Date: November 9th, 2026 9:56 AM Author: Tirant Lo Blanc
The Devils woke up to a lot of heat on Monday following their decision to bench Connor Hellebuyck against the Jets on Tuesday in what would be his first trip to Winnipeg since his trade last month season.
General Manager Sunny Mehta released a statement on Sunday night about the decision and cited a potential “reduction in our expected win probability” as the top reason for not having the goalie face his former team for the first time.
“This has been an organizational decision for us that we’ve debated at length,” Mehta said in the statement. “Connor Hellebuyck was adamant that he felt a duty to play on Tuesday in Winnipeg. However, in our estimation, playing in this game would potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability. Even though Connor isn’t playing, at his request, we will coordinate a media availability after Tuesday’s morning skate.”
Date: November 9th, 2026 10:02 AM Author: Kenneth Play (emotional girth)
i hope all sports teams start using this when answering questions about why someone isn't playing. the old school way was to say something like "we had to go with the guys who give us the best chance of winning tonight" and "xyz is a great player and he'll get more opportunities going forward"
Date: November 9th, 2026 10:04 AM Author: AZNgirl with email addy CumTingWong@Handsome.com
• Diverse Background: Born in April 1978 and raised in New Jersey, his career path includes working as a jazz guitarist, professional poker player and co-author of two bestselling poker strategy books, options trader, and data science consultant across the NHL and MLB.
• Front Office Philosophy: Focuses on blending advanced hockey analytics with traditional scouting and athlete care, treating the roster like a strategic portfolio