise for over a decade.
Now, both parties will enter a new chapter as the 33-year-old has been dealt to the New Jersey Devils for prospect Alexander Command, forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, a second-round pick in 2029, and a seventh-round pick in 2027.
It appeared Hellebuyck would spend the rest of his career in Winnipeg after signing a seven-year, $59.5 million extension in 2023 that would take him through his age-38 season.
However, the relationship between the player and club soured and came to a head this summer, when Hellebuyck publicly announced his trade request before refusing to report to Jets’ training camp.
He missed the entirety of camp and the first 24 days of the regular season after being suspended by the Jets and will now report to the Devils for the new start he was searching for.
Home Run Draft Pick
The Jets took a chance on the unheralded Commerce Township, Mich., native in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft and hit a home run.
He made his NHL debut in 2015-16 and immediately made a strong impression with a 13-11-1 record and a selection to Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey.
By his third season in the league, Hellebuyck was among the NHL’s elite goaltenders. He posted a 44-win season to go along with a .924 save percentage and a 2.36 goals-against average as he finished second in Vezina Trophy voting and was named to his first All-Star team. He backstopped the Jets to the Western Conference Final in his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Hellebuyck cemented his status among the elites in 2019-20 when he claimed his first of three Vezina Trophies.
Decade of Dominance
Hellebuyck provided the Jets a steady presence in net for 11 seasons, during which he won 345 games with a .916 save percentage and .258 GAA over 615 starts. He is just a year removed from being the runaway winner of the Hart Trophy, the first and only MVP nod of his career, and the Vezina Trophy in 2024-25, putting up a 47-12-3 record with a 2.00 GAA and .925 save percentage.
He is the Jets’ franchise leader in games played (625), wins (345), and shutouts (45).
Playoff Disappointments
The Jets reached the postseason six times with Hellebuyck in net, but could not get over the playoff hump, never advancing past the second round after their initial trip to the Conference Final in 2018.
He endured his own struggles in the postseason, especially in recent seasons as the Jets’ contention window began to close.
Hellebuyck’s save percentage was below .900 in each of the Jets’ past three playoff runs, which included two first-round exits and one trip to the second round, when they were eliminated by the Dallas Stars.
In 58 playoff games across seven postseason runs, the four-time All-Star failed to reach his own lofty regular-season standards, posting a 24-34 record with a .903 save percentage and 2.90 GAA.
Trade Request
Hellebuyck and the Jets endured a difficult 2025-26 season, as the goaltender went 23-23-11 with the Jets last season with a 2.86 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage. Winnipeg took a step backward, going from Presidents’ Trophy winners the year before in 2024-25 to missing the playoffs.
“For me, it’s winning a Stanley Cup – that’s my goal, and that’s all I have left, and that’s what I want on my resumé,” Hellebuyck said after the season ended in April. “I don’t play this game for the money, I don’t play it for the fame. I do it for my own personal fun and, you know, part of that is winning a Cup. So for me, I’m just looking at how can I get that? How can I get there?”
The relationship ended in August, when Hellebuyck released a statement through his agent confirming his trade request.
“Several months ago, I privately requested a trade,” Hellebuyck said in his statement. “I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.
“Winnipeg has been my home for my entire NHL career, and I will always be grateful for my time there.”
He will now join his Team USA teammate Jack Hughes in New Jersey as the pair try to bring the Devils back to contender status in the Eastern Conference.