Connor Hellebuyck is opening up about why he left Winnipeg, at least a little.

The star goaltender wrote a letter to Jets fans on Instagram on Wednesday. He said "very challenging circumstances" involving his family were among the reasons he asked for a trade.

He said his family has chosen to keep those circumstances private. He asked people to respect that.

A hard decision

Hellebuyck said he knew his trade request let down people who had backed him for years.

"I want everyone to know it was an extremely difficult decision," he wrote. "We ultimately felt that making a change was the best thing for our family."

A messy split

Hellebuyck publicly demanded a trade in September. The Jets suspended him for failing to report to training camp.

On Oct. 23 they sent him to the New Jersey Devils for Dawson Mercer, Alexander Command, Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws plus two draft picks.

He is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and was the league MVP in 2024-25.

Thanks to Winnipeg

Despite the bitter ending, his letter struck a warm tone. He thanked co-owner Mark Chipman, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, his old teammates and staff.

"I'll never forget the pride I felt representing Winnipeg," he wrote.

Homecoming next week

The Devils visit Winnipeg on Tuesday. Two of his U.S. Olympic teammates, Brady Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes, were loudly booed in their returns to Ottawa and Vancouver after similar moves.