Winnipeg Jets' all-world goalie Connor Hellebuyck has made his trade request from earlier in the offseason public. This puts pressure on the Winnipeg Jets, who have underachieved the last few years, to trade the goalie prior to the opening of training camps in a few weeks. Should the New Jersey Devils be in on Hellebuyck?
Yes. A thousand times yes.
The Devils' biggest question mark, other than the health of the Hughes brothers, is the current state of the goaltending. The Devils currently have a three-man rotation, potentially, with three goalies who have not been a number one in either a long time or at all.
Jake Allen is the penciled-in de facto starter for the Devils. Allen, who has seen a decent-sized workload in his time in New Jersey, is entering his age-36 season and has not played at a starter's rate since 2022-23, when he played 42 games. The last time he played more than 50 games was in 2017-18, the year Taylor Hall won MVP. It has been a long time.
David Rittich is a complete wild card. His last starter's workload came in the COVID-19 shortened season in 2019-20, and been an average to solid backup since then. He is only signed to a one-year contract and does not scream starter or long-term backup.
Nico Daws is the biggest wild card. He has had multiple cups of coffee with the Devils since he was drafted back in 2020. He has appeared in 55 games total since making his debut in the tumultuous 2021-22 year, in which the Devils used seven different goalies. Daws was the best one, but that was an incredibly low bar.
The Devils, specifically Martin Brodeur, have been very high on Daws since his draft year. If that was the case, why would the Devils and then-general manager Tom Fitzgerald give up so many assets for Jacob Markstrom? Daws has been waiting for his chance for a few years now, and the Devils chose an aging tandem. Now is his chance to seize the net, but is he worth the risk for a crucial year for the Devils?
Now, here is the Hellebuyck of it all.
Connor Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, a four-time All-Star, a one-time NHL MVP, and an Olympic Gold Medal-winning netminder.
This is a no-brainer for the Devils to go after Hellebuyck. He is miles beyond what Allen, Rittich, and Daws can offer as a tandem. He is locked up for a few more years, five to be exact. He makes $8.5 million against the cap in an era where the Devils can afford to make that leap.
If the Devils are worried about acquiring a large salary like Hellebuyck instead of focusing on Quinn Hughes, there are a few pieces losing trade protection that the Devils can move on from to try and fit potentially both of them.
Jonathan Kovacevic loses his mind blowing full no trade clause, Dougie Hamilton could be easier to move with only one year left on his contract at a full $9 million. There is a world where the Devils can fit both Hellebuyck and Quinn Hughes.
The Devils would have to give up assets for Hellebuyck. Dawson Mercer is a common fan trade theory, and he makes sense for the Wild as a young forward who can play either center or wing. The Devils also have a decent amount of first-round picks to dangle thanks to the Simon Nemec trade.
The Devils may have to risk Hughes signing an extension with the Wild after the deadline until free agency, but there is so much noise and not a little action regarding the eldest Hughes brother that it is anyone's guess at this point.
The clear thing right now is that Connor Hellebuyck should be the opening night goalie for the Devils this upcoming season. He admittedly had a down year this past season by his standards. But he is only one year removed from an MVP season. The Devils would be smart to gamble on Hellebuyck rather than a three-headed question mark.
Having two Olympic Gold Medalists on the roster with the potential to add a third with a long-term deal with all three on the horizon would make the Devils contenders in the Metro for years to come. Right now, Hellebuyck makes too much sense for the Devils not to trade for him.
New general manager Sunny Mehta may not be in favor of the move, given the big price tag it could take to get Hellebuyck. Elliotte Friedman has said that he does not see Mehta being on board, but he should be.
It is time for the Devils to have the best goalie in the NHL again.
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