New Jersey Devils goalie Connor Hellebuyck reacted to a successful debut for his new team following his trade from the Winnipeg Jets.
After the Jets traded Hellebuyck to the Devils in a blockbuster trade last week, there was some thought that the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, the NHL’s best goaltender, may need some time to get game-ready, as he missed the Jets’ entire training camp due to his holdout.
But Hellebuyck only needed a few days of practice with the Devils, and he made his debut on Tuesday, helping New Jersey beat the Dallas Stars 5-1 in what can only be described as an exceptional debut for his new team as he stopped 17 of 18 shots on goal.
Connor Hellebuyck Comments on Devils Debut
Speaking to Devils reporter Amanda Stein following the Devils’ 5-1 win over Dallas on Tuesday night on the road, Hellebuyck shared some comments about his debut for New Jersey, crediting the defense in front of him for helping keep the puck out of the net.
“I thought the guys in front of me just played a perfect game for me to get acclimated. Low amount of shots, blocking everything, keep everything to the outside, let me see things, let me touch the puck a lot. I got to work through a little bit of rust, but I thought it was just a perfect game top to bottom,” Hellebuyck said.
Sheldon Keefe Praises Connor Hellebuyck
Hellebuyck’s strong performance drew the praise of Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe, who noted that Hellebuyck appeared to be in “mid-season form.”
“I thought he was exceptional. I don’t think we could’ve asked for much more from him here today, and you can kind of see why he was pushing to play, because he’s very much just physically ready, and it’s good for us to get him that game and play well in front of him and get him going,” Keefe said.
“Not only seems like he’s in mid-season form, but seems like he’s been here a long time. He’s got tremendous level of confidence, which is for good reason. He’s earned that. And he showed that he’s been doing all the work necessary to be ready, as he said he was.”
Next up for the Devils is a Wednesday night matchup on the road against the Colorado Avalanche. Since it’s a back-to-back game, Hellebuyck will likely be the backup, with Jake Allen starting instead.
Connor Hellebuyck Reacts to Successful Devils Debut in 5-1 Win