Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck's trade request has several pundits speculating over trade destinations, but finding a suitable one could be difficult.
The hockey world is still buzzing about Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck publicly requesting a trade last week. That’s prompted pundits to speculate about potential destinations for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
Hellebuyck, 33, is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8.5 million. His no-movement clause gives him complete control over his potential landing spots. However, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported he’s willing to waive his NMC “for a variety of teams.”
The Buffalo Sabres could be among them. In late June, it was reported that the Sabres and Jets were working on a trade that would’ve sent Hellebuyck to Buffalo, and that he was willing to waive his clause to go there. However, the deal fell through on the eve of the opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Michael DeRosa of The Hockey News has the Sabres on his list of Hellebuyck’s possible destinations. So does Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon, who proposed the Sabres offer up goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forwards Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius.
Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News dismissed that suggestion. Meanwhile, Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat believes the Sabres should be leery of the Jets’ high asking price, Hellebuyck’s struggles last season, and his questionable playoff record.
DeRosa also suggested the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks as landing spots.
James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now believes the Devils will stick with the trio of Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich. He pointed out that adding Hellebuyck’s contract could complicate the Devils’ efforts to acquire Quinn Hughes if he and the Minnesota Wild fail to agree to a contract extension.
Meanwhile, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News believes that adding Hellebuyck would put the Sharks in “win-now” mode. He didn’t dismiss the possibility of GM Mike Grier looking into it, but raised concerns about Hellebuyck’s age, playoff performance, and the high cost of obtaining him.
The Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights have been previously mentioned as possible suitors. Of that group, the Hurricanes have the cap space and the tradeable assets to pull it off. However, the defending Stanley Cup champions could be comfortable with their current tandem of Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov.
George Richards of Florida Hockey Now rejected the idea of the Panthers acquiring Hellebuyck. He believes that if that deal were possible, it would’ve happened by now, pointing out that they recently acquired Jacob Markstrom from the Devils to replace former starter Sergei Bobrovsky.
The Golden Knights’ lack of salary cap space forced them to trade leading goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers. If they couldn’t afford to retain him, they can’t afford Hellebuyck’s contract, plus they lack the trade capital to tempt the Jets.
A dark horse could be the Utah Mammoth. Jesse Granger of The Athletic noted they have plenty of future assets and top-six forwards to make a competitive bid. He also suggested that they include starting goalie Karel Vejmelka in the deal.
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