Connor Hellebuyck was ready to pack the car and drive to New Jersey.
Sunny Mehta had to slow him down.
The Devils’ new goaltender wanted to get started immediately. Their general manager was thinking about where this could lead months from now.
“As I told him, I didn’t get him here for October. I got him here for April,” Mehta said during an interview with MSG Networks on Saturday.
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The Devils have spent years assembling a core with the talent to do something significant. Mehta just gave that group a goaltender who can help turn those expectations into something real.
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“I’m here to win, and the only thing I’ve got left on my résumé is a Stanley Cup,” he said at his introductory press conference on Saturday.
For a franchise that built its greatest teams around the man in net, those words should sound pretty good.
Sunny Mehta saw the opportunity and took it
Mehta said Hellebuyck’s name came up in casual conversations with Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff weeks ago. Once discussions became serious, the deal came together in less than two days.
The Devils parted with forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, prospect Alex Command and draft picks.
Mehta had spent the offseason building enough forward depth to make a player like Mercer available in a deal of this magnitude.
“It was one of the reasons we felt if we’re going to lose a player as good as Dawson Mercer, we have the depth to withstand that,” Mehta said.
That is huge. The Devils improved their most important position while keeping the core that is supposed to drive this team intact.
Mehta also pushed back on the idea that acquiring Hellebuyck contradicted his comments about goaltending being difficult to predict.
“You want to bet on a person who has a large sample size of excellent results, who’s on a good cap hit,” Mehta said. “That’s literally the three things that hit Connor.”
Hellebuyck carries a cap hit of $8.1 million through 2031.
Connor Hellebuyck chose this team, too
Hellebuyck waived his no-trade clause to come to New Jersey.
“You just look for an organization that’s willing to do whatever it takes,” Hellebuyck said. “I think they have that as well.”
Inside the locker room, his decision registered.
“It sparks a lot of confidence in us,” defenseman Brett Pesce said. “It’s nice to see other guys see it around the league and want to be a part of it.”
Center Jack Hughes knows what Hellebuyck can bring. They won Olympic gold together in February, and Hughes described a goaltender who wants the responsibility that comes with being the difference.
“Extremely focused, extremely confident,” Hughes said. “Carries the mail, wants to be the guy who can change the game for the team.”
A familiar face behind the mask
Hellebuyck is arriving in a place where the standard for goaltending is impossible to miss.
Martin Brodeur helped define the Devils. Now he’s part of the front office that brought Hellebuyck here.
Mehta called Brodeur invaluable in evaluating the acquisition. Hellebuyck sounded like someone eager to meet a childhood hero.
“Being able to come in here, following the legacy of Marty Brodeur, I’m going to honor that,” Hellebuyck said. “I’m going to cherish every moment of it.”
He wants to pick Brodeur’s brain, too.
“I’m 33 years old,” Hellebuyck said. “I’ll go back to those kid days.”
He’ll have another experienced voice alongside him in Jake Allen, who welcomed the addition and made clear he’ll be ready whenever needed.
The work in front still matters
Hellebuyck’s arrival gives the Devils more confidence and another reason to keep doing what worked during their three-game homestand when they defended, stayed patient to win games without needing their offense to overwhelm the opponent.
Adding Hellebuyck to that version of the Devils is what makes this exciting.
“It doesn’t change anything in terms of how we need to play,” coach Sheldon Keefe said before Saturday’s win over Los Angeles.
Hellebuyck agrees.
“When those guys need to go score goals, they need to know that there’s a rock back there to stop any mistakes that happen,” he said.
Despite the addition, Mehta isn’t interested in applause until the ultimate prize is won.
“Someone congratulated me this morning on the trade,” Mehta said. “There’s nothing to congratulate. We’ve got to win. Nothing’s happened yet.”
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