The Winnipeg Jets may have dodged more than a contract dispute when they moved Connor Hellebuyck. According to Elliotte Friedman on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, the club’s concern wasn’t just the stalemate itself - it was what might have happened if Hellebuyck had come back to Winnipeg and spoken freely to the media.
His suspension for missing training camp without permission ended Friday, which would have put the Jets back on the hook for his salary. Hellebuyck reportedly told the team he intended to return for a physical, and there was also talk that he planned to address reporters. Winnipeg apparently wanted no part of that scene.
Friedman said both sides had tried to keep things respectful during the holdout, but that tone could have gone sideways fast if Hellebuyck had opened up publicly. That risk only grew if he said something he couldn’t walk back. He also reported that Winnipeg’s leadership group met in Dallas as the situation progressed, while players around the team could sense that a resolution was coming.
Even after the trade, the possibility of a public airing of grievances hasn’t disappeared entirely. Hellebuyck has already hinted that he has plenty to say, though he said he was waiting for the Heritage Classic game to pass first.
Since arriving in New Jersey, he has only spoken briefly about the ordeal. Friedman suggested the Devils may eventually try to keep him focused on moving forward: “You’ve won.”
In Carolina, a different standoff finally ended with a contract in hand. The Hurricanes re-signed defenseman Alexander Nikishin to a one-year, $3 million deal after what had become a prolonged impasse that included a reported trade request.
Pierre LeBrun reported that Carolina had pushed for a one-year arrangement so both sides could revisit the situation next offseason. That setup also leaves Nikishin eligible for an offer sheet next summer. Frank Seravalli said, “Sounds like Nikishin’s camp came to terms with the fact that Carolina didn’t have a trade offer on the table they’d find acceptable; it was better to finally get playing again and worry about the future later.”
Nikishin, 25, was a third-round pick in 2020 and built his reputation as a productive KHL defenseman before joining the Hurricanes during their Stanley Cup championship run. Friedman also said Carolina nearly moved him to the New York Rangers this summer in a deal that could have included a couple of first-round picks, but the sides couldn’t line up on a contract.
Now the task is getting him back into game shape. Nikishin will need time to get up to speed before he returns to the lineup.
As for Montreal, Dylan Larkin is still a name to watch, but Friedman made it clear the Canadiens would have to work a very specific angle to get there. On the podcast, he said Montreal would need to “reverse engineer” a deal because the Canadiens are not currently on Larkin’s preferred list of destinations.
That would mean giving Detroit an offer strong enough to make general manager Shawn Horcoff go to Larkin and ask whether he would waive his no-trade clause for Montreal. Friedman noted that teams sometimes use a strong proposal to push a player to reconsider a destination, but even if the Red Wings accepted a deal, the forward would still have to approve it.
The Canadiens may think there’s a chance if their other options dry up. Friedman said Detroit’s visit to Montreal may have had an effect on Larkin, and the crowd chanting “We want Larkin!”
during the game might have left an impression. Even so, there’s no sign a move is close, and Larkin would have the final say.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Came Closer Than Fans Realized On Connor Hellebuyck
Long before Connor Hellebuycks name became the kind of rumor that can light up the market, Carolina was among the teams kicking tires on a goalie pursuit that apparently got a lot closer than many around the league realized. Elliotte Friedman reported that the Hurricanes were one of several legitimate suitors in trade discussions, alongside Florida, Buffalo and Utah, as the conversation around Winnipegs star netminder moved through different stages and started running into the usual obstacles that can sink a blockbuster.
The details, though, never lined up cleanly enough to push things over the top, and Friedman said the talks stalled for a mix of reasons that varied from team to team. For Carolina, it was part of a broader chase that suggested the Hurricanes were at least seriously exploring ways to shake up the position, even if the final hurdle remained out of reach. For a team that keeps looking for the edge in net, that makes the latest Hellebuyck chatter worth a second look. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Suddenly Face A Dmitri Voronkov Decision Fans Wont Ignore
The Hurricanes are still sorting through the kind of roster questions that usually linger until the market starts to move, and Jalen Chatfield is one of the quieter ones with real weight behind it. Carolina has not had recent contract talks with the defenseman, and there are no current plans to resume them, which leaves his future hanging as the club continues to think through its next round of decisions on the back end.
Chatfields situation fits into a broader stretch of uncertainty around the league, where teams are weighing not just trades but spending priorities and their own pending free agents. For Carolina, the lack of traction on an extension is the notable part, especially with the season now far enough along that every pause starts to look meaningful. If the sides do not revisit things soon, the path forward gets clearer, and not necessarily in the way the Hurricanes would prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Nikishins New Deal Puts Carolinas Long-Term Plan Back Under Pressure
Alexander Nikishins new contract with Carolina quieted one immediate layer of uncertainty, but it did not exactly settle the larger question around where his future fits. After a summer in which a move away from the Hurricanes came close, the defenseman is back in the fold on a one-year, $3 million deal, giving the team a short-term answer while keeping the longer-term picture very much open.
For Carolina, that means another season of trying to balance a talented blue line with the realities of keeping key pieces aligned on term and money. Nikishin had already pushed hard for a change and skipped camp before signing, and with future trade talks still possible, his situation remains one of the more delicate ones on the roster as the Hurricanes try to keep their long-term plan from drifting off course. [Read more 🡒]