Connor Hellebuyck returned to the ice for the first time since April 13, this time playing for the New Jersey Devils. Last Friday, the Devils acquired the netminder from the Winnipeg Jets after the former Hart Memorial Trophy winner requested a trade in the offseason. Hellebuyck was stellar in his debut for the Devils, as New Jersey took the 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars.

Now, Hellebuyck is explaining what was going through his head as he prepared for his first game with the Devils, per Peter Baugh of The Athletic.

“Finally,” Hellebuyck thought to himself.

Hellebuyck spent 11 seasons with the Jets. In that time, he went 345-208-55 with a 2.58 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. He requested a trade in the offseason, and then went public with the request in August. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner did not report to camp in September and was suspended by the Jets. That suspension was set to end last Friday, but the team traded him beforehand. His first appearance with the Devils brought praise from his new coach, Sheldon Keefe, according to ESPN.

“He was exceptional,” Keefe said. “Not only does it seem like he's in midseason form, but it seems like he's been here a long time.”

For his part, Hellebuyck made sure to call out the team in front of him.

“The guys in front of me just played a perfect game for me to get acclimated,” he said. “Not a lot of shots, blocking everything, keeping everything to the outside. Letting me see things. Letting me touch the puck a lot.”

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Hellebuyck stopped 17 of 18 shots in his debut, leaving him with a .944 save percentage and his first win of the year. While most things went well, he did have one complaint.

“I like the ice, but one hard part is it's hot,” Hellebuyck said of playing in Dallas. “I sweat a lot in this game. But it's all part of the adjustment, and it's good to get one under me.”

The Devils return to the ice Wednesday night on the road against the Colorado Avalanche.