Devils make a head-scratching Connor Hellebuyck move just days after monster trade

The New Jersey Devils travelled to Colorado for a midweek matchup against the Avalanche on Wednesday night, but the biggest storyline heading into the game was who was missing from the lineup.

Devils team reporter Amanda Stein reported before puck drop that Jake Allen would start in net. Rémi Poirier is serving as the backup. Connor Hellebuyck, meanwhile, was given a full night off, not even sitting on the bench.

The decision raised eyebrows among the Devils faithful. Hellebuyck made his first start with New Jersey last night after months away from game action due to the trade saga in Winnipeg. Giving him a full rest so soon after returning to the crease is unusual, though not entirely unprecedented for a goaltender of his calibre and workload history.

Fans on social media were quick to speculate about the reasoning. Some questioned whether Hellebuyck might be dealing with an injury, noting that a healthy goaltender would typically at least serve as the backup even on a scheduled rest night.

Others pointed out that this is simply how Hellebuyck operates. One fan joked bluntly that when Hellebuyck is not playing, he does not sit on the bench.

No official explanation was provided by the Devils regarding the decision to give their new star netminder the night off entirely. Whether this is purely a load-management strategy or something more remains unclear.

Allen, a veteran presence in the crease, is no stranger to stepping up when called upon. His experience gives the Devils a reliable option on nights when Hellebuyck is unavailable, and pairing him with the young Poirier as the backup suggests the coaching staff is comfortable managing their goaltending depth despite making waves on Friday with a monster move to acquire Hellebuyck.