Sunny Mehta spent months downplaying goaltending, then the Devils went out and landed Connor Hellebuyck.
Rowdy Roddy Piper had a line for moments like this: “Just when they think they have the answers, I can change the questions.”
New Jersey sent Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, two more players and two picks to Winnipeg. Those picks are a 2029 second-rounder and a 2027 seventh.
The three-time Vezina winner brings five more years at $8,500,000 a season. That's a big commitment from a GM who sounded allergic to spending on goalies.
“Money spent in goal cannot be spent somewhere else,” Mehta told NHL.com.
He went further. “Because there is randomness at the position, I'm reluctant to invest significant assets there instead of in areas where the results may be more predictable.”
Then he did the exact opposite. Those comments now look like a poker face held just long enough to get a deal done.
The Devils showcased Nico Daws while Winnipeg's scouts watched
Daws had been getting more starts than Jake Allen lately. Full Press Hockey reported the Devils were showcasing him, with the Jets scouting New Jersey often.
Allen, 36, has carried an .883 save percentage. That workload was never going to hold up over 82 games.
It's the card player who folds small hands all night, then pushes his whole stack in when the right card finally hits the table.
The roster around the new goalie is built to win now. Jack Hughes has 11 points, and Nico Hischier has four power-play goals.
Sheldon Keefe's group sits 6-4-0 after two straight wins. The Kings visit Saturday.
This is a great trade for New Jersey. Mercer and Daws are useful pieces, but nobody lifts a Cup by hoarding useful pieces.
The risk is real, though. Hellebuyck is 33, skipped training camp and hasn't played a game since April.
Circle November 10 in Winnipeg. If he's ready by then, the crowd gets to greet the goalie who asked out.
And if Mehta was bluffing about goalies, what else has he been bluffing about?
Did Sunny Mehta win the Connor Hellebuyck trade for the Devils?
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