The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly among the possible landing spots for Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Meanwhile, Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei is back in the rumor mill.
The Connor Hellebuyck trade saga continues making headlines in the rumor mill.
Hellebuyck, 33, publicly revealed his trade request three weeks ago, prompting pundits to speculate about potential landing spots for the Winnipeg Jets goaltender.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported Tuesday that the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, and Utah Mammoth were "among the possibilities" as landing spots for Hellebuyck.
He indicated that the Florida Panthers showed "real interest" in June, but that ship sailed after they acquired winger Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators and goalie Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils.
LeBrun stated that the Hurricanes remain interested, suggesting any deal for Hellebuyck would involve unsigned RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin. He also noted the Jets and Buffalo Sabres swapped trade offers on the eve of the 2026 NHL Draft, but nothing materialized.
Speaking of Buffalo, Michael Traikos reported that Sabres forward Tage Thompson would love to have the three-time Vezina Trophy winner on his club. The two were teammates on Team USA’s men’s gold-medal Olympic team.
"He's the best in the world," Thompson said of Hellebuyck. "There’s things that are out of your control. We’d love to have him, but if that doesn’t happen, then we just move forward with the group we’ve got."
In case you’re wondering, Thompson’s comments do not violate the NHL’s anti-tampering rules.
There can be no direct or indirect contact, negotiations, or discussions between a team (specifically, the general manager, coach, or owner) and a player or his agent whose rights are held by another team unless that club grants permission. Discussions between players do not violate those guidelines.
Latest On Bruins And Lohrei
Turning to the Boston Bruins, it appeared Mason Lohrei would enter this season without being dogged by the trade rumors that swirled last season and earlier this summer.
Lohrei recently said he was looking forward to the challenge of earning a full-time spot on the Bruins' defense corps. However, RG Media's James Murphy reported that multiple sources claimed the 25-year-old defenseman was drawing interest in the trade market again.
Boston Hockey Now’s Jack Studley observed that the Bruins have 10 defensemen with NHL experience on their roster. GM Don Sweeney could use one of them as a trade chip to address other roster needs.
Lohrei will have the opportunity to seize a permanent role on the left side of the Bruins' blueline. If he fails, he could find himself playing elsewhere later this season.
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