The Connor Hellebuyck saga with the Winnipeg Jets has finally reached an end, as he was traded on Friday to the New Jersey Devils in a blockbuster trade.
In return for the gold medal-winning goaltender, the Jets received Dawson Mercer, Nick Jbugstad, Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round draft pick, and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick.
All of this comes on the heels of Hellebuyck’s trade request that wasn’t granted until this week; he’d previously been suspended by the club for not reporting to Training Camp, and he’s yet to play this season.
And during his introductory press conference on Saturday, he made his first comments since the trade, including a message for Jets fans.
Former Winnipeg Jets Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s Message To Fans After Trade To Devils
Speaking alongside Devils general manager Sunny Mehta, Hellebuyck made his first appearance since being acquired by New Jersey and had a special message for the fans that he’s leaving behind in Manitoba.
“There is a lot that I need to say, but they have their Heritage Classic game coming up, so as respect for them and the celebration of hockey, I’m gonna postpone that to a later date. I hope they know I care about them,” he said via NHL News on X, formerly known as Twitter.
He continued:
“Canada loves their hockey, I felt that to the bone,” he said of his time in Winnipeg. “I loved my time there … We love our hockey in our own way and that should be celebrated.”
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff Believes He Took Care Of The Club’s Needs
Speaking after the trade, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff believes that he took care of the club’s needs.
“We addressed some needs that we had in our forward group, added depth to the organization, added assets that I can use now for drafting or at the trade deadline,” Cheveldayoff said. “At the end of the day that’s the goal I set out to accomplish here moving forward.”
He also complimented Mehta, saying that he’s very easy to deal with.
“When Sunny [Mehta] got serious, he got serious real quick,” he said. “It was a real treat to deal with him, he’s very straight forward. There was no beating around the bush.”
Connor Hellebuyck Breaks Silence With Message for Jets Fans After Devils Trade