The New Jersey Devils are in Winnipeg to take on the Jets Tuesday night in what will be goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s return to the city.
While he won’t start — the team said that despite Hellebuyck’s insistence on playing, they went with Jake Allen to avoid a drop in their “expected win probability” — he did face the Winnipeg media.
The Team USA hero spent 11 seasons in Winnipeg and won three Vezina Trophies, a Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 2024-25, and led the Jets to a Presidents’ Trophy that same season.
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However, his decision to ask for a trade, followed by him skipping camp and sitting out the start of the season meant that he and the Jets did not part on good terms.
Hellebuyck was somewhat mum on his reasons for wanting a trade aside from joining a team he views as a contender, but that changed on Tuesday.
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“I’ve alluded to this a little bit,” Hellebuyck said. “This was a very complex decision, and a very difficult one.”
Hellebuyck said there was no single moment that led to him wanting out, and that some off-ice issues played into it.
“There were some moments and some things that happened to my family that for me crossed the line,” he said before adding that he needed to do what was best for his family and his career.
He was then asked why the city of Winnipeg was being “pinned” for these things that led to Hellebuyck’s decision, when those involved may not have even had a tie to the city.
Hellebuyck strongly rebuffed the idea that he was placing the blame on Winnipeg and its citizens.
“There were a few moments that I don’t want to see happen again,” Hellebuyck said. “It is more than just online death threats, and I’m gonna ask you to respect my privacy and my family’s privacy; I won’t go deeper than that.
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“But there’s more that made me and my family uncomfortable. On top of some uncertainty with my career, I felt that a change of scenery was best.”
Hellebuyck might have to face questions again as Tuesday’s game is the first of two the Devils and Jets will play over the next few weeks.
The 33-year-old from Michigan was a key piece of Team USA’s gold medal win at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
The 41 saves on 42 shots in the OT thriller against Canada led to President Donald Trump announcing that the netminder would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.