Devils coach Sheldon Keefe just revealed that GM Sunny Mehta made the call to sit Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg tonight.
Since Monday, the open question around the Devils has been who decided that Hellebuyck, drafted by the Jets in 2012, would not play against them. Keefe has now given an answer, and it isn't himself.
Connor Hrabchak reported that Keefe said the competitor in him "of course" wants to see Hellebuyck start tonight, and that the goalie himself wanted to play.
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Mike McIntyre has the full quote from Keefe: "The competitor in me of course wants to get Connor out there. Let's go, let's get at it. But Sunny made the decision he didn't want him to be a part of this."
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Read it plainly. The coach wanted his goalie in, the goalie wanted in, and the GM said no. We have followed this story since Keefe's shifting reasoning on the Hellebuyck decision, and the coach himself putting it on Mehta is new.
On the lineup side, Amanda Stein reports Keefe confirmed the Devils will go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen again tonight.
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That leaves Riley Tufte, recalled yesterday after the Anthony Mantha injury, out of the lineup. He has not played a game this season. Brenden Dillon took consistent defense reps at the skate.
Does Sunny Mehta's call leave Keefe exposed?
Not while the Devils keep winning. But a coach who publicly says he wanted his goalie on the ice, and points upstairs for the reason, has handed the front office the whole storyline.
It also lands in an awkward spot for the crease. Hellebuyck has made 5 starts this season, Jake Allen has made 9, and tonight Allen gets the net again against Nico Daws, a goalie the Devils drafted in 2020.
The standings add another layer. New Jersey is 13-5-0, has won five straight and sits second in the Metropolitan Division. Winnipeg is 7-8-3, 23rd in the NHL, and has won three in a row. One slip from the Devils and the goalie decision becomes the headline. More on that in Connor Hellebuyck's return to Winnipeg.
Hellebuyck is scheduled to speak to the media shortly. We will keep tabs on what he says about Mehta's decision.
Quick hits
ST. LOUIS BLUES: Joel Hofer gets the start tonight against John Gibson and the Red Wings, according to Jeremy Rutherford and Matthew DeFranks. A clean goalie matchup to watch.
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EDMONTON OILERS: Jason Gregor reports Colton Dach was on the ice for practice today and should return to the lineup tomorrow against the Flyers. Welcome news for Edmonton.
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COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: Cam Talbot starts in net tonight against the Panthers, and Jacob Markstrom is confirmed for Florida.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Sheldon Keefe offers another excuse for controversial decision on Connor Hellebuyck
