A new name has jumped to the front of the Connor Hellebuyck chase.
For a while, the Buffalo Sabres looked like the team most likely to make a real run at the Winnipeg Jets star. But NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said Tuesday that the Carolina Hurricanes have now become the most motivated pursuer of the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
“Right now, Carolina is the most motivated pursuer. If [Alexander] Nikishin wanted to sign in Winnipeg, Hellebuyck would already be in Wolfpack country. There are now some teams with permission to speak to Nikishin (who just changed agents), and the suspicion is it's because the Hurricanes want to see if there's a three-way [trade] available.”
Friedman added that Buffalo had been “closest to getting something done” with Winnipeg, but the talks never crossed the finish line. The Sabres made a serious push before the 2026 NHL Draft in late June, only for the process to stall when the Jets reportedly would not include the No. 8 overall pick in a larger package in exchange for the No. 4 selection.
Even after that, the rumors hung around through the summer. Still, Buffalo never seemed to get back to the point where a deal felt close.
Instead, the Blue and Gold are opening the season with the same three-goalie setup they used a year ago: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis.
Carolina is working with a similar goaltending picture, just with a different cast. The Hurricanes used Brandon Bussi, Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov last season, and Bussi handled the final wins of the club’s Stanley Cup run after Andersen played most of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in net. Andersen then left in the offseason and signed with the Edmonton Oilers, where he’ll begin the year on injured reserve, and Carolina brought up Cayden Primeau to help fill the gap.
Now the Canes appear to be aiming higher. Hellebuyck would bring one of the league’s most accomplished resumes to a team trying to defend its championship, even if his last season was rough by his standards. He finished with a .895 save percentage in 57 games, the worst statistical season of his career.
Still, the fit is obvious on paper. Behind one of the league’s strongest teams, Hellebuyck would be positioned for a bounce-back year.
Friedman said the Anaheim Ducks and Utah Mammoth were among the other clubs that “took a peek” at the 33-year-old over the offseason. The Florida Panthers also made an offer before shifting to Jacob Markstrom in goal.
For now, Hellebuyck remains suspended by the Jets after failing to report to training camp as the new season approaches.
Buffalo, though, shouldn’t be completely written out of the story.
Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen considered a blockbuster move for Hellebuyck, but he never seemed eager to pay Winnipeg’s asking price. And that’s understandable given that Buffalo’s regular-season goaltending was already strong last year, with the club posting the NHL’s third-best cumulative save percentage. The problem came later, when Luukkonen and Lyon struggled in the postseason and pushed the issue right back to the front burner.
That’s why the Sabres are still a team to watch if Carolina can’t get something done soon. Buffalo has already dealt with injuries to Luukkonen and Lyon in the preseason. Neither player opened the year on IR, but it’s unclear whether they’ll be ready for a full workload right away, and Ellis could see extra starts early.
If that trio can’t match what Buffalo needs, a Hellebuyck trade could quickly become much more urgent if the Jets goalie is still on the market.
The Sabres are trying to navigate a brutally tight margin for error in their push for a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Atlantic Division is loaded, and at least 14 of the Eastern Conference’s 16 teams have real playoff ambitions.
Buffalo can’t count on another run like last season’s to get through that kind of field. It’s going to take steady, reliable goaltending over the next seven months.
If it doesn’t come from Luukkonen, Lyon and Ellis, Kekalainen will have to be ready to move. And Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff seems to be betting that at least one team will eventually run into an injury or a slump in goal, creating the kind of market he wants for Hellebuyck.
Buffalo could still be that team. If the Sabres need a fix in net, the 2025 Hart Trophy winner would be the clearest answer.
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