New Jersey Devils give baffling explanation for benching Connor Hellebuyck during Winnipeg return

New Jersey Devils star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is expected to make his highly anticipated return to Winnipeg on Tuesday after a messy divorce from the team he spent his first 11 NHL seasons with was finalized last month. But Jets fans who were planning on letting Hellebuyck hear how they really felt won’t get the chance to do so.

In one of the most bizarre statements ever released by a major professional sports franchise, New Jersey Devils general manager Sunny Mehta informed the public that Hellebuyck would not participate in the Devils’ game against Winnipeg on Tuesday because his participation would “potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability.”

A statement from Devils general manager Sunny Mehta regarding our Tuesday game in Winnipeg. https://t.co/xrF8OBaHXe

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 9, 2026

Here is the statement in full:

For us, this is an organizational decision that we have discussed at length. Connor Hellebuyck insisted he felt obligated to play Tuesday in Winnipeg. However, in our opinion, playing this game could potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability. Even if Connor does not play, at his request, we will coordinate a press briefing following Tuesday’s morning skate at the Canada Life Centre.

There is not much precedent for excluding a player from competition under these circumstances. Sports fans are constantly seeing players return to play in their old cities. These situations can often be hostile, but that’s part of the entertainment value of professional sports.

For a team to determine that an environment could be so hostile that it’s better that they start replacing that player because the crowd would be too much for the player to handle, that’s something you don’t really see. And even if that happens, the team would be much better off saying the player has a minor injury or illness. Fans would still draw the same conclusions, but you don’t have to admit that you are afraid that an outside audience could negatively impact your player’s performance.

Hellebuyck weighed in on the decision following the Devils’ win against the Maple Leafs on Sunday.

Connor Hellebuyck on the decision https://t.co/A6xql5EIeV

– The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) November 9, 2026

“I’m disappointed, but I understand. Selfishly, I want to play. But when you look at the team and what’s best for the team, I understand where they’re coming from,” Hellebuyck said. “I love Winnipeg, and to play there again, just to face the music and see the reactions, would be great. But it’s not up to me.”