The New Jersey Devils now occupy second place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division, after winning five of their last six games — and making the biggest splash of the early season by pulling off a blockbuster trade to bring in three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck to take over goaltending duties.
The Devils return home after three-game, 2-1 road trip Tuesday night to face the Edmonton Oilers, the team with the second-best record in the NHL.
Before the game, New Jersey announced a decision about their new goalie.
Hellebuyck makes his first home start for the New Jersey Devils tonight, the team announced, facing the Oilers at Prudential Center after the 12-year veteran recorded two road wins in his only two starts so far.
But Connor McDavid and the Oilers beat Hellebuyck twice last season, and his new home fans await the latest confrontation.
Hellebuyck has started twice since the Winnipeg Jets traded him on Oct. 23, going 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. He stopped 17 of 18 shots in a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Oct. 27, then turned aside 19 of 21 in a 5-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 30. He had not played an NHL game since April 13 after sitting out Winnipeg’s camp.
Against Edmonton in his career, Hellebuyck is 15-15-3 with a 3.04 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 33 regular-season games. He is 4-0 with a 1.60 goals-against average and .950 save percentage in the playoffs, including a shutout in the 2021 first round.
Why Connor Hellebuyck Left Winnipeg
Hellebuyck, 33, was born in Commerce, Michigan. Winnipeg drafted him 130th overall in 2012, and he played at UMass Lowell, where he won the inaugural Mike Richter Award. He owns 347 wins, a 2.58 goals-against average and 45 shutouts in 627 NHL games, along with Vezina Trophies in 2019-20, 2023-24 and 2024-25, the 2024-25 Hart Trophy and a 2026 Olympic gold medal with the United States.
Hellebuyck asked privately for a trade at his exit interview after the Jets missed the playoffs one year removed from a Presidents’ Trophy season. He went public on Aug. 27. Moving on was “the best path forward for me and my family,” he said, according to NHL.com.
“Can you get the pieces that you need? Will the players come? These are always questions that you have in Winnipeg,” Hellebuyck said, as quoted by The Athletic.
Threats and harassment aimed at Hellebuyck and his wife, Andrea, after the Olympic gold-medal game against Canada also factored in, according to The Hockey Beast, which reported police involvement.
Hellebuyck skipped training camp and drew a suspension. Winnipeg traded him to New Jersey on the day his suspension was set to be lifted for forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, the rights to 2026 first-round pick Alexander Command (12th overall), a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. General manager Sunny Mehta framed the deal as a win-now move for a skilled roster.
Devils Results and Cap Impact After Hellebuyck Trade
Before the trade, New Jersey owned strong possession numbers but a team save percentage near .876, among the NHL’s lowest, with Jake Allen and Daws sharing the crease. The Devils were roughly 6-4-0 after 10 games. They now sit at 9-5-0 with 18 points, second in the Metropolitan Division, and won both of Hellebuyck’s starts by multiple goals.
Hellebuyck’s average annual value is $8.5 million, but missing training camp lowers his 2026-27 cap hit to about $8.098 million. The Devils had roughly $8.2 million in space after the outgoing pieces, which let them fit him without another move. The deal raises their net annual cap commitment by about $1.65 million, and the full $8.5 million hit begins in 2027-28.
Devils Announce New Connor Hellebuyck Decision Ahead of Oilers Game