With the Vezina winner signaling his departure from Winnipeg, a growing list of heavy hitters and rising contenders are jockeying to land the NHL’s premier goaltending prize.
As more details continue to pour out on Connor Hellebuyck's trade request, now confirmed by the goaltender himself in a public statement that made clear he's adamant about leaving Winnipeg, TSN's Chris Johnston added some important context.
Johnston posted Thursday that Hellebuyck is willing to waive his no-movement clause for "a variety of teams," suggesting the list of potential fits could be larger than previously believed.
Buffalo Sabres
Fans already know about the framework that nearly came together with the Buffalo Sabres around the draft, a deal that would have sent Winnipeg the fourth overall pick, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forward Jack Quinn, with Hellebuyck reportedly prepared to approve the move.
Buffalo remains the name most closely tied to Hellebuyck, coming off a season in which the Sabres finally snapped a lengthy playoff drought and advanced deep into the postseason. Even with solid goaltending from the Luukkonen and Lyon tandem last year, none of Buffalo's netminders carry the proven track record Hellebuyck would bring, and adding him could be the missing piece toward a deeper run.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal has also been floated by some as a fit, particularly given the season the Canadiens just had, advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Montreal already has intriguing options in net, including blue-chip prospect Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobeš, who anchored that deep playoff run.
Still, locking down the position long term with a proven, championship-caliber goaltender like Hellebuyck could be a worthwhile move for a team that looks to be ascending quickly, even if it would mean stepping back from a full commitment to their current young tandem.
Carolina Hurricanes
Fresh off winning the Stanley Cup, Carolina has also entered the conversation. The Hurricanes won it all without needing elite goaltending, but with Frederik Andersen departing for Edmonton in free agency, the crease now features Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov, neither of whom carries Hellebuyck's résumé.
Adding a proven, championship-caliber starter behind an already stacked roster could be exactly the kind of move that keeps Carolina in contention for years to come.
Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia is another team worth watching. The Flyers have locked in a young, intriguing tandem of Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll, both of whom broke out or arrived with promise last season, but neither has been a long-term difference-maker, and Vladar has only had one standout year to his name.
Hellebuyck could step in and immediately turn a feisty, ascending Flyers team into a legitimate contender, and Philadelphia has more than enough assets to make a deal happen if it wanted to.
Detroit Red Wings
Then there's Detroit, an option that carries obvious sentimental appeal given Hellebuyck's Michigan roots. The Red Wings looked like a playoff team for most of last season before collapsing down the stretch, and adding a goaltender of Hellebuyck's caliber could be the kind of move that accelerates their rebuild.
It would be an uphill climb for Detroit to convince him this is a contending situation, especially after losing Patrick Kane and while navigating a trade request of their own from captain Dylan Larkin, but a homecoming for the three-time Vezina winner remains a storyline worth tracking as camp approaches.
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