Overview
- The Devils started Connor Hellebuyck on Tuesday in Dallas, four days after trading for him from the Winnipeg Jets and after his suspension for failing to report to Jets camp ended.
- Hellebuyck had not played since April 13 and arrived in New Jersey after limited team practice, but coach Sheldon Keefe cleared him to start after he said he felt ready and finished required protocols.
- Dallas kept regular starter Jake Oettinger out of the lineup and gave the start to veteran Casey DeSmith, a move the Stars used to manage workload during a five-game winning streak.
- The trade that brought Hellebuyck to New Jersey moved several roster pieces and draft picks to Winnipeg, and Hellebuyck joins the Devils on a long-term deal with roughly an $8.5 million annual cap hit.
- New Jersey opened a three-game road trip and a back-to-back with the game, a tight schedule that will shape how quickly the team leans on Hellebuyck and how his arrival changes the Devils’ goaltending mix.