NHL Rumor Roundup: Will The Winnipeg Jets Trade Or Welcome Back Connor Hellebuyck?

The ongoing saga of Connor Hellebuyck’s holdout reached an interesting point this week as reports suggested the 33-year-old goaltender was considering returning to the Winnipeg Jets.

Hellebuyck, 33, has been suspended without pay by the Jets as he stages a holdout to force management to trade him. On Thursday, TSN’s Geno Reda observed that the three-time Vezina Trophy winner has already forfeited over $600,000 of his $7.5 million salary.

Reda noted the Jets have lost only one game in regulation without Hellebuyck as the tandem of Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson has exceeded expectations.

However, Darren Dreger told Reda that he doesn’t expect to see Hellebuyck in a Jets jersey again. He said the talk of the netminder rejoining the Jets is merely speculation, adding that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff remains focused on trading him for a fair return.

Meanwhile, Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin believes Cheveldayoff should move quickly to get Hellebuyck trades. With their 4-1-2 start, Larkin felt they have more to lose than if they’d started with a losing record.

Larkin felt Cheveldayoff could afford to be patient if the Jets were on track to miss the playoffs. He could then justify waiting until later in the season for better offers. But with the Jets off to a strong start and a roster built to win now, Larkin thinks Cheveldayoff must do something soon to ensure his club remains a playoff contender.

That offer could come from the Los Angeles Kings. According to Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli, the Kings recently “kicked tires” on Hellebuyck. Seravalli claimed that the star goalie would accept a trade to Los Angeles.

Goaltending has factored into the Kings’ poor start to this season, with Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg struggling between the pipes. Seravalli indicated it would be difficult for the club to include a first-round pick in 2027 or 2028 (even with draft lottery protection) if they sink further in the standings.

Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also believes things are bubbling beneath the surface. Noting that the Heritage Classic takes place between the Jets and the Montreal Canadiens in Winnipeg on Oct. 25, Friedman suggested things could come to a head by then.

A trade would be the best option for everyone, but only if a club on Hellebuyck’s trade list is willing to meet Cheveldayoff’s asking price, unless he’s willing to lower it to speed up the process. Otherwise, it could get awkward if Hellebuyck wants to return when the Jets have already moved on from him.

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