Connor Hellebuyck Is Expected Back in Net for Both Devils-Capitals Games After Sitting in Winnipeg as Pyotr Kochetkov Projects to Start in Helsinki: Thursday Goalie Watch

Connor Hellebuyck is expected to start Thursday when the New Jersey Devils host the Washington Capitals, and the club's plan calls for him to start Saturday's rematch in Washington as well. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner sat as Jake Allen's backup Tuesday in his first trip back to Winnipeg since the Jets traded him, a decision that turned into one of the biggest goalie stories of the young season.

Thursday also brings the opener of the NHL Global Series in Helsinki, where Pyotr Kochetkov projects to start for the Carolina Hurricanes against a Seattle Kraken team still searching for a reliable netminder. For fantasy managers and bettors, both creases carry clear signals for the rest of the week.

Why Hellebuyck sat in Winnipeg

The Devils announced before Tuesday's game that Allen would start in Winnipeg. General manager Sunny Mehta issued a statement calling it an organizational decision the club had debated at length, and said that starting Hellebuyck would potentially produce "a reduction in our expected win probability." Coach Sheldon Keefe said afterward that Mehta made the call, and pointed to workload: Tuesday would have been Hellebuyck's fourth start in eight days, and the club preferred to have him fresh for both Washington games.

Mehta also said the decision was not Hellebuyck's, and reports said the goalie had felt a duty to play in Winnipeg. Jets coach Scott Arniel was sharply critical, saying the choice only dragged out a saga the Jets wanted to be done with. Allen made 21 saves in a 4-2 loss that ended New Jersey's five-game winning streak, while Hellebuyck still heard it from the Winnipeg crowd during warmups.

New Jersey acquired Hellebuyck on Oct. 23 for Dawson Mercer, Nick Bjugstad, Alex Command, Nico Daws, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick, ending a standoff in which he requested a trade and was suspended for failing to report. Mercer scored twice against his old team Tuesday, including the winner, which only added to the noise. The teams meet again in New Jersey on Nov. 28.

Hellebuyck's fantasy value is intact

Strip away the drama and the fantasy picture is simple. Hellebuyck is 5-0-0 with a 1.96 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage and a shutout since the trade, and New Jersey has won nine of its past 11 games. Before he arrived, Devils goalies had combined for an .876 save percentage. He is a must-start every time he is confirmed, and the plan to give him both Washington games is the best news his managers could get this week.

The one caveat is workload management. Mehta's statement makes clear the front office is weighing analytics in deciding who starts, so expect Allen to take more than a token share of back-to-backs and dense stretches. Hellebuyck will not approach the start totals he posted in Winnipeg, which trims his ceiling in leagues that reward wins and saves volume. In ratio-focused leagues, the lighter load may even help.

Thursday's goalie board

Projections are based on team and beat reports Wednesday and Thursday morning; confirm starters before lineup lock.

Helsinki: Kochetkov versus a shaky Seattle crease

Game 1 in Helsinki is set for 7 p.m. local time Thursday, a noon Eastern start, with Game 2 on Saturday. Carolina arrives at 14-3-2, and Kochetkov has been one of the league's most efficient goalies, going 11-1-0 with a 1.67 GAA and a .920 save percentage in a dozen games. The Hurricanes will be without Jordan Staal, who has a calf injury, but their projected top line of William Carrier, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov stays intact, and Aho leads the team with 26 points.

Seattle (9-6-1) is the opposite story in goal. Neither Grubauer nor Daccord has a save percentage above .890, and goaltending plus the penalty kill have been the club's biggest weaknesses. Whoever starts is a fantasy fade against Carolina's shot volume. If the Hurricanes turn to Brandon Bussi for one of the two games, whose save percentage sits at .869, the matchup tightens, so watch which game Kochetkov takes.

The Verdexed angle

The common thread is that goalie confirmations matter more than usual right now. New Jersey has shown it will bench its star for analytical reasons, Edmonton is still rotating starters, and the Rangers are splitting work between Korpisalo and Garand with Igor Shesterkin out for the season. Daily lineups and totals bets placed before confirmation carry more risk than usual in each of those markets.

For Thursday, Hellebuyck behind a Devils team that has been winning steadily is the cleanest goalie play on the board, while Carolina's skaters against Seattle's goaltending are the clearest stacking spot. The Devils also play without Anthony Mantha, who went on long-term injured reserve Wednesday, which thins their forward depth. For how the model views Thursday's games, see /nhl/predictions.

What's next

The Devils and Capitals finish their home-and-home Saturday in Washington, and Hellebuyck is in line to start that one as well. Carolina and Seattle play Game 2 in Helsinki on Saturday, when a goalie change for either side would shift the outlook. In New York, Korpisalo's two straight wins since returning from injured reserve could earn him a larger share of starts, which would make him a viable streaming option in deeper leagues.