Rumours are circulating that a sizeable group of Winnipeg Jets fans will travel to New Jersey to see Connor Hellebuyck face the Devils on November 28th.
That is the word from PuckEmpire, and it comes right on the heels of a chaotic homecoming for the goalie. Hellebuyck did not play when the Devils visited Winnipeg on Tuesday, and the Jets won that game 4-2.
PuckEmpire posted that Hellebuyck is projected to be in net for the November 28th game, and that the cheapest ticket on TickPick sits at just $48.
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That price matters. A $48 get-in point makes a road trip far more realistic for a fan base that just watched its former starter skip the reunion.
We covered the chaotic Winnipeg reception for Hellebuyck on Tuesday, when the crowd made sure the goalie heard it. The fans who showed up were ready for a moment that never fully arrived.
Now some of them may chase it in New Jersey. For many in Winnipeg, the second shot at seeing him in a Devils sweater is the whole point of the trip.
Will Hellebuyck actually play against the Jets in New Jersey?
Nobody has confirmed it. The projection is just that, and the Devils haven't named a starter for a game more than two weeks away.
The Winnipeg trip showed how fast those plans can change. We noted that Henrik Lundqvist questioned Hellebuyck's sitting out in Winnipeg, which tells you the goalie's absence was a talking point well beyond the Jets' fan base.
Here is the opinion: if fans are buying tickets on a projection, they are taking a real gamble. Hellebuyck has appeared in 5 games for the Devils this season, so his workload is still being sorted out, and a goalie rotation can swallow a start without warning.
Still, the Jets faithful have every reason to want a rematch with their old netminder. He was drafted by Winnipeg in the fifth round in 2012, 130th overall, and spent his career there before this move.
The Devils are 8-2-0 at home this season, so the Prudential Center crowd should have plenty to cheer about, even with a visiting section expected to be loud.
The Devils host the Capitals tonight, while the Jets are at the Stars. Then the schedule turns toward November 28th, when we will find out whether Hellebuyck is in the crease and how many Jets jerseys fill the building.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Will Hellebuyck start against the Jets on November 28th?
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