Winnipeg Jets Cannot Accept A Hellebuyck Trade That Starts A Retool
As the Winnipeg Jets focus on bouncing back from a subpar season, Connor Hellebuyck's future with the team really came into question during draft weekend.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said there were people who thought the Jets and Buffalo Sabres were close to a Hellebuyck deal, with the goaltender being willing to waive his no-move clause to make it happen. Winnipeg ultimately didn't go through with it.
The Jets probably don't want to trade Hellebuyck, even in the wake of a substandard season from him. But if Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff does decide it's time to trade Hellebuyck, they're going to want pieces that can help the Jets win now, not retool or rebuild. After all, there would need to be an extremely good reason to move a superstar goalie with five years left on his contract who has not reportedly requested a trade.
Sabres Still Involved in Trade Talks With Jets For Connor Hellebuyck
Buffalo aims to land the Vezina-winning netminder, but a rejected pre-draft blockbuster leaves the front office scrambling to bridge the gap without their prized fourth-overall pick.
In any case, the Jets would take a big step back in net with any Hellebuyck trade, which would significantly hurt their chances of being competitive with a very strong core. They would have to hope their core players don't see a move as a white flag on their competitive window, either, because maybe then they could actually get some public trade requests.
Sure, at 33 years old, Hellebuyck does not have all the time in the world to be a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender. That's why he discussed the importance of winning the Cup in his end-of-season media availability. But one bad season should not undo years of progress the Jets made to build a strong core, and Hellebuyck could be part of the team's bounce-back season in 2026-27 that gets him far in the playoffs.
The media leaks about a potential Hellebuyck trade seem to serve teams other than Winnipeg, and that's going to have to change to consummate a Hellebuyck deal. Unless a team overpays a lot to acquire the goalie from Winnipeg, the Jets must stay focused on winning the Stanley Cup as soon as possible and keep him.
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This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 4:00 PM.