Connor Hellebuyck Is Traded to the Devils for Dawson Mercer and a Package of Picks: The Fantasy Fallout for New Jersey and Winnipeg

The Connor Hellebuyck standoff is over. The Winnipeg Jets traded the three-time Vezina Trophy winner to the New Jersey Devils on Friday, the day his team-imposed suspension was set to end, months after he requested a trade and then failed to report to training camp. Winnipeg receives center Dawson Mercer, goaltender Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, forward Nick Bjugstad, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

For fantasy managers, the trade turns Hellebuyck from a frozen asset into a potential top-tier goalie again, and it reshapes the crease in New Jersey and the forward depth in Winnipeg.

The terms

Hellebuyck's contract carries an $8.5 million cap hit through 2030-31, and he held a full no-move clause that he had to waive to make the deal work. He had already forfeited more than $720,000 of his $7.5 million salary for this season during the suspension, according to Daily Faceoff.

The table below lays out the full trade.

Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said he was comfortable with the return. For Winnipeg, the priority was ending a situation that had hung over the team since the summer and getting a useful NHL forward back. For New Jersey, the deal is a clear signal that the Devils and their new general manager believe they can contend for the Stanley Cup now.

Why New Jersey needed him

The Devils' goaltending has been a weakness this season. Their team save percentage of .876 is tied for 23rd in the NHL, and that number has cost them games their skaters should have won. A goalie of Hellebuyck's caliber is the single biggest upgrade a team can make, and New Jersey made it without giving up a core skater.

The open question is when Hellebuyck will be ready. He has not played this season, and it was not immediately clear how soon he would be in game shape. New Jersey hosts Los Angeles on Saturday, and it would be a surprise to see him in that game. Expect at least a short ramp-up period.

Fantasy fallout in New Jersey

Hellebuyck's fantasy value jumps the moment he is cleared to play. Dobber Hockey's take is that the trade puts him in position to be a top-three fantasy goalie from the moment he returns to the lineup, and that is a reasonable expectation. He has been the most reliable workhorse goalie in the league for years, and the Devils' skaters should give him plenty of wins.

Managers who drafted him late, or who have held him through the suspension, should keep him and start him as soon as he is active. If he is on your waiver wire, add him now, since his value will only go up once he plays.

The loser is Jake Allen. The trade relegates him to the backup role, and Dobber estimates he may only get 15 to 20 more starts the rest of the season. Allen, 36, is signed through 2029-30 at a $1.8 million cap hit, so he will remain in New Jersey as a backup. He is a drop in most fantasy leagues once Hellebuyck plays.

Fantasy fallout in Winnipeg

The Jets planned for this. They signed Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract worth $7.5 million in the summer, and he has been holding the net during the suspension. The trade makes him the clear starter for the rest of the season, with Daws as a younger option behind him. Skinner is a startable fantasy goalie, though the Jets' results in front of him will determine his value.

Dawson Mercer is the most interesting fantasy piece in the return. He is a versatile forward who can play center or wing, and a move to Winnipeg could give him a bigger role than he had in New Jersey. If he lands a top-six spot and power-play time, he could become a useful fantasy forward. He is worth watching in deeper leagues.

Nick Bjugstad is a depth forward, and Alexander Command is a prospect with no immediate fantasy value.

Betting angle

The trade should move the Devils' futures prices. A team that has been held back by goaltending just added one of the best goalies in the world, and its odds to win the division and the Stanley Cup should shorten once he plays. That shift may not be fully priced until Hellebuyck is back in the lineup, which is worth keeping in mind.

For individual games, the impact is bigger. A Devils team with Hellebuyck in net is a very different side than one with Allen, and game lines should reflect that when he starts. For the Jets, the trade changes little in the short term, since Skinner was already in net. For the model's view of upcoming games, check the NHL predictions page.

What it means

The Devils are all in on this season, and Hellebuyck is the piece that could make them a contender. Fantasy managers should treat him as a top goalie as soon as he is active, drop Allen once Hellebuyck plays, and keep an eye on Mercer's role in Winnipeg. The Jets, meanwhile, have moved on with Skinner, and the saga that dominated their offseason is finally over.