Connor Hellebuyck didn’t just beat the Maple Leafs on Sunday night. He shut the door completely.
The New Jersey goaltender turned aside 23 shots for his first shutout in a Devils sweater, and New Jersey rolled out of Toronto with a 4-0 win. Timo Meier powered the attack with two goals, Nico Hischier added a goal and an assist, and Connor Brown finished things off with an empty-netter as the Devils kept humming with their ninth win in their last 10 games.
Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each picked up two assists, giving New Jersey plenty of help around Hellebuyck’s clean sheet. For Hellebuyck, the night carried a little more history too: acquired from the Winnipeg Jets last month, he became the first goaltender in franchise history to win each of his first five games with the club.
Toronto never found much traction against him. Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves, but the Maple Leafs dropped their third straight and have now lost five of their last six in regulation.
Meier broke the game open in the second period, scoring at 8:28 after he was left alone in front following an offensive-zone faceoff. He struck again at 12:44 when a Hughes shot changed direction off Meier and slipped past Stolarz to make it 2-0.
The Devils added more separation in the third. Hischier scored on the power play at 9:49, and Brown sealed it into the empty net.
Before the puck dropped, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 was recognized. Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Cindy Curley are set to be enshrined in the player category Monday, while Brian Burke will go in as a builder.
Toronto was already shorthanded on the blue line, with veteran defencemen Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev both out. Jack Roslovic was a late scratch with a lower-body injury even though he skated in warm-ups, and Colton Sissons did not return after the second period with the same designation.
For New Jersey, the night also set up a return trip to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck, who will face the Jets on Tuesday after demanding a trade that led to the move to New Jersey on Oct. 23.
Hischier’s assist on Meier’s first goal also pushed him into a notable statistical club. He became the third Swiss-born player in NHL history to reach 500 career points, joining Roman Josi (799) and Kevin Fiala (528).
The Devils head to Winnipeg next. The Maple Leafs stay home to meet the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
In Other News...
Jets May Have Found A Hellebuyck Trade Piece Worth Watching
The Connor Hellebuyck trade may have given the Jets more than just a headline, because Alexander Command is already drawing attention as a prospect worth tracking. Originally taken 12th overall by New Jersey in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Swedish forward has been praised by NHL Draft analyst Chris Peters and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff for a mix of offensive skill, physical play, competitiveness and self-awareness.
Command is expected to keep developing in the Swedish Hockey League, even with NCAA programs showing interest, and he should also be in the mix for Swedens under-20 team at the World Juniors. For Winnipeg, that makes him the kind of piece that can be easy to overlook in a blockbuster deal at first glance, but hard to ignore once the long-term upside starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Hellebuycks Winnipeg Return Just Got More Awkward For Everyone
Connor Hellebuycks first return trip to Winnipeg was always going to carry some extra weight, but the Devils have taken the emotion out of the crease for now. New Jersey general manager Sunny Mehta said the club will not start Hellebuyck in the upcoming game against the Jets, explaining the choice as one made to protect the teams expected win probability rather than to indulge the storyline.
Hellebuyck, who was traded from Winnipeg to New Jersey in October, had wanted to play in the matchup, which only adds to the awkwardness of a night that already had plenty of it. He is scheduled to speak with the media after the morning skate, where the focus will turn to his trade request and the circumstances that pushed him out of Winnipeg in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Let A Winnable Comeback Slip Away Late
A tight game in Tampa swung late when Mark Scheifele delivered the go-ahead power-play goal in the third period and the Jets held on for a 4-3 win. Cole Perfetti, Morgan Barron and Brayden Yager also scored for Winnipeg, which kept finding answers as the Lightning tried to pressure their way back into it.
Pontus Holmberg scored twice for Tampa Bay and Brandon Hagel added another, but the Lightning could not cash in on their own man-advantage chances. Winnipeg made the most of special teams and came away with a result that felt there for the taking, while Tampa Bay was left to wonder how a winnable comeback slipped away late. [Read more 🡒]