Connor Hellebuyck finally got back on NHL ice Tuesday night in Dallas, and the result was a 5-1 beatdown of the Stars that pushed the New Jersey Devils to their fourth straight win.
The outing marked Hellebuyck’s first appearance with New Jersey, just days after the team completed a trade to acquire the three-time Vezina Trophy winner from the Winnipeg Jets, closing out a months-long standoff between the goaltender and his former club.
Hellebuyck stopped 16 of 17 shots, allowing only a single goal in the second period. He turned away all six shots he faced in the first period as the Devils jumped ahead 1-0 less than three minutes into the game.
It was his first NHL start since April 13, 2026, when he closed out Winnipeg’s regular season. Nico Hischier scored twice for New Jersey, while Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes each contributed a goal and an assist.
Hellebuyck, who helped Team USA capture gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, had been sidelined from NHL action since the spring amid his dispute with the Jets. He made his trade request public in late August despite having five seasons remaining on his contract, and he declined to report for training camp. The Jets responded by suspending him.
After his first practice with the Devils on Monday, Hellebuyck said he had been eager for this moment.
“I’m just really excited to play hockey again,” Hellebuyck said. “That was the hardest part about all of this, wanting to go back and not being able to.”
He also said it “felt good getting acclimated with a new group and having some fun out there,” adding that he had been “really looking forward to this day for a while now.”
With the win over the Stars, the Devils moved into third place in the Metropolitan Division.
