Poirier Moves On as New Jersey Closes the Goalie Conversation

The Devils traded Remi Poirier to Washington for a pick on Sunday, a quiet transaction that tidied up what Connor Hellebuyck's first two starts had already made obvious. Hellebuyck stopped 19 shots in a 5-2 win over Vegas on Friday — his second straight victory since arriving from Winnipeg — and New Jersey's crease situation, which felt genuinely unsettled just ten days ago, now looks about as clear as it gets.

Poirier was always going to be the odd man out once the Hellebuyck trade closed. The Devils gave up real forward depth to land a three-time Vezina winner; carrying a surplus of goaltenders behind him was never the plan. Washington gets a young netminder with upside, New Jersey gets a pick, and everyone moves forward.

Worth noting: Arseny Gritsyuk and Jack Hughes each scored twice in that Vegas win, which matters given how much the forward group was thinned by the Hellebuyck deal. Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad went to Winnipeg in that package, and the offense filling in around Hughes will be something to watch as the schedule stiffens. The goalie question is answered. The forward depth question is still open.