Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel blasted the New Jersey Devils for their decision to sit Connor Hellebuyck on Tuesday night.
The Jets and Devils face off in Winnipeg for the first time since Hellebuyck was traded to New Jersey in October after spending 11 years with the Jets.
The hope was that Jets fans would finally get closure by getting the chance to boo their former netminder for asking out, but that won’t happen, as the Devils made the decision to sit Hellebuyck and start Jake Allen against the Jets instead, a decision that Arniel, Hellebuyck’s former coach in Winnipeg, does not agree with.
Scott Arniel Takes Shot at Devils for Connor Hellebuyck Decision
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Arniel made it clear that he’s not happy that the Devils won’t start Hellebuyck against the Jets on Tuesday night.
“#NHLJets Scott Arniel has plenty to say about New Jersey’s decision to NOT have Connor Hellebuyck face his old team. Mentions the former goaltender ‘gave up on us’ and that playing Tuesday ‘would put closure to it. This doesn’t. It would be nice to finally be done with this,'” per Jets reporter Mike McIntyre.
“I can feel the frustration of the fans. We wanted to get this put to bed. That’s the biggest thing. Now it’s not getting put to bed here. It’s going to linger,” Arniel said.
“I can feel the frustration of the fans. We wanted to get this put to bed. That’s the biggest thing. Now it’s not getting put to bed here. It’s going to linger.”
Scott Arniel Questions Analytics Component of Sitting Connor Hellebuyck
According to the Devils, the reason that Hellebuyck is sitting against the Jets is that it gives the Devils a better chance to win the game, which doesn’t make sense given Hellebuyck is an elite goalie and Allen has terrible career numbers against Winnipeg.
That analytics talk has left Arniel confused about why analytics have come into the equation in this particular instance.
“I’ve seen a lot of analytics in my life since it’s really come into the forefront. I’m not sure how this works into the analytics part of it,” Arniel said.
“I’ve seen a lot of analytics in my life since it’s really come into the forefront. I’m not sure how this works into the analytics part of it.”
Given all the bad blood, look for a heck of a hockey game between Winnipeg and New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Jets HC Scott Arniel Blasts Devils for Connor Hellebuyck Decision