NFL
The Jets’ franchise goaltender, who said just a couple of years ago that he wanted to stay in Winnipeg and win a Cup, has formally and very publicly requested a trade. Winnipeg finished with 116 points just 2 seasons ago. It was enough to win them a Presidents’ Trophy. Hellebuyck also won a Hart and Vezina in the same season.
Hellebuyck’s penchant for “choking” in big moments has been all but dispelled by a magnanimous performance vs. Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He is now looking for something else, a Stanley Cup, which he seems to feel is not possible in Winnipeg. 
The Jets saw themselves take a substantial step back last season, finding themselves on the outside looking in after being the best regular-season team in 2024-25′. The team just wasn’t able to find their footing last year. It seems like, with an aging core of players, the time is now to make big moves to stay relevant.
The Jets reportedly want a 1st-round pick, a starting goalie, and a top 6 forward for the underpaid 33-year-old Connor Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck carries only an $8.5m AAV cap hit through the 2030-31 season.
So, the question remains: who is willing and able to foot the bill for the Gold Medal Goaltender? Let’s look at 5 teams that I could see making a run at grabbing him before the season starts.
Buffalo Sabres:
The Sabres have everything needed to make a run at Connor Hellebuyck, and are currently the front-runners. If they traded Ukko-Pekka-Luukkonen, they could easily fit Helley’s contract under the cap. Where it gets interesting is the ask for a top-6 forward. I am not sure if Buffalo will be willing to thin out an already thin and young forward core further.
Carolina Hurricanes:
The Canes most notably lost Freddie Andersen this offseason, leaving them thinner at the goalie position than they were last year. The addition of Connor Hellebuyck would cement the Canes as the favorites to win the Cup again and repeat as champions. They have plenty of cap space, but who would they ship out? I couldn’t imagine them sending Bussi out the door after the heroics he put on in the Final (and the regular season if we’re being honest).
Edmonton Oilers:
I sometimes like to refer to the Oilers as the place goaltenders go to die. Freddie Andersen is going to be out until at least October. It makes the Oilers frontrunners to try their best to bring a true elite goalie into the fold. It is no secret that the Oilers are perhaps the team under the most pressure to win right now. McDavid’s contract is set to expire after the 27′-28′ season. If the Oilers aren’t firmly in contention at the deadline, we could see a Gretzky-esque trade once again from Edmonton. Until then, you can bet that their front office will be kicking the tires on Connor Hellebuyck.
Utah Mammoth:
The Mammoth are a fun case because they are perhaps only an elite goalie away from being a contender for the Central Division. Utah has ample young talent, a bit of cap space to play with, and a replacement goaltender in Vejmelka. I wouldn’t consider them frontrunners, but don’t be surprised to see their hat in the ring. The rub for Utah is which top-6 forward they would be willing to part with to bring in Connor? I don’t view Utah as a “win now” team. Hellebuyck doesn’t quite fit into their plans right this second.
Florida Panthers:
After moving on from Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers have put their faith in 36-year-old Jacob Markstrom to be the primary guy between the pipes. I could feasibly see them wanting to move young goaltender Akira Schmid. However, that would leave them with about $6.5m more payroll to shed. I personally can’t see Connor heading to Florida because the Panthers only have $34,286 in cap space right now. If they do pull it off, you can bet that the Panthers will be favorites to win the Eastern Conference if they aren’t already.
Philadelphia Flyers:
Continuing with some of our dark horse candidates, I put the Flyers on here for the simple fact that their front office has been aggressive this offseason. They have the picks, cap space, and the players to move. The issue with Philly is that there are other holes to fill, most notably a top-line center (like Leo Carlsson would have been) and a 1D. If they traded Joseph Woll, their tandem of Vladar and Hellebuyck would be easily the best in the league. They would still have space to make moves further into the season and at the deadline to shore up their forward situation.
Should The Jets Lower Their Standards?
The answer is most likely yes. I don’t see many teams willing to take on an $8.5m cap hit for a 33-year-old goalie, no matter how good he is, in addition to a 1st-round pick and a top-6 forward. Most NHL teams don’t have that kind of capital to spend. With the Dylan Larkin situation dragging on and the Werenski rumors from earlier in the season, there is still no guarantee Hellebuyck even gets moved before the season starts.
One thing is for certain: his value would have been much higher had they tried to trade him earlier in the offseason. Players are now getting ready for training camp, pre-season, and, soon after, an 84-game season. The Jets are handcuffed. They can ask for whatever they want. However, if they actually get him, the insane asking price has yet to be seen. They are the proverbial Facebook Marketplace guy sitting on a price point, unwilling to come down. They “know what they have,” so to speak.
What they have is possibly the best goalie in the league. How much longer can he actually be that, though? He is coming off of one of the worst seasons of his career, recording a sub- .900 save percentage for the first time in his career. It was also his 4th-worst GAA, the worst he has had since 2021-22′. Connor was the definition of consistency going into last season, and had a bit of a hiccup. I do not doubt that he could bounce back next season, but how long can he be Vezina-caliber?
I don’t think I’m the only one wondering about that. GMs around the league are likely wondering the same thing as they contemplate mortgaging a good bit of their present and future for him. Where do you see him going? Feel free to comment or tweet at me @_hockeytonk.
