"Big Chance to Get Worse": NHL Insider Says Connor Hellebuyck May Still Have Issues With Winnipeg

The Connor Hellebuyck saga may be over on the ice, but according to Elliotte Friedman, the tension behind the scenes may be far from settled.

On Monday, Friedman provided what is likely one of his final updates on the situation between the Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, on his podcast, 32 Thoughts, with Friedman's reporting taking a very different direction than expected.

Speaking about when the deal went down, the NHL insider noted that Friday marked the end of Hellebuyck's team-issued suspension and that the Jets weren't forced to trade him but that money could be part of the equation as they likely didn't want to pay him to sit out of the lineup. 

"Money is always a factor, but I don't know if it was 100% the factor," Friedman said.

Where Friedman's report took a sharp turn was in the post-trade comments from both sides. In his introductory press conference with the Devils, Hellebuyck said he did not want to comment on his relationship with the Jets until after the Heritage Classic, but that he would eventually voice some thoughts at a later time. Before practice on Monday, he was asked again if he would like to comment by the media and again declined.

Whether those comments are to be good or bad is yet to be seen, but according to Friedman's reporting, it suggests they likely would not have been positive and that if Hellebuyck had decided to speak out, the Jets would not have stayed quiet.

"I think if Hellebuyck had spoken, the gloves would have gone off, and I think the Jets would have responded in kind," Friedman said.

The insider explained the two sides may still have some hard feelings, despite Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff saying on a different episode of Friedman's podcast from Saturday, just before the Heritage Classic, that he'd like to see the matter put behind them. 

He expressed hope that Hellebuyck could one day return to Winnipeg for future events like an alumni game like the one played Saturday as part of the Heritage Classic weekend. Friedman, however, said he was told people believe the matter is not so easily resolved and that bad blood may remain.

"When this was all over, people told me it had a big chance to get worse, and it was going to get worse if everyone talked to the media," Friedman explained.

"I think the possibility of this going to another level of he said, she said, finger pointing. Nobody wanted that, especially not the players, and that to me is as much a reason that this trade happened now as anything else."

Friedman also offered his own opinion, saying Hellebuyck should consider refraining from making matters worse and that he got his trade, the two sides can go separate ways. However, Friedman acknowledged that Hellebuyck could take things in another direction.

"If what I heard was right, that if Hellebuyck could talk, the Jets were going to talk. All you're doing now is relitigating something that, in a lot of ways, is over," Friedman empathized.

"If he says something, the Jets feel they have to respond or protect their market. All he's doing is extending it."

For now, the matter appears settled, with Hellebuyck expected to make his Devils debut soon. The 33-year-old Michigan native has already been spotted on the ice in Devils gear and could make his first start as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.

 New Jersey will face a tough back-to-back, starting in Dallas before heading to Colorado and the Devils will rested players and Hellebuyck could be one of them.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.