Sheldon Keefe with a pathetic explanation on why he won't play Connor Hellebuyck on Tuesday

The New Jersey Devils are doing an awful lot of explaining when it comes to Connor Hellebuyck's decision to sit out Tuesday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets. And after hearing head coach Sheldon Keefe's latest comments, it's becoming increasingly difficult to believe this is simply about managing a goaltender's workload.

Hellebuyck will not be between the pipes when the Devils visit Canada Life Centre for the first time since his controversial departure from Winnipeg. Instead, Jake Allen is expected to get the start, sparing Hellebuyck from what would undoubtedly have been an incredibly hostile reception from the fans who supported him for 11 seasons.

The timing is certainly convenient, and Keefe has now offered another explanation for the decision. Speaking about the situation, the Devils head coach pointed to Hellebuyck's recent workload, the team's upcoming schedule and the emotional circumstances surrounding his return to Winnipeg.

“If you look at it from our end of it, tonight was his third game in six nights,” Keefe said. “He’s been at this for less than two weeks with us. And then after we finish this road game in Winnipeg, we’re going to go home to two big divisional games waiting for us (against the Washington Capitals). So I understand the sensitivity to the situation when you’re hyperfocused on that game, as the Jets fans would be, understandably.

“From our perspective, when you zoom out, this is a goaltender that is not going to play every single game of the season. You’re always looking for times to give him a night off. The schedule falling the way that it does, it just made sense.”

On the surface, there's nothing particularly unreasonable about managing a goaltender's workload. Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, and the Devils have every reason to protect their significant investment between the pipes. But the timing of this decision makes Keefe's explanation considerably harder to swallow.

We're talking about a 32-year-old goaltender who has spent more than a decade establishing himself as one of the NHL's best. He's played plenty of demanding stretches throughout his career, and suddenly the Devils have determined that a third game in six nights is enough reason to keep him out of arguably the most emotionally significant game of their season?

Keefe even acknowledged that he understands why Winnipeg fans are so focused on Tuesday's matchup. That's an interesting admission, considering the organization continues to frame this as nothing more than a routine workload-management decision.

Let's not forget that general manager Sunny Mehta also previously suggested that starting Hellebuyck in Winnipeg could potentially result in a reduction in the team's expected win probability. Between that explanation and Keefe's latest comments, the Devils seem awfully determined to justify keeping their superstar away from the situation.

Perhaps the workload concerns are legitimate. Perhaps the upcoming games against Washington really did factor into the decision. But it's difficult to ignore the obvious elephant in the room: Hellebuyck is returning to the city he left under incredibly contentious circumstances, and the Devils have decided he won't have to face the music on the ice.

Interestingly enough, Mehta previously acknowledged that Hellebuyck was adamant about wanting to play, with the goaltender reportedly pushing back against the organization's decision.

If that's true, why not let him?

Hellebuyck spent 11 seasons in Winnipeg, won three Vezina Trophies and a Hart Trophy, and became one of the most important players in franchise history. But his refusal to report to training camp and subsequent trade request left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Jets supporters.

Those fans deserve an opportunity to express their feelings, and Tuesday's game represented their one opportunity to do so this season.

Instead, the Devils appear perfectly comfortable providing one explanation after another for why their star goaltender won't be playing.

Keefe can talk about workload management, Mehta can talk about expected win probability, and the organization can insist this was simply a scheduling decision. But the optics are terrible, and nobody should be surprised if Winnipeg fans aren't buying what the Devils are selling.

After everything that happened between Hellebuyck and the Jets, this was supposed to be his opportunity to return and face the consequences of his departure.

Apparently, the Devils have other plans.