The noise around Connor Hellebuyck’s introductory press conference says as much about the people throwing stones as it does about the New Jersey Devils.
For decades, Devils fans have been hit with the same tired lines: “The Devils have no fans.” “You had your Stanley Cup parade in a parking lot.”
“ New Jersey is the armpit of America.” The insults may have changed shape over the years, but the impulse never really has.
Whenever the Devils get attention, New Jersey seems to become a punching bag.
That dynamic only intensified after the Devils made their big move on Friday, landing Hellebuyck in a deal that sent a package of players and picks the other way, including Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, and 2026 first-round pick Alexander Command. A trade like that was always going to drag the Devils into a bigger spotlight. It also guaranteed more heat from Canada.
That part is easy to understand. Hellebuyck and Jack Hughes were central figures in Team USA’s gold medal run, and the finish came at Canada’s expense.
Hughes scored the Golden Goal in overtime of the Gold Medal Game, while Hellebuyck survived a barrage of dangerous chances to help end the drought. Neither player is exactly beloved north of the border after that, and Hellebuyck’s departure from Winnipeg only poured gasoline on it.
He forced the issue in August by making his trade request public, was suspended after refusing to report to training camp, and then got sent home without pay when he tried to return for the regular season. That saga was messy, loud, and plenty dramatic. Now he’s in New Jersey, and he can at least try to put it behind him.
His first comments in a Devils setting were enough to send Canadian media into overdrive.
"Canada loves their hockey, and I felt that to the bone. I loved my time there, and I loved the people that I met.
Made a lot of good friends and a lot of good relationships. I can't say one is better than the other (hockey fandom in U.S. vs.
Canada). "
Connor Hellebuyck, Devils goalie
A later question asked whether he would be “bothered” at the grocery store and whether he was looking forward to less attention in public. It was a strange line of questioning, and it produced the kind of reaction that gets clipped and spread instantly.
"It means no one knows who you are."
Hayes gives his blunt opinion on an interesting question to Connor Hellebuyck... #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/zJ6Io5IhHW
- OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) October 26, 2026
The outrage around that exchange misses the larger point. Yes, Canada is annoyed.
Yes, New Jersey is an easy target. But the idea that Devils fans are some sort of hockey afterthought is just wrong.
The market is crowded, and that’s part of the story. The Devils are fighting for attention against two other hockey teams in market and two more within three hours, plus two basketball teams, two baseball teams, two football teams, two soccer teams, Broadway, and everything else competing for eyes in the New York Metropolitan Area. Even with all that noise, Devils fans still show up and make themselves heard.
People notice it, too. On national broadcasts, the crowd response is often a talking point, because Devils fans can get the building rocking when the team gives them a reason to care.
Sid Seixeiro pushed the conversation even further.
Connor Hellebuyck had his introductory press conference with the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
One of the questions posed to him was just... incredible. #sick #thesidseixeiroshow @Sid_Seixeiro @J_Pardi pic.twitter.com/FB3WPOYHid
- The Sid Seixeiro Show (@sidseixeiroshow) October 26, 2026
The old narrative was never accurate. It just became easy to repeat, especially once social media turned lazy opinions into content.
That’s the world now: podcast hosts and radio voices lifting the internet’s worst takes and putting them on the air. “Embrace debate” is the rule of the road, but maybe a little research should come first.
In Other News...
Devils Fans Are Still Waiting For Hellebuyck To Address One Thing
Connor Hellebuycks move to New Jersey has already shifted the spotlight, but the story behind the trade still lingers. According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the Winnipeg Jets made the deal in part to avoid the possibility of a public feud, with concern that Hellebuyck might have spoken to the media after a required physical. The preference in Winnipeg was to keep the matter contained and find closure inside the room instead of letting it spill into a larger dispute.
Now with Hellebuyck on the Devils and expected to debut soon, the attention is turning to how this all gets addressed, especially with a return to Winnipeg on the horizon. For New Jersey, the immediate focus is on what he brings on the ice, but the off-ice backdrop gives his arrival a little extra weight. The one thing Devils fans are still waiting on is how, or if, Hellebuyck handles the part of this trade that Winnipeg clearly wanted to keep private. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Fans Finally Got Their First Look At A Stunning New Era
The Devils latest move finally became visible on the ice when Connor Hellebuyck took part in his first practice with New Jersey after arriving from the Winnipeg Jets in a multi-asset trade. For a fan base that has been waiting to see how this reshaped roster will look in real time, getting their first extended glance at a new No. 1-level presence in camp was the latest sign that the organization is moving into a different phase.
Around the league, the goaltending and injury picture remains unsettled, with Logan Thompson and Jakob Chychrun leaving Capitals practice early and Thompson still working back from a lower-body injury. Elsewhere, Taylor Hall was back on the ice with the Hurricanes after his own lower-body issue, while Alexander Nikishin has yet to rejoin Carolina after signing his one-year deal, a reminder that even as one major addition settles in, other teams are still sorting out their own lineup questions. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Just Saw How Fast Colorado Can Suddenly Look Vulnerable
The Avalanches latest wobble was a reminder that even one of the NHLs most dangerous teams can look shaky in a hurry. Colorado was beaten 6-2 by Nashville, and the breakdowns were easy to spot, especially on special teams, where the Predators cashed in on four power-play chances out of seven. For a Devils team that has to keep an eye on the bigger picture in the East, it was the kind of result that shows how quickly a contender can lose its footing when the details slip.
Scott Wedgewood did not give Colorado the kind of steadiness it needed, and the broader issue has been the same one following the Avalanche lately: the defense has not held up well enough, and the overall effort has come and gone. That inconsistency has left Colorado searching for more urgency and a way to stop the slide before it starts to affect the tone of the season. [Read more 🡒]