Which Connor Hellbuyck are Devils getting?

The deal is done with the Devils. 

Connor Hellebuyck, America's men's hockey hero of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, is now in New Jersey after 11 NHL campaigns, all with the Winnipeg Jets. But what does this portend for a club that hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 2003 and hasn't even made a conference final since 2012?

The Devils gave up more than a little bit to get Hellebuyck, in right wing Dawson Mercer, forward Alexander Command, center Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws and a pair of draft picks in a 2027 seventh-round selection and a 2029 second-round choice. Mercer was a good soldier for the Devils, averaging 20 goals over five full seasons, while Command was a first-round draft choice last summer. Bjugstad, though, remains on long-term injured reserve, and Daws was never going to be the No. 1 netminder in New Jersey.

Which Connor Hellebuyck will appear?

Hellebuyck, 33, wore the mantle of Captain America back in February in Italy, when he backstopped Team USA to Olympic gold, one of the shortest and most pressure-packed tournaments in the sport. Returning to NHL play, though, he was unable to guide the Jets back to the postseason picture, one year after leading them to the President's Trophy as the league's top regular-season team. 

Come this summer, he wanted out of Winnipeg altogether. Now he's bound for Newark, with career NHL stats of 345 wins, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and 45 shutouts in tow, plus three Vezina Trophies as the league's best goaltender, along with two Jennings Trophies for fewest goals against and one Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP.

Those achievements are all in regular-season play, however, as postseason Hellebuyck is a different animal than regular-season Hellebuyck. He was only able to get Winnipeg past the second round once, and for his NHL career is just 24-34 in 58 playoff appearances all-time. Two years ago, he was solid at home in the playoffs but rough on the road, being pulled in three straight games away from Winnipeg at one point before finishing 6-7 as the Jets ousted St. Louis before being eliminated by Dallas. It wasn't all on him, of course, but he still played a major part.

Business at hand

First things first, though, is just getting the Devils back to the playoffs — and it's where Hellebuyck, even though he hasn't played since last spring, can help a Devils team with more than a little offensive talent, but one that's been short on playoff success the past several seasons. Jake Allen just appeared in his 500th career NHL game in net this month for New Jersey, although he's probably better suited as a backup now at age 36, and could capably spell Hellebuyck as needed. Other than that, it should be Hellebuyck's net in Newark to lose.

Jets fans certainly weren't pleased with Hellebuyck when he wanted out of Winnipeg after previously signing a multi-year contract. He was a homegrown product who had played for Winnipeg's AHL affiliates for a season-and-a-half, after two NCAA campaigns at UMass Lowell, before making the leap to the NHL, where he had remained ever since until requesting a trade, leaving Edmonton retread Stuart Skinner and largely-untested Clay Stevenson as his heirs. Devils fans, on the other hand, have been seeking someone in net to replace franchise icon Martin Brodeur for over a decade now — and now it's time for the 6-foot-4 Hellebuyck to take his place between the posts at the Prudential Center.

The playoffs can wait, but one thing's for certain — Nov. 10 in Winnipeg, when the Devils visit the Jets for the only time this season, is going to be quite interesting, maybe even hostile for Hellebuyck himself. It's time, though, for both teams to move on and see what transpires.