New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was met with boos and chants of "coward" and "Helle sucks" during his return to Winnipeg on Tuesday night, a reception he said was fueled in part by death threats against his family that prompted his trade request. Hellebuyck, a Michigan native, became a controversial figure in Manitoba after leading Team USA to Olympic gold and later receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Despite his successful start with the Devils, going 5-0 with a sub-two goals-against average, Hellebuyck was scratched for the game against the Jets. Devils general manager Sunny Mehta stated that playing Hellebuyck would "potentially" reduce the team's "expected win probability," while head coach Sheldon Keefe later explained the decision was to rest him for an upcoming series. However, the decision did little to quell the animosity from the fans.

Hellebuyck told reporters before the game that he had experienced "more than just online death threats" and requested privacy for himself and his family. He indicated that these incidents, along with others he declined to specify, crossed a line for him as a husband and father, making his decision to leave Winnipeg certain. He suggested that his Olympic victory with Team USA over Canada might have contributed to the backlash.

"I'm sure it did a little bit," Hellebuyck said. "I don't think it matters if it's fair or not. Those are accomplishments that I will never apologize for, and I will never speak negatively about. I know the sensitivity about what's going on between the US and Canada, and I've never gotten into politics deep with anyone because I'm a hockey player."

Fans at the Canada Life Centre displayed signs reading "hit the road" and ".886," a reference to his save percentage in the 2023 playoffs. Chants of "Trump's your daddy," "where is Connor?" and "signed in pencil" were also heard, with the latter referencing his seven-year, $60 million contract signed with Winnipeg three years prior. Hellebuyck had previously expressed a desire to be a "Jet for life," but stated he did not foresee the future that unfolded.

Jets head coach Scott Arniel had previously expressed a desire for Hellebuyck to play, stating, "He just gave up on us, and so it would be nice to just finally be done with this." Following the Devils' loss, the Jets' social media team posted, "Expected Win Probability 100%."

Hellebuyck confirmed he had informed the team of his desire to play in the game. "I'm 14 days into a new team, and they handle their business differently than I'm used to," he said. "When I went in there and said my piece and said I felt it was my duty to play this game and said 'I want to play,' I had a good conversation with [Keefe and Mehta], and I left that conversation understanding where they're at."