Winnipeg has traded goalie Connor Hellebuyck to the Devils for a package that includes forward Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, Nick Bjugstad, 2026 12th overall pick Alexander Command a 2029 second round pick and a 2027 seventh round pick.
Adam Rotter: The Rangers were never getting Hellebuyck but there was a thought that the Rangers could acquire a goalie from the team that Hellebuyck might be traded to. That isn’t the case with the Devils as they finally answer the question of who was going to replace Jacob Markstrom.
There had been speculation about Utah and Buffalo being in on Hellebuyck and the Rangers possibly then acquiring Karel Vegmelka from Utah or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from Buffalo but both of those goalies have multiple years left on their contract and never made a ton of sense to me. They would have helped this season but the Rangers would have then needed to trade them in the summer.
The Rangers seem like they are going to stand pat with Dylan Garand as the starter and then see what Joonas Korpisalo can bring when he’s healthy. If that duo works then the Rangers, especially with James Reimer in Hartford on a PTO, may be able to stand pat for good, otherwise the best course of action would be to look at pending UFAs.