Connor Hellebuyck subjected to ugly scene in Winnipeg with boos and jerseys thrown

Jets fans packed Canada Life Centre on Tuesday night and let the New Jersey Devils goaltender hear it the moment he stepped onto the ice for warmups, answering his return with a steady wall of boos.

Chants of “Helle sucks!” and “Coward!” echoed through the building as the three-time Vezina Trophy winner went through his pre-game routine.

The crowd was already furious over how the goalie left, and the mood sharpened further when the Devils announced Sunday that he would not play.

General manager Sunny Mehta took responsibility for the call and pointed to a possible dip in the team's expected win probability.

That reasoning did little to calm Winnipeg, especially since Hellebuyck is 5-0-0 with the Devils, with one shutout and a .913 save percentage. Jake Allen started instead and had to tune out the noise.

The Jets gave their fans something to cheer quickly. Dawson Mercer, one of the key pieces Winnipeg received in the trade, opened the scoring midway through the first period.

Hellebuyck, 33, pushed for a move after the 2025-26 season, skipped Jets training camp and forfeited nearly $1 million in pay over the first four weeks of this season before being dealt on Oct. 23.

Winnipeg also landed forwards Alexander Command and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws and two future draft picks.

Speaking to reporters before the game, Hellebuyck called the decision complex and difficult. He said certain events involving his family went too far, and that as a husband and father, they left him certain about leaving.

He remains signed with New Jersey through 2031 at a cap hit just under $8.1 million, after 11 seasons in Winnipeg that included the 2025 Hart Trophy.

Whether Hellebuyck ever hears cheers in Winnipeg again is anyone's guess. For now, the message from the stands was loud and clear, and Winnipeg looks ready to move on without him.

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Connor Hellebuyck reveals what happened to his family in Winnipeg that pushed him to request a trade