The hockey world was turned upside down on Friday afternoon when the Devils announced the acquisition of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck from Winnipeg.
In one transaction, the Devils didn’t just upgrade the goaltending position, they turned it into a strength by adding one of the best to do it over the past decade.
Hellebuyck’s resume speaks for itself:
- Gold medal winner with Team USA at 2026 Winter Olympics
- 2026 Winter Olympic Games Best Goaltender
- NHL Hart Trophy winner as league MVP in 2025
- 3-time Vezina Trophy winner as NHL Goalie of the Year (2020, 2024, 2025)
- 3-time NHL First All-Star Team (2020, 2024, 2025)
- 2-time William Jennings Trophy winner for having the lowest goals against in the NHL (2024, 2025)
- Two 40-win seasons
- Six 30-win seasons
Hellebuyck has the physical and mental tools it takes to be an elite tender. He has a big body (6-foot-4, 207 pounds) that takes up a lot of net. He has quick reaction skills and enough athleticism to make the desperation saves when needed. But what separates him from the pack is his head. Hellebuyck is excellent at reading the play and anticipating where shots are coming from and plays are developing, staying a step ahead of his opponents. And he's cool under pressure (see the Olympics).
The Michigan native has been among the best goalies in the NHL since his breakout year in 2017-18. That season he won 44 games and carried Winnipeg to the Western Conference Final. He was a runner-up for NHL Goalie of the Year.
Hellebuyck enjoyed his best season two years ago in 2024-25. He won NHL MVP, the Vezina and William Jennings trophies after going 47-12-3 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. And just last February, he was paramount to Team USA winning gold for the first time in 46 years with 42 saves against Canada in the Gold Medal Game. He was the rock USA needed.
Hellebuyck dealt with injuries last season and had a "down year" in terms of his numbers. But he showed during the Olympics that he still has that X-factor.
At 33 years old, he's on the older side. But it's worth noting that he was 31 when he had his best pro season, and has plenty left in the tank to give.
So what does this mean for the Devils?
With the acquisition of Hellebuyck the Devils have become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender…on paper. Obviously, it all must be put together on the ice. But this is possibly the best assembled roster for New Jersey since 2012 (and we know how that season went).
The depth at forward has already been well documented. And losing just Dawson Mercer from the current lineup still keeps them in a strong position depth-wise at forward. On the backend, the team has seven NHL-caliber defensemen.
The Devils biggest hole with the trade of Jacob Markstrom to Florida in the summer was between the pipes. The club entered the season with Jake Allen and Nico Daws in net. Though they held high hopes for Daws, he was still a young and unproven commodity, while Allen was being asked to shoulder a heavy load at 36 years old.
It’s possible that the duo would have made it work between them. But the ability to add one of the game’s best goalies of the past decade is something that can’t be passed on. General manager Sunny Mehta solved that in a big way.
Hellebuyck will join the veteran Allen between the pipes to give New Jersey arguably the best tandem in the league. And suddenly what was once a question mark entering the season has become one of the Devils biggest strengths.
There should be some caution early on though. Hellebuyck will need some time to get up to speed. After requesting a trade this summer, he was a hold out for the entirety of Winnipeg’s training camp and regular season. He hasn’t participated in an NHL practice, let alone an NHL game, since April. There will be a lot of rust to knock off early.
The priority now will be getting him to New Jersey, getting him around the coaches and team and getting him acclimated to his new surroundings. The 11-year veteran will hit the ground running. When he makes his Devils debut has yet to be determined (though the Devils do play back-to-back road games next week in Dallas, then Colorado).
Expectations should be tempered early on. But once Hellebuyck finds his game, the sky is the limit for him, and the Devils.
