There are plenty of legitimate reasons for an NHL team to sit its starting goaltender.
asserted
team → be → goaltender
Fatigue, injuries, scheduling or a hot backup would top the list.
asserted
Fatigue → top → list
On Sunday night, following the Devils’ 4-0 victory over the Maple Leafs, general manager Sunny Mehta issued a statement explaining why Connor Hellebuyck would not face the Winnipeg Jets, his former team, on Tuesday.
asserted
Hellebuyck → follow → Tuesday
“This has been an organizational decision for us that we’ve debated at length.
asserted
we → debate → length
Connor Hellebuyck was adamant that he felt a duty to play on Tuesday in Winnipeg.
asserted
he → feel → Winnipeg
However, in our estimation, playing in this game would potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability.”
asserted
playing → play → probability
We’re talking about a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, a Hart Trophy recipient and one of the best goaltenders of his generation.
asserted
We → talk → generation
A player who was 5-0 since joining New Jersey and is coming off a shutout in Toronto.
asserted
who → join → Toronto
And his GM was publicly suggesting that playing him could hurt the team’s chances of winning.
uncertain
playing → suggest → chances
I have no problem with analytics.
asserted
I → have → analytics
They’ve become essential to professional sports.
asserted
They → become → sports
But analytics should inform decisions, not become a convenient explanation for decisions nobody wants to explain.
asserted
nobody → inform → decisions
Devils coach Sheldon Keefe subsequently offered a more conventional rationale, that Hellebuyck had played three games in six nights, missed training camp and was still settling into his new team.
asserted
Hellebuyck → offer → team
New Jersey also has two important divisional games against the Washington Capitals coming up.
asserted
Jersey → have → Capitals
That’s all perfectly reasonable.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
And did anyone consider what Mehta’s words might do to the player?
uncertain
words → consider → player
In the third year of a seven-year contract, he requested a trade, refused to report to training camp and was eventually dealt to New Jersey.
asserted
he → request → Jersey
On Tuesday morning in Winnipeg, Hellebuyck provided some insight into what happened.
asserted
what → provide → insight
He spoke about circumstances involving his family that contributed to his decision to leave, saying certain incidents crossed a line and went beyond online death threats.
asserted
incidents → speak → threats
He also made clear there were details he wasn’t prepared to share publicly.
asserted
he → make → ?
And frankly, he shouldn’t have to.
asserted
he → have → ?
But Hellebuyck also made something else clear: He wanted to play, face the fans and accept whatever reception awaited him.
asserted
reception → make → him
He wouldn’t have been the first player to face an angry former fan base.
asserted
He → face → base
Just a few weeks ago, Brady Tkachuk returned to Ottawa for the first time since leaving the Senators for Florida.
asserted
Tkachuk → return → Florida
Fans booed throughout his tribute video and peppered him with chants ranging from the predictable “Brady sucks!” to the ridiculous “You eat crayons!”
asserted
You → boo → crayons
Tkachuk smiled, acknowledged the crowd and afterward described the reception as a reflection of a passionate fan base.
asserted
Tkachuk → smile → base
He took it.
asserted
He → take → it
And everyone moved on.
asserted
everyone → move → ?
Islanders fans booed their former captain relentlessly when he returned as a member of the Leafs in 2019.
asserted
he → boo → 2019
Fans altered jerseys to call him a traitor and threw plastic snakes onto the ice.
asserted
Fans → alter → ice
Tavares took the abuse and acknowledged that fans were entitled to their feelings about his departure.
asserted
fans → take → departure
When a player demands a trade or chooses to leave a franchise, particularly after years of being its public face, there are consequences.
asserted
player → demand → years
Fans invest emotionally.
asserted
Fans → invest → ?
They buy jerseys and tickets.
asserted
They → buy → jerseys
They pay to watch broadcasts.
asserted
They → pay → broadcasts
They defend players, celebrate accomplishments and sometimes feel personally betrayed when they leave.
asserted
they → defend → accomplishments
Sometimes the best thing a departing player can do, for himself, his former team and the fans, is show up and face the music.
asserted
player → depart → music
Hellebuyck understood that.
asserted
Hellebuyck → understand → that
Apparently, his new team had other ideas.
asserted
team → have → ideas
The reasons for leaving Canada are plenty but the main one?
asserted
reasons → leave → Canada
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
