It’s my Parting Shot for my two cents worth when it comes to a second controversial hockey story from off the ice, one that I believe will be on-going – even though many think it’s done…..

I’m sure some of you would ask a proud Winnipegger what he thought of the whole Connor Hellebuyck drama that played out in the Manitoba capital earlier this week?!

My initial thought is, this isn’t over! Just because Hellebuyck and New Jersey played in Winnipeg on Tuesday and Jets’ fans got to voice their displeasure in many different and loud ways, doesn’t mean it won’t happen again!

The decision, by whomever was responsible, to not have Connor Hellebuyck play in goal for the Devils on Tuesday – just 18 days after the trade happened – is just delaying the inevitable!! Do you really think that all will be forgotten by Winnipeg fans by the time New Jersey pays a visit to Canada Life Centre whenever the schedule says in the 2027-28 season? Will the Devils sit him out again because their “win probability” will be less with him in goal?!

As Lindy Ruff famously said so many years ago, that is the definition of a joke!!

At some point, over the next four years in which Hellebuyck is still under contract – signed while with the Jets – he will be between the pipes for a game in Winnipeg! And, what went on Tuesday will happen again, likely with more ferocity than what went on that night!

Again, when it comes to who made the decision for Hellebuyck to not play on Tuesday is not the big issue in this whole drama. The big issue is what really happened that led to the goaltender demanding to be traded in the first place! In his media availability before Tuesday’s game in Winnipeg, Hellebuyck said there were incidents involving his family that, quote, crossed the line as a husband and a father. He noted the incidents were, quote, more than online death threats, but asked that media members respect his privacy and ask no further questions on the subject.

Sorry Connor, but you can’t say something like the incidents were more than on-line death threats, then ask for no more questions and respect your privacy when what you’re likely dealing with was a lunatic or a few lunatics that pull off stupid stuff with a lack of ability to follow-through!

In other words, you and your wife needed to grow some thicker skin and ignore the stupidity with no meat behind it – especially since investigations by Winnipeg Police and other authorities couldn’t turn up any tangible evidence of a threat against Hellebuyck and his family! You just wanted out of Winnipeg and fabricated problems that you had in order to facilitate a trade out!

As a result, he’s going to have to face the music at some point! As the old Fram oil filter commercial said – you can pay me now, or you can pay me later!!

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!