Devils goalie expresses gratitude, explains trade request on Instagram account Wednesday to express his gratitude to Winnipeg Jets fans as well as the organization and former teammates, and to explain his decision to request a trade after last season.
The goalie’s distinguished 11-season tenure with the Jets, which included winning the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie three times (2020, 2024, 2025), and the Hart Trophy as the League’s most valuable player (2024-25 season), ended when he was traded to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 23. Winnipeg received forward Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, forward Nick Bjugstad, the rights to unsigned draft choice forward Alexander Command, New Jersey’s second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft and seventh-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft.
“When I think about my years in Winnipeg, I’ll always be grateful for the life my family and I built there and for the people who became such an important part of it,” Hellebuyck wrote in his everyone to know it was an extremely difficult decision.
“There were several considerations that went into my decision, including some very challenging circumstances involving my family. After a lot of thought and discussion, we ultimately felt that making a change was the best thing for our family. We’ve chosen to keep those <a Trophy as the League's top regular-season team in 2024-25. He went 47-12-3 with a 2.00 GAA, .925 save percentage and eight shutouts in 63 games (62 starts), leading the NHL in wins, GAA and shutouts. Last season, he helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics by going 5-0 with a 1.18 GAA and .956 save percentage in five games (five starts).
The Jets missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season (35-35-12), though, and finished seventh in the Central Division, eight points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Hellebuyck went 23-23-11 with a 2.86 GAA and .895 save percentage in 57 games (57 starts).
