Latest Connor Hellebuyck Rumor Should Have New Jersey Devils Running Away
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils have been rumored as one of the teams interested in Vezina Trophy-nominee Connor Hellebuyck. The superstar goalie made it clear in his exit interview that he wanted no part in a rebuilding effort with the Winnipeg Jets. That had the internet rumor mill rumbling almost immediately. With the Devils stacked superstar team and a rough outing from its supposed starting goalie in the playoffs, it has many connecting the dots.
One of those dot connectors is Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic, who wrote about the Hellebuyck destinations. On a broadcast segment for Insider Trading on TSN, he says that the Devils are specifically involved in trade talks. There’s one problem; Hellebuyck is asking for a BAG when it comes to his next contract.
Right now, Hellebuyck is signed for one more year at just over $6 million per year. That’s more than palatable for what Hellebuyck brings to the table. He’s a true superstar in net, and he has one more chance to get paid amongst the elites. According to LeBrun, that is in the Andrei Vasilevskiy range.
For those who don’t know, Vasilevskiy makes $9.5 million per season. There is one huge difference between the two. Vasilevskiy signed that deal when he was 25 years old. Hellebuyck is going to be 30 when his deal begins.
This should have the Devils screaming for the hills when it comes to a Hellebuyck trade. There is no way this team can saddle itself with a $9.5 million cap hit on a goalie who already has 445 games under his belt. Cory Schneider developed hip problems, and he has 410 games played in his career. Other goalies seem to show signs of slowing down in between the 350 and 400 games mark.
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Of course, Devils fans are a special breed because Martin Brodeur was elite for most of his 1,266 games. However, he was a freak of nature. Nobody does that anymore.
This is a straight win or lose proposition. If Hellebuyck is great for at least a majority of his next contract, the Devils could win multiple Stanley Cups. If he gets hurt or his play falls off, this could be the reason the Devils stay at three Cups in its history, and they could waste Jack Hughes’ prime. It’s literally that volatile.
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This isn’t a situation that can’t be fixed. The Devils just can’t afford to pay a guy north of $9 million when he’s going to be on the wrong side of 30 when the contract starts if the contract has that value for a full eight years. Maybe the Devils could hit close to the number on a shorter deal. Would $8.5 million over four years work for everyone? Maybe it’s not so crazy after all.