NHL Insider Says Connor Hellebuyck May Not Be Welcomed Back to Winnipeg

Before the start of the regular season, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Connor Hellebuyck is a member of the family until he isn't anymore. 

That sentiment may not extend throughout the organization, however, as NHL insider David Pagnotta said on the show Hello Hockey this past Saturday that he has heard from sources that "a lot of people within that organization" don't want Hellebuyck to return and want the matter resolved.

That would make sense, as many in the organization likely did not love how the 33-year-old Michigan native has handled his trade request by sitting out of the lineup. Others in tougher situations, like Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings, returned to their teams ready to work and help them win while waiting for trade to materialize.

It also appears Hellebuyck is unlikely to want to return anyway. He has already forfeited more than half a million dollars of his salary this season, and the tally continues to climb, according to the contract-loss tracker Hellebucks.com.

Little has reportedly developed on the trade front, and the Jets don't seem overly concerned as they've won three of their first five games, including impressive victories over the Colorado Avalanche and Pittsburgh Penguins, all without Hellebuyck.

The latest insider reports list the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres and Utah Mammoth as interested teams, with Pagnotta naming the San Jose Sharks as a potential dark horse.

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