Jets trade disgruntled star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey

WINNIPEG — Just three years ago, Connor Hellebuyck said he was ‘ready to be a Jet for life.”

That relationship ended on Friday when the Winnipeg Jets shipped the disgruntled star goaltender to the New Jersey Devils.

“It certainly hasn’t been fun. There’s no question about it,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said at a press conference Friday.

“But at the end of the day, Connor made his choice … and as an organization, we had to act accordingly, and we did. He asked for a trade. We told him we would do our best to make it happen.”

Winnipeg will receive forwards Dawson Mercer, Alexander Command and Nick Bjugstad, as well as goalie Nico Daws, a 2027 seventh-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick.

The move comes after Hellebuyck told Cheveldayoff following last season that he wanted to be traded, then made his request public in August.

No deal was reached in the off-season, and the Jets suspended the 33-year-old Commerce, Mich., native after he failed to report to training camp. The suspension was set to expire Friday.

“It had nothing to do with what’s going on today, yesterday, tomorrow,” Cheveldayoff said of the trade’s timing.

Cheveldayoff said he prefers to remember the good times with Hellebuyck rather than the trade demand that disrupted the Jets’ summer and overshadowed the start of their new season.

“One thing we can never forget is he was a big part of our family, and we accomplished some pretty good things,” he said.

“We obviously didn’t accomplish the end goal that we all wanted, and those memories are always going to stay there. Those memories are going to be the same.”

The Jets, who are 4-3-3 and riding a four-game losing streak (0-2-2), host the Devils on Nov. 10.

Cheveldayoff was asked what kind of reception Hellebuyck might receive from Jets fans after his U.S. Olympic teammate Brady Tkachuk was heavily booed in his return to Ottawa on Wednesday. The former Senators captain faced hostile chants throughout the game, with some fans even throwing his jerseys onto the ice.

“I know there’s going to be different levels of things and emotions when that comes. Far be it from me to lecture any particular fan,” he said.

“At the end of the day, I know it’s an emotional thing, but again we all should appreciate what he has accomplished.”

On Oct. 9, 2023, Hellebuyck signed a seven-year, US$59.5-million contract extension that carried through the 2030-31 season, with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million.

“I’m ready to be a Jet for life and bring a (Stanley) Cup to this city because I truly believe we can get it done here,” Hellebuyck said at the signing.

A three-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goaltender, Hellebuyck also captured the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2024-25, when the Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy with the league’s best regular-season record.

Hellebuyck backstopped the United States to a gold-medal victory over Canada at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February. U.S. President Donald Trump subsequently announced he would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a decision that drew criticism.

Hellebuyck and his family were later targeted by unspecified threats. Cheveldayoff previously told reporters the Jets had requested additional security and notified police.

Winnipeg missed the playoffs, while Hellebuyck finished with a 23-23-11 record, an .895 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average. He did not record a shutout.

At his post-season media availability, Hellebuyck criticized the team’s direction.

Selected by the Jets in the 2012 draft (130th overall), Hellebuyck manned their crease for 625 regular-season games (345-208-55) since 2015-16. He was 24-34 in the playoffs.

Cheveldayoff said trading a goaltender brings some challenges, but he thinks the deal helped the team.

“I feel for me that we addressed some needs that we had in our forward group here right now,” he said. “We added depth to the organization. We added assets that I can use now either for drafting or at the trade deadline.”

He pointed to Mercer as someone who could fit in well with the Jets at either wing or centre.

Mercer has four assists in 10 games this season. The 24-year-old from Carbonear, N.L., was selected 18th overall by New Jersey in the 2020 NHL draft and has 213 points (103 goals, 110 assists) in 420 career regular-season games.

Cheveldayoff said the Jets had their eye on Command at this year’s draft before selecting Viggo Bjorck eighth overall.

Command, 18, was selected 12th overall by New Jersey and has appeared in six games with Orebro HK in the Swedish league this season. He remains unsigned.

Daws, 25, appeared in four games for the Devils this season, posting a 2-2-0 record with a 2.78 goals-against average and an .874 save percentage. Selected 84th overall by New Jersey in 2020, he has a 26-26-1 record in 59 career NHL games. Born in Germany, Daws represents Canada internationally.

Bjugstad, 34, is recovering from pectoral surgery in September, with an expected recovery period of four to six months. The veteran from Blaine, Minn., has 339 points (163 goals, 176 assists) and 377 penalty minutes in 821 career games with Florida, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Arizona, Edmonton, Utah, St. Louis and New Jersey.

“Fortunately, I can now have some sleep,” Cheveldayoff told reporters.

This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly reported Hellebuyck’s contract extension at eight years, instead of seven.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.