GM Sunny Mehta says sitting the goalie against his former team was an organizational call Hellebuyck himself objected to.
Connor Hellebuyck will not play Tuesday when the Devils visit Winnipeg, the team he spent his first 11 NHL seasons with before a trade request tied to private family circumstances led to a messy split and his eventual move to New Jersey in a blockbuster deal on Oct. 23.
Devils GM Sunny Mehta explained the decision in a statement, saying Hellebuyck playing "would potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability." Mehta added that "this has been an organizational decision for us that we've debated at length," noting that "Connor Hellebuyck was adamant that he felt a duty to play on Tuesday."
The announcement has reignited a saga that had mostly quieted since the trade. Hellebuyck won three Vezina Trophies and a league MVP with the Jets and is 5-0 this season with a 1.96 GAA and a .913 save percentage. Jets fans, who had been expected to voice their frustration with Hellebuyck in person for the team's only visit this season, will not get that chance. Hellebuyck has said the decision not to play was not his own.