Opinion: Connor Hellebuyck Made His Choice, And The Winnipeg Jets Shouldn't Back Down

The Connor Hellebuyck saga with the Winnipeg Jets is reaching a pivotal point in its development.

With Sportsnet reporting that his suspension is set to end on Oct. 23, the goaltender will soon be eligible to return to the Jets' lineup. The 33-year-old requested a trade this summer, failed to report to training camp, and has forfeited nearly $850,000 in salary during his absence.

While Hellebuyck is seemingly interested in returning to play, and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has kept the door open on a possible reunion, previous comments from the netminder indicating that "moving on is the best path forward for me and my family," would suggest that maintaining a long-term relationship is out of the question.

Meanwhile, this weekend, Jets captain Adam Lowry spoke out about the possibility of Hellebuyck returning to Winnipeg, and he didn't sound like someone who was aching to have the goalie coming back to the Jets.

"He's a good friend of mine," Lowry said of Hellebuyck this week. "Do I love the decision (to not report to camp)? Do I love the way it's dragged on? No. But we'll handle the situation when it comes. Obviously we're disappointed with the outcome, he's one of the best goalies in the world."

That much is true — Hellebuyck is a Hart Trophy winner and a three-time Vezina Trophy winner. But that's exactly why Cheveldayoff has refused to deal Hellebuyck for pennies on the dollar. From this writer's perspective, it should be an absolute last resort to bring him back in Winnipeg's dressing room.

The Jets (4-2-2) have been fine without him, and they don't need to poison the waters in the room just to give Hellebuyck a place on a team he wants no part of.

He has made his bed by demanding a trade, and now he has to lay in it. If the Jets were at the bottom of the NHL standings Hellebuyck might have more leverage, but even then, the right move would be for Cheveldayoff to still hold firm to the price he wants for his disgruntled star. 

Cheveldayoff answers only to Jets owner Mark Chipman, and if they've decided to take a hard line in this case, that's entirely within their rights to do so. Hellebuyck made a long-term commitment to this franchise, and while he also has the right to change his mind, he doesn't get to dictate when a trade is made.

This is why Jets fans are firmly behind Cheveldayoff in this drama. They know Winnipeg isn't an attractive destination for many NHL players.

But players like Lowry, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey prove that there are NHLers out there who want to play for the Jets. That should be the focus of Cheveldayoff, coach Scott Arniel, and the Jets players who are committed to the organization.

Is it theoretically possible Hellebuyck returns to Winnipeg's dressing room? Sure. But bringing him back could be the worst move the Jets could make.

Hellebuyck chose this route, and there's no good reason for Cheveldayoff to accept anything less than he deems adequate for his services. 

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