Hellebuyck Faces Backlash After Opening Up on Jets Trade Demand

Connor Hellebuyck has received online backlash for breaking silence on forcing trade from Jets.

Fans on X called Connor Hellebuyck's letter unsympathetic and vague, and most berated him for bailing on the team.

'What a copout. Total mark of a loser, trying to shift the blame for being an egotistical j*rk, like just admit the fact that you didn't want to play for the jets like a man, you coward, the guy's a first rate j*cka*s,' wrote @NixieNorth.

Braydon Maxam @8MaxamLINK wrote: 'What a loser statement.'

Daniel Graff @graffiti00zLINK wrote: 'Nobody cares bro, you're a quitter.

I'm not reading all that bs.'

Qbert @Qbert9998LINK wrote: 'That's not even good BS!

You're a lying snake. Own it.'

Nevv @gijoebassLINK wrote: 'Total loser.'

The backlash came after Hellebuyck posted a letter on Instagram on Nov. 4, ten days after he was traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the New Jersey Devils.

At his introductory news conference on Oct. 24, the day after the trade, he held back his message for Winnipeg because the Jets had the Heritage Classic coming up.

The outdoor game against Montreal was still to come on Oct. 25 at Princess Auto Stadium.

'There's a lot that I need to say, but they have the Heritage game coming up, so as respect for them and for celebration of hockey, I'm going to postpone that to a later date,' Hellebuyck said.

'I hope they know I care about them.'

On Nov. 4, he posted the letter.

'I know my decision to request a trade was disappointing and frustrating for many people, especially those who supported me throughout my career,' he wrote.

'There were several considerations that went into my decision, including some very challenging circumstances involving my family.'

Hellebuyck did not say what those circumstances were.

That vagueness is what drew the sharpest criticism from fans.

In September, as the trade standoff dragged on, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed that Hellebuyck and his family had been targeted with threats and hostile messages.

The team requested extra security and brought in police.

The threats came after USA's win at the Milano Cortina Olympics, where Hellebuyck was in net for the 2-1 overtime gold-medal win over Canada.

A White House visit followed, where President Donald Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, drawing heavy criticism in Canada.

Despite the backlash, the warmest passage in Hellebuyck's message was about Manitoba.

A Michigan native who holds franchise records for wins (345) and shutouts (45), Hellebuyck wrote about its lakes, its places to enjoy nature, and how much of life the province gave him.

Hellebuyck was traded from the Jets to the Devils on Oct. 23.

The trade ended an 11-year relationship between the goaltender and the only NHL franchise he had ever played for.

Hellebuyck was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft and spent his entire career in Winnipeg before requesting a move.

His departure had been rumored for months, and trade talks reached their peak ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft in late June.

The Buffalo Sabres were among the teams interested.

Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen recently told the Buffalo News that the asking price was too high.

'You make a big move once, and you're out of other ones a lot of times,' Kekalainen said.

'There may be other areas that we feel we need to address more.

And there's the price of doing business.

If I can tell you what (Winnipeg) was asking to take off our team, most of the people screaming to get Hellebuyck would probably say, 'No way, don't do it.''

Although Kekalainen did not reveal the Jets' demands, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reported in July that Winnipeg's initial ask was headlined by rising star Zach Benson.

Hellebuyck, 33, was coming off the worst season of his decorated career when the trade talks intensified.

The Jets had lost nine consecutive games before the trade.

Hellebuyck looked impressive in New Jersey's 5-2 road win against the Golden Knights in Vegas shortly after joining the team.

The New Jersey Devils have a young superstar in Jack Hughes, and the addition of Hellebuyck could make them serious Stanley Cup contenders.

The Eastern Conference also appears open.

Florida and Tampa Bay are getting older, Boston may need more scoring, and Montreal has been inconsistent.