Connor Hellebuyck’s first return to Winnipeg came with a wall of noise, and Jets fans made sure he heard every bit of it.
The former Winnipeg goaltender, traded on Oct. 23 and kept out of the game by his new team, was the last player onto the ice for warmups Tuesday night. The reaction started immediately, with boos greeting him before he even reached the neutral zone. From there, the pregame skate turned into a full-on roast.
The chants came in waves: “Coward!”, “Helle sucks!”, and later the sharper jabs that had the building buzzing. A Jets sweater was tossed onto the ice.
When a Devils teammate beat him cleanly, the crowd erupted again. Along the glass, signs read “Softer than Charmin,” “Playoff pylon” and “Child,” while some fans wore No. 37 jerseys with the nameplate altered.
Winnipeg Free Press writer Mike McIntyre also listed the chants heard in the arena as “Where is Connor,” “Coward,” “Helle sucks,” “Trump’s Your Daddy,” “We don’t need you” and “Playoff Choker”.
That Trump line carried its own baggage. It was tied to the Presidential Medal of Freedom Hellebuyck received in February after Team USA’s Olympic gold, an honor that did not sit well in Canada.
Before the game, Hellebuyck said he was expecting exactly this kind of night from the Winnipeg crowd.
“What I expect out of the reaction is a great group of fans that are going to show their emotions and wear it on their sleeves and cheer on their team in the best possible way. I’m sure they’ll have some clever things they’ll come up with, and it will be a night everyone will remember and enjoy," said Hellebuyck.
On the ice, Winnipeg had the final word. The Jets beat the Devils 4-2, with Dawson Mercer and Nico Daws turning in strong performances after arriving from New Jersey in the Connor Hellebuyck trade.
Earlier in the day, Hellebuyck spoke to the Winnipeg media and explained why he asked out, saying there wasn’t one single incident that pushed him to that point.
“I will say with all the uncertainty I was experiencing, there was some moments and some things that happened to my family that for me crossed the line. And as a husband and a father, I felt that made that decision very certain, that I needed to be a good husband and a good father and do what’s best for my family and my career," said Hellebuyck.
Per insider Frank Seravalli, Hellebuyck never told the Jets or Winnipeg police about any harassment beyond online death threats.
The two teams will meet again on Nov. 28 at Prudential Center in New Jersey, where Hellebuyck could make his first start against his former club.
In Other News...
Hellebuycks Winnipeg Return Just Reopened A Frustrating Jets Breakup
Connor Hellebuycks return to Winnipeg has already brought an awkward old chapter back into focus. Now with the New Jersey Devils, the former Jets goaltender spent time with the media in the city where he built so much of his career, thanking the fans and making clear he still has appreciation for the place he once called home. He also revisited the circumstances that led to his trade request, saying personal and family factors were part of the decision to move on.
The on-ice reunion will come with an unexpected wrinkle, since Hellebuyck will not start in the game. He said he disagrees with the choice, even as he has put together a strong record with New Jersey, and the decision only adds another layer to a breakup that never really felt clean in the first place. For Jets fans, it is a reminder that the end of his Winnipeg run was shaped by more than hockey, and the return has reopened questions that were never fully settled. [Read more 🡒]
Hellebuyck Just Added A Painful Twist To His Jets Exit
Connor Hellebuycks trade request from the Winnipeg Jets has taken on a more personal edge, with the goaltender saying the decision was shaped by a complicated set of factors rather than one simple grievance. He acknowledged the challenges of being an American player in Canada, but said those issues were not the main reason he wanted out, leaving the impression that there was more behind the move than the usual hockey frustrations.
What he did make clear was that the situation had become difficult enough to involve his family, though he stopped short of going into specifics out of concern for their privacy. Now, with the New Jersey Devils ruling him out of their upcoming game in Winnipeg, the return trip has already taken on an awkward tone, and the full story of what pushed him to that point still remains out of public view. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Must Wait Longer For Connor Hellebuyck's Winnipeg Return
Connor Hellebuycks first trip back to Winnipeg will have to wait a little longer. The Jets announced Jake Allen will get the start in goal against the New Jersey Devils, keeping the former Winnipeg netminder on the sideline for a night that had carried a little extra weight for fans and a few familiar faces in the room. Head coach Scott Arniel and captain Adam Lowry both acknowledged the emotional layer attached to Hellebuycks return, which had been one of the more anticipated storylines around this matchup.
For Winnipeg, it pushes the reunion to a later date and leaves the focus on the goaltending plan in front of a Devils team that still brings plenty of intrigue. The clubs will see each other again later in the season in Newark, giving Hellebuyck another chance to return to a building where he once played a central role. For now, though, Jets fans will have to keep waiting for the full homecoming. [Read more 🡒]