What Happened
Winnipeg moved Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey on Friday, closing a standoff that began with his trade request after last season. The return includes Swedish forward Alexander Command, taken 12th overall in June, plus forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. Hellebuyck had confirmed the request in August and stayed away from training camp, drawing an unpaid suspension that was scheduled to end Friday. He joins a Devils club sitting at 6-4-0.
Key Details
- Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
- Command, 18, has seven goals and five assists in six games for Orebro HK Jr. this season.
- Mercer, 24, has played all 82 games in each of his five NHL seasons, scoring 17 to 27 goals each year.
- Daws, 25, owns a 26-26-1 NHL record with a .897 save percentage and 2.94 goals-against average.
- Winnipeg's suspension of Hellebuyck was set to end Friday.
- The Jets host the Montreal Canadiens in the Heritage Classic on Sunday.
What It Means
New Jersey adds a proven starter to a team that has opened 6-4-0, while Winnipeg turns the page on a prolonged request by stockpiling a recent first-round pick, a durable young forward in Mercer and goaltending depth in Daws. The picks give the Jets future flexibility, though the immediate on-ice value hinges on how quickly Command develops and how Mercer's role grows.
What's Next
Hellebuyck is expected to join the Devils as they continue their season. Winnipeg plays the Heritage Classic against Montreal on Sunday without him, two days after the suspension was due to expire.