Connor Hellebuyck Takes First Practice With Devils, Eyes Potential Debut This Week

Connor Hellebuyck took an important step toward making his New Jersey Devils debut Monday, joining his new teammates for his first practice since being acquired in a trade on October 23, 2026.

“He looked sharp and looked good,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “So, obviously, that is an important step. We'll take it from here and just get a sense of how he feels getting through the practice.”

Following Monday's practice, Hellebuyck and the team headed to the airport ahead of a road swing that begins Tuesday against the Dallas Stars. New Jersey will then face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday before closing out the trip Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights.

“I think the intent would be to get him involved in this trip, but we will have to take it a day at a time,” Keefe added.

If everything moves in the right direction, Hellebuyck could make his Devils debut Wednesday against Colorado, giving the 33-year-old an opportunity to get back into game action early in the trip.

"If you're asking me, I am ready today," Hellebuyck said. "But I don't make every decision around here."

“Obviously, he needs game reps,” Keefe added. “He needs to get up and running, so we're factoring all that in and trying to decide when the right time might be.”

Hellebuyck did not report to training camp with the Winnipeg Jets and has instead been training independently in Michigan. Despite the time away from a team environment, Keefe noted that the goaltender has continued to put in work on the ice.

According to Keefe, Monday marked Hellebuyck's 29th day on the ice since the Devils began training camp. Veteran goaltender Jake Allen had skated on 28 days over that same period.

For Hellebuyck, however, Monday's practice was about more than simply getting back into a routine. It was an opportunity to begin building chemistry with his new teammates and settle into his new surroundings.

“I have been really looking forward to this day for a while now,” Hellebuyck said. “It felt good getting acclimated with a new group and having some fun out there.”

The team made an effort to welcome its newest goaltender, with Luke Hughes, Connor Brown and Johnathan Kovacevic among those offering stick taps throughout the on-ice session.

After spending weeks working on his own, Hellebuyck made it clear that the opportunity to return to a team setting was something he had been anticipating.

“I am just really excited to play hockey again,” he said. “That was the hardest part about all of this: wanting to go back and not being able to.”

With his first practice behind him, Hellebuyck and the Devils will now focus on the next step: determining when he will be ready to get into a game. New Jersey is taking a measured approach, but the goaltender's positive first session offers an encouraging start as the team prepares for a challenging stretch on the road.

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