The Vezina and Hart Trophy Winner has requested a trade with five years remaining on his deal with the Jets
Based on the chatter from NHL insiders last week, the Winnipeg Jets are hoping to get an offer for goalie Connor Hellebuyck to their liking before the beginning of the regular season. If not, they are prepared to start the regular season with the Vezina and Hart Trophy winner on the roster.
According to both Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Florida Panthers pursued the 33-year-old during the offseason, but traded assets that were offered in the proposed trade for winger Brady Tkachuk and goalie Jacob Markstrom. Both also indicate that three clubs; the Sabres, Utah Mammoth, and Carolina Hurricanes are in the mix for Hellebuyck, who has five years left on his contract at $8.5 million per season.
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Both indicated in their reporting on Hellebuyck that Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is looking for a hockey trade instead of just future assets in the deal. In looking at the competition for the Olympic gold medal winner earlier this summer, the Mammoth may be in the best position to make a trade, with Karel Vejmelka under contract (who has a 10-team no-trade clause), 23-year-old Sebastian Cossa (obtained from Detroit in June) and young prospects (2024 first rounder Tij Iginla or 2025 top pick Caleb Desnoyers) that would tantalize Cheveldayoff in a deal.
Carolina lost veteran Frederik Andersen in free agency to Edmonton, leaving the Hurricanes with Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov as their tandem. The Jets reportedly are looking for help up the middle, but the most enticing piece coming back could be big Russian blueliner Alexander Nikishin, who is currently an unsigned RFA. along with someone like highly regarded prospect Ivan Ryabkin, who played in the AHL and QMJHL as an 18-year-old.
To best either club’s offers, Buffalo may have to further subtract from their NHL roster, in the form of winger Jack Quinn or center Ryan McLeod, but might have to include one of their promising young forwards (Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich) and/or defensive prospects Daxon Rudolph or Radim Mrtka in the deal.
It will be interesting if Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen is willing to pay such a high price for Hellebuyck, or will be willing to go into next season with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis in goal.
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