Henrik Lundqvist doesn't buy that Connor Hellebuyck had no say in sitting out the Devils' trip to Winnipeg last night.
Hellebuyck's return to face his former team was supposed to be one of the big stories of the NHL season. Instead, Jake Allen got the start, and the Devils lost 2-4 while Kyle Connor scored twice on seven shots for the Jets.
The official explanation came from Devils general manager Sunny Mehta, who said the decision was made in the best interests of the team. Head coach Sheldon Keefe pointed to workload and to having Hellebuyck ready for the divisional games coming up against Washington. We already looked at how Sheldon Keefe's explanations for the decision kept shifting.
Lundqvist, the Hall of Fame goaltender, thinks the player should have had the final word.
"I think he's earned the right to make that decision (for himself)," Lundqvist said, adding that he understands New Jersey wants to protect its goalie but believes Hellebuyck earned that right after 11 years.
Then he put himself in the crease. Asked by his fellow panelists whether he would have insisted on playing, Lundqvist was firm.
"I would not leave the room with the GM until he says, 'Ok, you're playing'," he said.
He also spoke about what comes with the job. "As a player, you take on a lot," Lundqvist said. "You have to. You sign up for that when you sign a contract and when things are not going well you have to face the music."
Why the workload argument is hard to sell
Look at the usage. Hellebuyck has just 5 games played this season, while Allen has 10. A goalie with that few starts is not an obvious candidate for a night off in the one building where he would be most in demand.
The Devils are 13-6-0 and second in the Metropolitan Division, so nobody is questioning the right to manage a goalie. The problem is the message. When a team says the call was about wins, and the player says he wanted to play, somebody's version has to give.
Lundqvist's view is simple: a goalie of Hellebuyck's standing should have forced the issue. That is an easy position to take from a TV desk, but it lands because the Devils' reasoning has changed from one day to the next.
Hellebuyck spoke in Winnipeg yesterday morning and said things happened to his family that crossed the line in Winnipeg. That adds weight to the idea that this was a night with more than hockey attached to it.
The Devils host the Capitals on Thursday, the game Keefe pointed to. Who is in the crease will be watched closely.
Quick hits
MINNESOTA WILD: Brock Faber's long wait may be nearing its end. Frank Seravalli reports he is trending toward a return on Saturday night in Boston. The Wild could use him back.
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NEW YORK ISLANDERS: Mathew Barzal's season debut has a target date. David Pagnotta reports the Islanders are eyeing next Tuesday. Fans have waited long enough.
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ST-LOUIS BLUES: Jim Montgomery was blunt about Dalibor Dvorsky after the Blues' 3-2 win over Detroit on Tuesday night. A win didn't stop the message from getting through.
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NASHVILLE PREDATORS: Juuse Saros blanked the Kings last night, one day after Pekka Rinne's Hall of Fame induction in Toronto. Hard to script a better tribute.
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Alexander Ovechkin tied Nicklas Backstrom for the most assists in Capitals history Tuesday night. Washington beat the Senators 3-2 in overtime, and next up is a trip to New Jersey.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should Connor Hellebuyck have forced the Devils to let him play in Winnipeg?
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