Former USA and Winnipeg teammate Kyle Connor casts doubts on Hellebuyck's exuses

Connor Hellebuyck's return to Winnipeg has done little to quiet the controversy surrounding his departure from the Jets, and his latest comments to the media suggest he still doesn't fully understand why so many Canadian hockey fans have turned against him.

The New Jersey Devils goaltender was back in Winnipeg on Tuesday ahead of his former team's matchup against the Jets. Although Hellebuyck won't be dressing for the game, he did meet with reporters and was finally given an opportunity to explain some of the circumstances behind his decision to leave Manitoba.

Unfortunately, his explanation wasn't particularly convincing.

Hellebuyck pointed to incidents involving his family, including online threats, as well as uncertainty surrounding his hockey career as reasons for wanting a fresh start.

“There was some moments and some things that happened to my family that for me crossed the line … There were a few moments that I don’t want to see happen again. It’s more than just online death threats and I’m gonna ask you to respect my privacy and my family’s privacy, I won’t go deeper than that, but there’s more that made me and my family uncomfortable. On top of some uncertainty with my career, I felt a change of scenery was best.”

It's certainly understandable that a player would want to protect his family from threats and harassment. Nobody should have to deal with that, regardless of where they play hockey.

However, Hellebuyck seems to be missing a rather significant part of the reason why his reputation took such a hit with Canadian fans.

The frustration wasn't simply about Hellebuyck winning a gold medal with Team USA. Rather, it was his willingness to become part of the political spectacle surrounding Donald Trump at a time when the American president was openly threatening Canada's sovereignty.

Hellebuyck appeared perfectly comfortable posing for photographs with Trump, seemingly oblivious to how those images would be received north of the border.

When asked about the strained relationship between Canada and the United States, Hellebuyck offered the following response:

“I know the sensitivity of what’s going on between the US and Canada. I’ve never gotten into politics deep with anyone because I’m a hockey player and I play hockey. I can only speak to the things that I do every day … I loved playing in Canada.”

Once again, that response doesn't really address the issue that upset so many people in the first place.

Interestingly, Kyle Connor, who also represented Team USA while playing alongside Hellebuyck in Winnipeg, indicated that he hadn't received any threats from fans.

Perhaps there's a reason for that. Connor wasn't photographed enthusiastically spending time with Trump during one of the most politically sensitive periods in recent Canadian-American history.

Hellebuyck was also asked to elaborate on his decision to leave Winnipeg, but offered little additional information.

“I needed to be a good husband and good father, and do what’s best for my family and my career.”

The entire situation has been a remarkably ugly ending to what was once an incredibly successful relationship between Hellebuyck and the Jets organization.

The three-time Vezina Trophy winner initially requested a trade on August 27, bringing an unexpected end to his 11-year relationship with Winnipeg. Things deteriorated further when he failed to report to training camp on September 16, prompting the organization to hand him a team-imposed suspension.

After weeks of speculation, Winnipeg eventually traded Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on October 23. The Jets received Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, Nick Bjugstad and draft picks in exchange for their longtime franchise goaltender.

Hellebuyck wasted little time getting comfortable with his new surroundings, opening his Devils career with five consecutive victories.

But while his new team has enjoyed an excellent start, the controversy surrounding his departure has clearly followed him back to Winnipeg.

Hellebuyck reportedly wanted to play against his former teammates, believing he owed it to the Winnipeg fans to face them on the ice. Instead, the Devils elected to give Jake Allen the start, leaving Hellebuyck to deal with the media and the questions surrounding his departure.

And judging by Tuesday's comments, there are still plenty of questions left unanswered.