Connor Hellebuyck faced an entirely different crowd on Wednesday night.
The Devils’ goaltender was given a warm reception when he appeared at the grand opening of the massive Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Sayreville, N.J., one day after a brutal return to Winnipeg.
Hellebuyck, a noted lifelong angler, appeared to have made the stop at the new 200,000-square-foot store unannounced, but was quickly spotted by Devils fans who also happened to be there for the festivities.
Bass Pro Shops, on its Instagram Story, shared an image of Hellebuyck signing a fan’s hat while at the New Jersey location.
Another fan posted on X, showing a photo of an autographed Bass Pro Shops hat that Hellebuyck signed while he was at the store, after the fan who goes by the social media handle @mar10party posted that “there’s a non-zero chance Helle shows up to the Bass Pro grand opening today.”
It was a very different scene from what Hellebuyck faced Tuesday night when he made his highly anticipated return to Winnipeg after a messy exit.
The Jets traded Hellebuyck to the Devils in October, ending the drawn-out saga between the goaltender and Winnipeg after he had requested a trade earlier in the year.
He was greeted by boos when he took the ice for warmups and faced a myriad of chants, which included being called a “coward” and “Helle sucks!”
Jets fans chanted, “Where is Connor?” 20 seconds into the start of the game, as New Jersey started backup Jake Allen in net.
Hellebuyck is an avid fishing fan, as he spoke with Outdoor Canada about it in 2024.
The Devils goaltender was able to be at the store opening with his new team at home on Thursday to host the Capitals at Prudential Center.
The store is designed to combine retail, conservation education and entertainment experiences, with the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World featuring an 80,000-gallon Shipwreck Aquarium and a restaurant and entertainment venue.
