Hellebuyck Targets Devils Debut After Trade From Jets

New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck says he is prepared to make his debut following his trade from the Winnipeg Jets, giving the team another potential boost as it pursues a Stanley Cup contender's ambitions. The 33-year-old joined his new teammates for his first practice Monday, October 26, 2026, ahead of a three-game road trip that begins Tuesday against the Dallas Stars.

New Jersey, which holds a 7-4-0 record, has not ruled out playing Hellebuyck during the trip. Coach Sheldon Keefe said the goalie looked sharp in practice, but medical clearance and coaching decisions must be completed before he enters the lineup.

Hellebuyck spent more than four weeks skating after missing Winnipeg's training camp last month. His new team acquired him in a blockbuster deal announced Friday, ending his 11-season run with the Jets organization.

Hellebuyck expressed confidence in his readiness while acknowledging that the final decision belongs to the coaching staff.

"If you're asking me, I'm ready today," Hellebuyck said. "But I don't make every decision around here."

His first practice with New Jersey offered an opportunity to transition from individual skating sessions in Michigan to working with an NHL team again. Hellebuyck said he welcomed the chance to get familiar with his new teammates.

"It was fun," Hellebuyck said. "I've been really looking forward to this day for a while now, and it felt good getting acclimated with a new group and having some fun out there."

Keefe said the Devils hope to involve their new goaltender during the upcoming trip, although the team will evaluate his status daily. New Jersey visits Dallas on Tuesday, travels to face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, and finishes against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.

"I think the intent would be to get him involved in this trip," Keefe said. "But we'll have to take it a day at a time."

During practice, Hellebuyck tracked shots through traffic and handled the puck behind the net to give teammates time to organize their breakout. His puck-handling ability could help the Devils establish their defensive transitions, although the team is also familiar with backup goalie Jake Allen's skills in that area.

Hellebuyck said he expects his teammates to develop confidence in his decisions when he controls the puck behind the net.

"I'm someone that will sit on that puck and wait for my play, so I like to think these guys' jobs got a little easier," Hellebuyck said. "I know (Jake) Allen is pretty good with the puck as well, so they're probably used to it. I think it's just more of them knowing right out of the gate that they can trust me back there."

Defenseman Luke Hughes has experience facing Hellebuyck during offseason training sessions that also include his brothers, Devils center Jack Hughes and Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes. Those workouts bring together NHL players for competitive sessions aimed at improving their overall games.

Luke Hughes described the caliber of players involved in those sessions and the challenge of scoring against the veteran goalie.

"We have close to like a billion dollars on the ice, right?" Hughes said. "We get a lot of really good players, and we train to get better.

We're not out there to just stay in shape. We're trying to get better, each guy.

"It's hard to score on him. We always joke around, 'How many goals did you get on ‘Helle' today?' Usually, it's not many."

The Devils sent forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, the rights to unsigned forward Alexander Command, a second-round selection in the 2029 NHL Draft, and a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft to Winnipeg in exchange for Hellebuyck.

Hellebuyck arrives with an extensive record of individual achievements. According to NHL statistics cited in the report, he is the Jets and Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader among goaltenders in games played with 625, starts with 615, wins with 345, and shutouts with 45. He has won the Vezina Trophy three times, in 2020, 2024, and 2025, and received the Hart Trophy for the NHL's most valuable player in the 2024-25 season.

Devils forward Connor Brown said Hellebuyck's achievements are matched by his motivation to win hockey's biggest team prize. Brown joined New Jersey as a free agent on July 1, 2025, and said he recognized the appeal of the team's potential.

"The best part about all of that is he's still really hungry because he doesn't have the ultimate prize in hockey," Brown said. "For him to be able to see that future here in New Jersey, that kind of echoes what I felt when I came here (as free agent July 1, 2025).

"If this team commits to playing that type of hockey, it's very hard to beat. It's just exciting."

Brown also emphasized that acquiring an accomplished goalie should strengthen the Devils' defensive responsibilities rather than encourage them to rely on Hellebuyck to solve problems alone.

"A guy of that caliber comes in, you want to impress him with our team game, with our defensive game, and show him that he made a good decision to want to come to this team," Brown said.

Luke Hughes called Hellebuyck a potential Hall of Fame-caliber goaltender and said the acquisition had generated enthusiasm in the dressing room as New Jersey looks to build on its early-season performance.

"We're making a push, right?" Hughes said. "With our forward group and our defense, the way we've been playing, hopefully we can keep going and keep growing as a team.

"Everyone's real excited. There's buzz around the room."

Hellebuyck acknowledged that changing teams after spending his entire NHL career in Winnipeg brought mixed emotions, but he said returning to game action was his priority after weeks away from the regular team environment.

"I'm just really excited to play hockey again," Hellebuyck said. "That was the hardest part about all of this, wanting to go back and not being able to. I'm just ready to do what I do best."