Vezina and Hart Trophy winner is signed through 2030-31 at an AAV of $8.5 million
If there was any doubt about Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck's intentions heading into next season, the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner made it clear late last week when he confirmed through his agent that he has requested a trade. The 33-year-old had knee surgery, and a career-worst .895 save % with the Jets last season, but still played 57 games (23-23-11) and was the key to Team USA’s gold medal victory at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
The Buffalo Sabres were connected to Hellebuyck around the NHL Draft in late June, but Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could not find common ground on a deal. The conventional wisdom is that now that Hellebuyck has made his trade request public, that Cheveldayoff is not in as strong a negotiating position to get the best deal for the netminder, but he reportedly is open to going to a wide swath of teams.
Unless Hellebuyck is prepared to hold out, Winnipeg could wait into the season for the right return for such a valuable commodity.
The Sabres could be in the mix for Hellebuyck, but deals that had previously been offered that included goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen might be off the table, since he has a five-team no-trade clause that could block a trade to Winnipeg. It is expected that any deal involving Buffalo would include one of their young centers (Noah Ostlund or Konsta Helenius), one of their top prospect defenseman (Daxon Rudolph or Radim Mrtka) and/or an established NHL forward (Jack Quinn or Ryan McLeod).
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Other teams could be in the mix for the veteran netminder, either to get them into the playoff mix, or to elevate them from a consistent postseason entrant to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Carolina Hurricanes
Team Status: The Hurricanes have had goalie issues for a number of seasons, but were saved by the fortuitous waiver claim of Brandon Bussi from Florida in early October, who was steady during the regular season and came in as a savior in the Cup Final to help Carolina win their first championship in 20 years. GM Eric Tulsky has the Canes in great shape in terms of their salary cap structure, as they enter the season just under $10 million below the cap.
Current Goalie Situation: With veteran Frederik Andersen leaving to join the Edmonton Oilers, the Hurricanes enter the season with Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov as their tandem. Kochetkov is not someone who head coach Rod Brind’Amour is a big believer in, and Bussi will have to prove that last season was not a flash in the pan. Bussi signed a three-year, $5.7 million deal in February, so his price point is at the level of most backups.
Assets To Trade: Reportedly Cheveldayoff is looking for a young goaltender as part of any trade, but that the main focus would be getting help up the middle. Tulsky could include Kochetkov in a potential Hellebuyck deal to tandem with Stuart Skinner. A large piece in a trade could be big Russian blueliner Alexander Nikishin, who is currently an unsigned RFA. It is doubtful that the Canes would include young center Logan Stankoven in a deal, which could be a dealbreaker.
Highly regarded prospect Ivan Ryabkin, who played in the AHL and QMJHL as an 18-year-old, might have to be part of any package, but the lack of a NHL-caliber center likely makes Carolina a longshot to land Hellebuyck.
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