Mike McIntyre reported this morning that Connor Hellebuyck won't sit on the Devils' bench Tuesday night in Winnipeg.
Hellebuyck is coming back to the building where he made his name, and he asked out of it. Jets fans have been waiting to see how he handles the moment.
McIntyre noted that Hellebuyck typically stays in the dressing room with the goaltending coach whenever he isn't starting. That means the crowd may only see him during warmups.
Earlier, we reported that the Devils' statement on Hellebuyck's Winnipeg return confirmed he will not play Tuesday. GM Sunny Mehta addressed it directly.
So the picture is set. Jake Allen, who has played 9 games for New Jersey this season, is the other goalie on the roster, and Hellebuyck becomes a spectator in the room.
The Devils are rolling. They beat Toronto 4-0 on Sunday night with Hellebuyck stopping all 23 shots, and they carry a 13-5-0 record and a five-game winning streak into Winnipeg.
The Jets are 7-8-3 and sit 23rd in the NHL, but they beat Tampa Bay 4-3 on Sunday for their third straight win.
Is Hellebuyck dodging Winnipeg or just following routine?
Mostly routine. A backup or a scratched goalie staying in the room with his coach is how many teams operate, and the Devils have no reason to change habits for a team on a five-game run.
Jim Matheson reported that Hellebuyck will still face the Jets' hometown media and says he'll explain why he wanted out. That matters more than where he stands during the game.
Still, the optics are rough. Fans expecting to boo him for three periods get a few minutes of warmups instead, and that will feel like a missed moment on both sides.
The Devils could have handled this better. A goalie who isn't playing and isn't on the bench gives the Jets crowd nothing to react to, and the open letter Hellebuyck posted to Jets fans already kept the details of his trade request private.
The real answer comes in that media session. If he explains himself in detail, the bench question fades. If he doesn't, Winnipeg will have plenty to say when the Devils leave town.
Quick hits
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: Jon Cooper says Brayden Point "might miss some time" after leaving Sunday's game in Winnipeg and not returning. That's a bad sign for a Lightning team that just lost 4-3.
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OTTAWA SENATORS: Bruce Garrioch reports Linus Ullmark is ready to return to the Senators' net. It's been a long wait, and Ottawa will be glad to have him back.
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FLORIDA PANTHERS: Brady Tkachuk dropped the gloves with Nikita Zadorov off the opening draw in Boston on Sunday. The Panthers' night at TD Garden only got uglier from there.
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TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: Easton Cowan gave the Maple Leafs their only bright spot in Sunday's 4-0 loss to the Devils, and it started with a stick. Leafs fans will take any positive from that night.
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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Owen Tippett says the Flyers are "playing a little bit scared" after their 4-3 overtime loss in Calgary. Blunt words from a player, and the room will have to answer them.
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Should the Devils have Hellebuyck on the bench in Winnipeg on Tuesday?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Boston sends Florida home embarrassed after chaos involving Brady and Matthew Tkachuk
