NEWARK, N.J. — In engineering a blockbuster trade for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on Friday, the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets closed the book on an acrimonious standoff and immediately altered the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
The Jets sent the 33-year-old, three-time Vezina Trophy winner to New Jersey in exchange for forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, 2026 first-round draft choice Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round selection and a 2027 seventh-round pick, Bleacher Report reported.
The agreement arrived just as Hellebuyck’s unpaid suspension expired on Friday. The goaltender had requested a trade during the offseason and sat out training camp along with the first 24 days of the regular season, forfeiting $927,835.05 in salary, according to Bleacher Report.
High stakes for New Jersey
For New Jersey General Manager Sunny Mehta, taking on Hellebuyck represents a calculated gamble aimed at fixing a flaw that has plagued the franchise for years. The New York Post reported that the Devils have struggled to establish reliable goaltending since Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur departed in 2014, reaching the playoffs only three times since their 2012 Stanley Cup Final appearance.
Entering the weekend at 6-4-0, New Jersey allowed the third-fewest expected goals per game in the NHL but ranked 24th in team save percentage, according to the New York Post. Metric tracking by MoneyPuck showed that both Daws and veteran Jake Allen had surrendered more goals than expected so far this season, while The Sporting News noted that Devils netminders collectively logged a minus-16.9 mark in goals saved above average since the 2023-24 campaign began.
Hellebuyck, who won the Hart Trophy and his third Vezina in 2024-25, represents a significant upgrade on paper. The Sporting News reported that since breaking into the league in 2015, Hellebuyck ranks second among all NHL goaltenders in victories with 345, goals-against average at 2.58, save percentage at .916 and goals saved above average at 166.7. Betting markets responded quickly to the deal, with New Jersey’s postseason probability rising on prediction market Kalshi from 55 percent to 70 percent, the New York Post reported.
The acquisition also brings financial risk. Hellebuyck is in the third season of a seven-year, $59.5 million contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million, leaving the Devils responsible for his salary through his age-38 campaign, according to The Sporting News.
Winnipeg makes the best of limited leverage
Winnipeg General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff navigated the negotiations with narrow options. According to The Sporting News, Hellebuyck held a full no-movement clause that let him control his landing spot, limiting Winnipeg’s bargaining power as contenders including the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres weighed offers.
Despite those constraints, the Jets acquired multiple roster assets. Command, selected 12th overall in the 2026 draft, provides Winnipeg with a high-ceiling Swedish playmaker, while Mercer offers established defensive ability in a middle-six forward role, The Sporting News reported. In net, Daws gives Winnipeg a developmental option behind Stuart Skinner, who has opened the season on a strong run as the Jets’ starter.
In Buffalo, the resolution brings relief to a locker room that had been surrounded by trade rumors for months. Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen told Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic that clearing the air would help the team move forward.
“I think it’s good for everybody that some of that noise quiets down,” Luukkonen said, as reported by ClutchPoints. “You’re going to have to learn to deal with it. But in the end, I think it’s a good thing for everybody.”
Whether the transaction delivers the desired postseason results remains to be seen. Hellebuyck’s recent playoff track record has drawn criticism, and he endured a statistical decline during his final season in Winnipeg, according to The Sporting News. His next test begins in Newark, where he reunites with Olympic teammate Jack Hughes in an effort to anchor a championship contender.
