Jets Trade Connor Hellebuyck to the Devils in a Blockbuster Deal

The New Jersey Devils acquired goaltender Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, the teams announced, ending his 11 seasons in Manitoba and a standoff that kept the star goalie away from training camp and the start of the season. Winnipeg receives forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, the rights to unsigned draft choice Alexander Command, New Jersey's second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft and New Jersey's seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

The end of a standoff

Hellebuyck, 33, privately requested a trade several months ago and confirmed the request in a public statement on August 27. "I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options," he said in that statement, adding that moving on was the best path forward for him and his family. He did not report to training camp, and the Jets suspended him, with the suspension beginning on September 16. It was scheduled to end on Friday, and Hellebuyck had been expected to report to Winnipeg. Instead, he is on his way to Newark.

The money shaped his market. Hellebuyck is in the third season of a seven-year, $59.5 million contract with an $8.5 million cap hit through 2030-31, and his full no-movement clause gave him control over any destination.

What New Jersey is getting

Hellebuyck has won the Vezina Trophy three times, in 2019-20, 2023-24 and 2024-25, and in 2024-25 he added the Hart Trophy as league MVP, becoming the eighth goaltender to win it. That season he went 47-12-3 with a 2.00 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and eight shutouts, leading the league in all three categories. In 625 career games he is 345-208-55 with a 2.58 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and 45 shutouts. In February he backstopped the United States to the gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, going 5-0 with a 1.18 goals-against average and a .956 save percentage, and making 41 saves in the 2-1 overtime win over Canada in the final.

His most recent season in Winnipeg was his weakest. He finished 23-23-11 with a 2.86 goals-against average and a career-worst .895 save percentage, with no shutouts for the first time, and the Jets missed the playoffs at 35-35-12.

New Jersey needed help in net. The Devils opened the season with Daws and Jake Allen as their tandem, and the two had combined for an .880 save percentage, 23rd among the league's 32 teams. General Manager Sunny Mehta announced the trade for the Devils. It was not immediately clear when Hellebuyck will be ready to play for his new team. He has been skating in his home state of Michigan while talks continued. In New Jersey he joins forward Jack Hughes, who scored the overtime winner for the United States in that Olympic final.

What Winnipeg gets back

Mercer, 24, scored 20 goals and 42 points in all 82 games last season and has four assists in 10 games this season. His cap hit is $4 million and he can become a restricted free agent in July. Daws, 25, has an .874 save percentage in four games this season. Bjugstad, 34, tore a pectoral muscle in September, is on long-term injured reserve and is expected to miss four to six months. Command, 18, was the 12th overall pick in the 2026 draft. The Devils play in Winnipeg on November 10. If he is in the lineup, it will be Hellebuyck's first game back in his home building of 11 seasons.