Winnipeg sports news: Connor Hellebuyck came back to Canada Life Centre on Tuesday night and Winnipeg let him hear it from the warmup to the final horn, then the Jets beat his New Jersey Devils 4 to 2 and their own X account delivered the last word with a post that read Expected Win Probability 100 percent.
By Maplestime Sports Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | November 11, 2026
Sources: The Hockey News | theScore | NHL.com | Last updated: November 11, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Jets beat the Devils 4 to 2 on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre, their fourth straight win after a nine game winless run.
- Hellebuyck did not start. New Jersey sat him for his first trip back to Winnipeg since the October 23 trade.
- Fans booed Hellebuyck in warmups and chanted through the night, including a Where is Connor chant 20 seconds into the game.
- Dawson Mercer, a centrepiece of the trade return, scored twice against his former team, including the tiebreaking power play goal with 8:02 left in the third period.
- Nico Daws, also acquired in the trade, made 19 saves for his first win as a Jet.
- The Jets X account posted Expected Win Probability 100 percent with the final score graphic after the win.
What Happened at Canada Life Centre
Mercer opened the scoring and finished with two goals against the team that traded him, and he was named first star of the game. Kyle Connor scored a power play goal in the first period and added an empty net goal with 58 seconds left, and Cole Perfetti had two assists. Daws stopped 19 of 21 shots for New Jersey’s Jake Allen, who made 21 saves, and Winnipeg outshot the Devils 25 to 21. Mercer’s winner came on a too many men on the ice penalty to New Jersey. The loss ended the Devils five game winning streak.
The result also kept Winnipeg’s turnaround going. The Jets had lost nine straight before this run, and they have now won four in a row.
Why the Night Meant So Much in Winnipeg
Hellebuyck spent 11 seasons in Winnipeg after the Jets drafted him 130th overall in 2012, and he won the Vezina Trophy three times as the league’s best goaltender. He asked for a trade at the end of last season, went public with the request on August 27, did not report to training camp in September and was suspended, then was traded to New Jersey on October 23 for Mercer, Daws, Nick Bjugstad, the rights to unsigned draft pick Alexander Command, a 2029 second round pick and a 2027 seventh round pick.
Speaking to Winnipeg media on Tuesday before the game, Hellebuyck said his family safety and uncertainty about his career path played a part in the request, and that some moments and things that happened to his family crossed the line. He is 5-0-0 with a 1.96 goals against average and a .913 save percentage with the Devils, and he made 23 saves in a 4-0 win at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. Devils general manager Sunny Mehta released a statement on Sunday saying Hellebuyck would not start in Winnipeg, a decision Jets coach Scott Arniel criticised.
What Social Media Said Overnight
The Hockey News collected the overnight reaction early Wednesday morning, and the tone from Winnipeg fans was pure celebration mixed with a little gloating.
- “You don’t trade a player like Dawson Mercer.” (Mike Bartner on X, as quoted by The Hockey News)
- “Dawson Mercer may have become a Winnipeg Jets legend.” (ACoronaNJD on X, as quoted by The Hockey News)
- “Good for Nico Daws. That’s a tough atmosphere to stay composed in and he delivered.” (TJ Maughan on X, as quoted by The Hockey News)
- “Nico Daws deserves cheers too. What a king for standing up to his old team.” (Celestielf on X, as quoted by The Hockey News)
The Jets official X account joined in after the buzzer, posting Expected Win Probability 100 percent with the final score graphic, a jab at the Devils statement explaining why Hellebuyck would not start. TheScore also reported fans scolding Hellebuyck with creative chants and signs all night, including the Where is Connor chant 20 seconds into the game.
What Comes Next
The Jets keep their home stand going as they try to build on four straight wins. Hellebuyck and the Devils get their rematch when Winnipeg visits New Jersey on November 28.
Maplestime will provide updates from the Jets and the Hellebuyck return story as announcements are made.
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Do you think Jets fans were right to boo Hellebuyck all night, or should Winnipeg have thanked him for 11 seasons and moved on? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Canadian following the Jets this season.
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