Fansided · Yesterday
The Connor Hellebuyck statement is Sunny Mehta's first unforced error as New Jersey Devils GM
The New Jersey Devils had a defensible plan for Connor Hellebuyck’s return to Winnipeg. It involves a press conference in the day to get the headlines out of the way. The way they announced it is the problem.
This takes this Devils fan back to the days of Zach Parise. When the Devils’ captain left following a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, there was obviously animosity. Then, Devils fans had to wait. A lockout caused Parise’s first matchup with his first team to wait another year. He left on July 4, 2012, and didn’t return to New Jersey until March 20, 2014.
But that wasn’t Parise’s or their GM’s decision. That was the league schedule maker’s.