Jets relieved to no longer have Hellebuyck 'cloud hanging over our heads' New York Times (Online) Arpon Basu WINNIPEG – The first day of the post-Connor Hellebuyck era for the Winnipeg Jets was one of relief, with a situation that had dominated their season while being completely out of their control finally resolved for the betterment of all parties involved. “I think relief, just having clarity on the situation,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said Saturday, one day after Hellebuyck was traded to the New Jersey Devils. “There was a bit of a cloud hanging over our heads. As we've said all along, Helly's a good friend of ours, but to see the situation resolved, to see him back playing and going into an organization he wants to go to and getting the pieces we got back.” Hellebuyck was traded to the Devils in exchange for forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, center prospect Alexander Command and two draft picks. “We're excited to add (Mercer), Nico, Nick eventually; I've heard great things about Alexander,” Lowry said. “It's nice we can look forward and we don't have to keep talking about it. We've got guys that want to be here.” “Now the questions are kind of done, after your exact question,” veteran center Mark Scheifele said. “Like I said at the start of the year, it wasn't on our brains, that was for management to take care of. We're just here to play hockey. But at the same time, just not having to answer questions and being able to move on with the team we have moving forward is good for clarity. Just ready to keep playing. … He's one of the best goalies in the world. Three Vezinas, Hart Trophy, a goalie that got us to some places, memories I'll remember forever. “You try to take the positive out of anything, and I'll only remember the positives from him. He was a fantastic goalie and a great friend of mine.” Command, the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NHL draft, is well-known to Jets center and fellow Swede Viggo Björck, the No. 8 pick in June who was all smiles to talk about his longtime friend. “We've known each other for a very long time. I can't recall what age, but we grew up playing against each other a lot and I believe we had a couple of tournaments together in youth,” Björck said. “He's a skilled guy, but he's grown a lot the past couple of years. I think you can use him in a lot of different ways, a big body, he can throw it around as well, but skilled and a good goal scorer as well.” Though it is difficult to see the package the Jets received in return as commensurate to a goalie who won Olympic gold in February in addition to the Hart and three Vezinas, the reality is Hellebuyck was not here, and players like Mercer, Daws and Bjugstad — who is currently injured — are. For the Jets, this is a pure add. “I think we're a better team than we were two days ago,” Scheifele said. “That's the biggest thing, just trying to move forward and bring the new guys into this amazing room that we have and make them feel at home and get back to winning.”