Jets Send Connor Hellebuyck to Devils in Deal Headlined by Dawson Mercer

WINNIPEG — The Connor Hellebuyck standoff is over, and the Jets have reshaped their crease and forward group on the eve of an outdoor game. Winnipeg dealt the three-time Vezina Trophy winner to the New Jersey Devils on Friday, closing a months-long trade request saga and bringing Dawson Mercer, Nick Bjugstad, Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command’s NHL rights and two draft picks back to Manitoba.

Jets close the book on Hellebuyck

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said the completed deal allowed him to finally put the situation behind him, even if Winnipeg had hoped to resolve it much earlier. Hellebuyck had asked out during the offseason and did not report when training camp opened, leading the Jets to suspend him Sept. 16. That suspension was due to expire Friday.

Cheveldayoff thanked Hellebuyck and his family for their years in Winnipeg, saying the club would remember the strong moments from the goaltender’s 11 seasons with the franchise. He said he spoke with Hellebuyck on Friday to wish him well in New Jersey.

• Hellebuyck was Winnipeg’s fifth-round selection, No. 130 overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft.
• He leaves after playing all 11 of his NHL seasons with the Jets.
• The 33-year-old was entering Year 3 of a seven-year contract worth $59.5 million, carrying an $8.5 million annual cap hit. He signed that deal Oct. 9, 2023.
• His individual resume includes Vezina Trophy wins in 2019-20, 2023-24 and 2024-25, plus the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2024-25.
• He also won Olympic gold with the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Hellebuyck finishes his Winnipeg regular-season run with a 345-208-55 record, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and 45 shutouts in 625 games, including 615 starts. In 58 Stanley Cup Playoff starts, he went 24-34 with a 2.90 GAA, .903 save percentage and five shutouts.

Mercer headlines the return package

Winnipeg’s haul is built around Mercer, the 24-year-old forward who has already produced three 20-goal seasons in five NHL campaigns. He had four assists in 10 games for New Jersey this season after recording 20 goals and 42 points across 82 games last year.

The Devils chose Mercer 18th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. Cheveldayoff pointed to his ability to play center as well as wing, along with the room he still has to develop. He believes time alongside established Jets such as Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele can help Mercer’s game continue to grow.

Mercer and Daws were scheduled to fly to Winnipeg on Friday night. Bjugstad will not be available immediately after undergoing surgery last month to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. The 34-year-old forward has yet to play this season and was projected to miss four to six months.

• Dawson Mercer: Four assists in 10 games this season; 42 points last season.
• Nick Bjugstad: Acquired while recovering from left pectoral surgery; expected absence of four to six months.
• Nico Daws: A 25-year-old goalie who went 2-2-0 with a 2.78 GAA and .872 save percentage in four New Jersey starts this season.
• Alexander Command: Winnipeg received the rights to the 18-year-old forward, selected 12th overall by New Jersey in the 2026 draft.
• Draft capital: The Jets also acquired a second-round selection in 2029 and a seventh-round pick in 2027.

Command has seven goals and five assists in six junior games with Orebro in Sweden. He has been held without a point in six appearances for Orebro’s Swedish Hockey League side. Cheveldayoff said the Jets likely would have considered moving down to draft Command if Viggo Bjorck had not been available to them at No. 8 in 2026.

The general manager described Command as a serious, direct competitor with a throwback North American style, despite developing in Sweden.

Three-goalie picture takes shape before Heritage Classic

Daws gives Winnipeg another body in net after a summer and training-camp reset at the position. The Jets signed Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5 million contract on July 1, then claimed Clay Stevenson from the Washington Capitals on Sept. 28.

Cheveldayoff said carrying three capable NHL goaltenders is not a structure Winnipeg has regularly used, and indicated the club will assess the arrangement as it moves forward.

The Jets are 4-3-3 without Hellebuyck this season. Their next puck drop comes Sunday at Princess Auto Stadium, where Winnipeg hosts the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, with coverage on TVAS, Sportsnet, TNT, truTV and HBO MAX.