The homecoming everyone circled on the calendar will not happen on the ice, at least not on Tuesday. The Devils announced Sunday night, less than an hour after their 4-0 win over Toronto, that Connor Hellebuyck will not be in net Tuesday in Winnipeg against his former team.
An organizational call
General manager Sunny Mehta said in a statement that Hellebuyck really wanted to play this game, but the team believes starting him Tuesday would reduce its chances of winning. Head coach Sheldon Keefe added that workload is part of it, since Hellebuyck missed training camp and the preseason after refusing to report to Winnipeg.
Hellebuyck did not hide his disappointment after Sunday's game. He wanted to face his old teammates and hear the reaction from the crowd at Canada Life Centre, but he said the decision is out of his hands. He will still speak Tuesday morning, after the morning skate in Winnipeg, to explain why he asked to be traded.
A perfect start in New Jersey
On Sunday, Hellebuyck stopped all 23 shots from the 
Maple Leafs for his first shutout as a Devil. He is now 5-0-0 since arriving in New Jersey, with a 1.96 goals against average and a .913 save percentage. The Devils acquired him from the Jets on Oct. 23 for Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws and a 2029 second round pick.
Jake Allen is therefore expected to get the start Tuesday. Allen is 6-3-0 this season, with a 3.20 goals against average and a .881 save percentage. The Devils then host the Capitals on Thursday before playing in Washington on Saturday. The Jets and Devils meet again Nov. 28 in Newark, but it will not carry the same weight as this first trip back to Winnipeg.
What it means for your pool
If you play in a daily league, do not count on Hellebuyck on Tuesday. He remains a top goalie for the rest of the week, but Tuesday belongs to Allen. Allen becomes an interesting streaming option for this game, even if the Jets will be fired up in front of their fans. And if you own Jets skaters, Hellebuyck sitting out is good news for them.
Sources
The facts in this article come from the Devils announcement, as reported by NHL.com, TSN and ESPN.