Hellebuyck era grinds to conclusion
Franchise netminder's legacy left in limbo
NOW that the Connor Hellebuyck era of the Winnipeg Jets has finally concluded, what impact will the departure have on the netminder's legacy?
It's a complex answer and one that could change with the benefit of time and a side order of sober second thought.
Given how raw things are right now and how things quickly went sideways — with the franchise goalie forcing his way out of town with his trade request in April — much of the Jets fan base find themselves at the "good riddance" stage of the grieving process.
This wasn't how the story was supposed to end and some feelings have been hurt along the way.
"Well, one thing we can never forget is, again, he was a big part of our family — and we accomplished some pretty good things," said Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff on Friday. "Those memories are going to be the same."
Just over three years ago, Hellebuyck signed a contract that by his own words was to make him a lifetime Jet and a one-organization player.
That day, which included a matching seven-year, US$59.5 million extension for fellow franchise pillar Mark Scheifele, was widely celebrated locally and in wider NHL circles. It was a testament to the club to retain homegrown players and avoid shipping them out of town in a trade — which seemed like a more likely outcome for a good chunk of that off-season.
Hellebuyck's goaltending ability added to the aura around him, since the 1.0 version of the Jets lacked Vezina-calibre netminders.
His regular-season results were spectacular and that's certainly a big part of the aforementioned legacy.
On three occasions, he was awarded the Vezina as the top goalie and he earned a pair of Jennings trophies as the Jets allowed the fewest goals in the NHL in consecutive seasons.
Hellebuyck captured the Hart Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player for the 2024-25 campaign.
He was constantly referred to as the backbone of the team — a title he took great pride in.
That portion of the resumé is impeccable paired with 625 games played (including 615 starts), a record of 345-208-55, 45 shutouts, a 2.58 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
That he achieved those lofty heights after being chosen in the fifth round (130th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft only added to his somewhat unlikely story.
"We took a chance on some gangly guy out of Odessa (of the North American Hockey League)," Cheveldayoff said. "But he's earned his way along the way. As an organization, we're proud of what we had accomplished, we wish we could have pushed it over the top."
HELLEBUYCK, CONTINUED ON E2
Command has 12 points (7G, 5A) in six games with Orebro HK of the top Swedish junior league, where he will remain for the rest of this season. He joins other Swedish youngsters including defenceman Alfons Freij (with the Manitoba Moose) and defenceman Sascha Boumedienne (with Ohio State).
"I think there's some great synergy with a lot of our young prospects coming up," said Cheveldayoff.
The other forward, Bjugstad, was a salary dump by the Devils to balance out the money. The 34-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent making US$1.75 million who was on injured reserve after surgery last month for a torn pectoral muscle. He's not expected to be ready until January at the earliest, and possibly as late as March.
Bjugstad, a Minneapolis native, who is 6-6 and 210 pounds, has played 821 games for eight different teams, racking up 339 points (163G, 176A). He could join the Jets down the stretch, or perhaps be flipped at the trade deadline to a contender if Winnipeg is not in the playoff mix.
The puzzling add to the trade was Daws, making for a crowded Winnipeg crease. The 25-year-old from Germany has played in 59 NHL games with a 2.94 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. He is signed for one more season at US$1.1 million.
Winnipeg's new No. 1 masked man is Stuart Skinner, who has been stellar so far with a 2.67 GAA and a .912 save percentage in seven starts. Clay Stevenson was plucked off waivers from the Washington Capitals to serve as backup and has a 3.08 GAA and .893 save percentage in three games.
The Jets are now carrying three goaltenders on their 23-man roster. Could another deal eventually be done?
"We'll evaluate here," said Cheveldayoff. "Still pretty fresh in terms of the deal coming together like it did and some of the things that went into it. We'll see where it goes."
Plenty of teams were rumoured to be in the mix for Hellebuyck, but it was the Devils who came to the table on Thursday night and got this trade across the finish line. The same Devils, who will visit Canada Life Centre on Nov. 10 in what has immediately become the hottest ticket in town.
"Constant contact with a lot of them. Sporadic contact with some. Kicking tires on a regular basis with some," Cheveldayoff said of trade talks with teams over the last few months.
"When (Devils GM) Sunny (Mehta) got serious, he got serious real quick. It was a real treat to deal with him. There was no beating around the bush with each other. We kind of laid our cards on the table and said, 'This is what it was going to take.'"
There will be many who view Hellebuyck's departure as a sign Winnipeg's "win now" mentality has changed.
"We live in the moment and we tend to stress over the future. We had some pretty damn good teams here over the last couple of years. We've been a very competitive hockey team, and we are still a very competitive hockey team," said Cheveldayoff, who insisted his mindset hasn't shifted.
"I care deeply about this city, I care deeply about its fans, and about this organization. I feel like, collectively, I'm trying to make these right moves for everybody. For the friends I see at my coffee shop in the morning when I go, for the players that I see every day when I come into the room."
winnipegfreepress.com/kenwiebe
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff wasn't ready to predict fan reaction to Hellebuyck's eventual return, but believes his body of work here should be appreciated. (MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS)
On that front, Hellebuyck doesn't need to shoulder the brunt of the blame, but he does need to be accountable for a portion of the Jets' inability to accomplish the ultimate goal.
Numbers don't always tell the whole story, and there were obviously times when the players in front of him didn't hold up their end of the bargain, Hellebuyck had moments when he simply didn't measure up to the standards he set with his elite regular-season play.
Yes, there was a strong run to the Western Conference final in 2018 during what was just his second season as the full-time starter. That run included defeating the Nashville Predators on the road in Game 7 of the second round before running into a sizzling-hot Marc-André Fleury.
Then in 2021, Hellebuyck outduelled Mike Smith in the playoffs, backstopping the team to a sweep of the Edmonton Oilers before Carey Price got the upper hand in the next round — though that had very little to do with Hellebuyck not being up to par.
Those final playoff numbers with the Jets will be viewed as rather pedestrian: a 24-34 record in 58 starts with a 3.08 goals-against average and .903 save percentage, with seven shutouts (including two against the Dallas Stars in the second round of 2025).
Hellebuyck was supported by the hometown fans throughout the bumps in the road, including frequent chants of "M-V-P" in the memorable opening-round series with the St. Louis Blues — despite being pulled in all three road games in that matchup.
In moving over to the New Jersey Devils, Hellebuyck figures to have another opportunity to rewrite his playoff narrative, though that's a topic for another day.
And to hear Hellebuyck explain it in the moments after he led Team USA to the gold medal at the 2026 winter Olympics, he showed that he was able to shine on the big stage.
As it turns out, Jets Nation could have a chance to see Hellebuyck in a few weeks when the Devils come to Canada Life Centre for their lone visit of the regular season on Nov. 10.
Will there be a visceral reaction like the Ottawa Senators fans had for Brady Tkachuk when he returned to the nation's capital on Wednesday?
Only time will tell and Cheveldayoff wasn't ready to offer a prediction when asked about it.
"I know there's going to be different levels of things and emotions when that comes," he said. "Far be it from me to lecture any particular fan. At the end of the day, I know it's an emotional thing, but again, we all should appreciate what he has accomplished."
It would be something if another goalie comes to the Jets and provides this level of goaltending for more than a decade as Hellebuyck has already put together a career that should land him in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
And while there may come a time when Jets fans come around to celebrate those achievements and give him a proper salute, next month may be too soon for most to come to grips about the grander scheme of things.
It shouldn't be long before Hellebuyck tells his version of the story of how things went sideways so quickly and it will be interesting to see if any of that changes the tenor of the discussions around him.
Hellebuyck wasn't ready to do so on Friday afternoon, though he did respond to a text message with a brief note of appreciation for the place he was departing.
"I've enjoyed my time in Winnipeg very much," Hellebuyck wrote.