The Hellebuyck trade is done. The Winnipeg Jets sent Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on 23 October, the day his suspension was due to end, for forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, the rights to prospect Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. It ends a standoff that began when he asked to leave at his exit interview last spring.
Update, 31 October: Hellebuyck made his Devils debut on 27 October, stopping 17 of 18 shots in a 5-1 win over the Stars in Dallas. He is 2-0-0 with a .923 save percentage in two games for New Jersey.
The Devils are 9-5-0 and now have a starter. Winnipeg is 4-7-3, and starts a new era in goal with Stuart Skinner.
The Hellebuyck trade: what each team got
| Player or pick | Pos | Age | Goes to | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connor Hellebuyck | G | 33 | Devils | Three Vezina Trophies and the 2025 Hart Trophy; 345 wins in 625 games for the Jets |
| Dawson Mercer | C | 25 | Jets | No. 18 pick in 2020; 103 goals and 215 points in 424 games |
| Nico Daws | G | 25 | Jets | 61 NHL games; No. 84 pick in 2020 |
| Nick Bjugstad | C | 34 | Jets | 339 points in 821 NHL games; recovering from surgery |
| Alexander Command | C | 18 | Jets | No. 12 pick in 2026; unsigned, playing in Sweden |
| 2029 second-round pick | Jets | New Jersey’s own | ||
| 2027 seventh-round pick | Jets | New Jersey’s own |
The trade is on our NHL trade tracker, with every other deal of the season.
Why the Devils made the trade
Goaltending was New Jersey’s weak spot. The Devils’ team save percentage of .876 was tied for 23rd in the league before the trade, according to NHL.com, with Jake Allen and Daws sharing the net. General manager Sunny Mehta said a Hellebuyck deal had come up with Winnipeg weeks earlier. Once the clubs went back to it this week, they had a deal in less than two days.
Hellebuyck, 33, has won the Vezina Trophy three times, in 2020, 2024 and 2025, and was the league MVP in 2025, when he won 47 games. He also won Olympic gold with the United States in February.
The Devils are paying for a bounce-back, though. Last season he went 23-23-11 with an .895 save percentage, the lowest of his 11 seasons, and had no shutouts for the first time.
What the Jets got back
Mercer, 25, is the centrepiece. He has scored 20 goals in three of his NHL seasons and has never missed a game. He played 15:22 in his Jets debut at the Heritage Classic, where NHL.com reported beforehand that he would start on captain Adam Lowry’s line and kill penalties.
Command, 18, was New Jersey’s first-round pick in June and is still playing in Sweden. Daws gives Winnipeg a third goalie behind Skinner and Clay Stevenson. Bjugstad had surgery on an off-season upper-body injury and is not expected back before January, NHL.com reported.
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff told reporters he was very comfortable with the return, CBC News reported, and that he had called Hellebuyck to wish him well. Skinner started the Heritage Classic, a 2-1 loss to Montréal, and our Heritage Classic guide covers that game.
How the Hellebuyck saga played out
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 9 October 2023 | Signs a seven-year, US$59.5M extension with Winnipeg |
| June 2025 | Wins the Hart Trophy and his third Vezina after a league-leading 47 wins |
| February 2026 | Wins Olympic gold with the United States, beating Canada in the final |
| Spring 2026 | Asks to be traded at his exit interview after the Jets miss the playoffs |
| June 2026 | Deals with Florida and Buffalo reportedly come close around the draft, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said |
| 27 August 2026 | His trade request becomes public |
| Mid-September 2026 | Does not report to training camp, and the Jets suspend him |
| 23 October 2026 | Traded to New Jersey on the day the suspension was due to end |
| 26 October 2026 | First practice with the Devils |
He wanted out because he doubted Winnipeg could add the players needed to contend, he said in the spring, and he added that most of the league did not share his fondness for the city. The suspension cost him more than US$900,000 in salary, TSN reported.
Hellebuyck’s contract with the Devils
New Jersey takes on the rest of a seven-year, US$59.5M contract he signed on 9 October 2023. CapWages lists the average annual value at US$8.5M through 2030-31, when he will be 38.
His full no-movement clause for this season meant no trade could happen without his approval. From 2027-28 it becomes a modified no-trade clause, according to CapWages.
When will Hellebuyck play for the Devils?
He has already played: his first game for New Jersey was on 27 October. The Devils’ next game is at home to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, 3 November.
Two dates stand out for Canadian fans. The Devils play in Toronto on 8 November, and Hellebuyck’s first game back in Winnipeg comes on Tuesday, 10 November.
What happens next for the Jets
Winnipeg is 4-7-3 and leans on Skinner, who signed a two-year deal in July, with Stevenson as his backup. Hellebuyck leaves as the franchise leader in games, wins and shutouts. Other trade talk around the league, credited to the reporters who broke it, is on our weekly NHL trade rumours board.
For bettors, a goalie of Hellebuyck’s level can move a team’s Stanley Cup price on its own. Our Stanley Cup odds page tracks the futures board. Odds may change. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly.
Hellebuyck trade FAQs
Forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, the rights to prospect Alexander Command, New Jersey’s 2029 second-round pick and its 2027 seventh-round pick.
On Friday, 23 October 2026, the day his suspension by the Jets was due to end.
He asked at his exit interview after the 2025-26 season. He doubted Winnipeg could add the players needed to contend, and his request became public on 27 August.
He made his debut on 27 October in a 5-1 win over the Stars in Dallas.
US$59.5 million over seven years, signed in 2023, with an average annual value of US$8.5 million through 2030-31.
On Tuesday, 10 November 2026, at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. in Winnipeg).
19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC) | Please play responsibly | Statistics and the trade are the NHL’s | Contract figures from CapWages, in US dollars | ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 (ON); your province’s helpline is on our gambling awareness page.