lt did not take long for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to feel ready for game action after he was acquired by the New Jersey Devils.
The veteran netminder arrived in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets on Friday and will start Tuesday when the Devils visit the Dallas Stars.
“He is going tonight,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters Tuesday. “He’s eager to go. He feels like he’s ready to go.”
Connor Hellebuyck Making First Start of the Season
Hellebuyck, 33, did not show up for training camp with the Jets this season. He had requested a trade at the conclusion of last season, then re-iterated his position before training camp.
The Devils made the deal to add Hellebuyck and that offered a short turnaround before the Devils had games on back-to-back nights.
This week, the Devils play in Dallas on Tuesday and in Colorado on Wednesday. That’s a tough back-to-back scenario for any team. It would be all the more challenging if Hellebuyck wasn’t ready to play immediately.
Hellebuyck has shown that he can get ready quickly. Last season, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on November 22 and returned to play on December 13. While his conditioning might not have been at game level when the trade happened, it’s not unreasonable to think that he would be ready to play quickly.
Connor Hellebuyck One of the Game’s Premier Goalies
The veteran netminder has won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender three times. He also won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2024-2025.
He has taken criticism for limited playoff success in his career, but after winning a gold medal in the Olympics he has shown that he can rise to the occasion.
Hellebuyck was one of several American-born players who won gold at the Olympics then expressed a desire to be traded.
Brady Tkachuk was traded from Ottawa to Florida, Dylan Larkin has a standing trade request in Detroit, and Zach Werenski pulled back from his desire to get moved out of Columbus.
The Devils pulled the trigger on the deal, but several teams were interested in trading for Connor Hellebuyck.
Stars On a Roll
The Devils will be taking on a Dallas Stars squad that has won five straight games, and is 7-3-1 overall.
Stars wingers Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson are leading the way during this winning streak. Both have accrued eight points in those five wins. They will surely look to test Hellebuyck, who is making his first start since April 13.
Hellebuyck To Make Devils Debut in Dallas