The Winnipeg Jets are finding out the hard way that a big name doesn’t guarantee a big return. Connor Hellebuyck’s trade market has been slow to develop, and the offers coming back haven’t been close to what Winnipeg wants. That’s left a messy situation hanging over a team that still wants to compete, not tear things down.
TSN insider Darren Dreger said teams have been in touch about the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, but the proposals sent back to the Jets have been “terrible.” Dreger also said Hellebuyck is unlikely to waive his no-trade clause for a Canadian destination, which narrows the field even more.
The Athletic’s Murat Ates suggested the weak market may be forcing a reality check on Hellebuyck’s value, while also noting Winnipeg may have reduced its own leverage by waiting until after the draft and July 1 to seriously push the situation forward. Elliotte Friedman said the talks have been very quiet and added that the Jets are not interested in moving Hellebuyck for futures.
“Winnipeg has made it very clear that they are also not doing it for futures. They don’t want to make their team worse. Any trade they make for Hellebuyck or other trades around it, Winnipeg wants to compete.”
That stance could drag this all the way into training camp, which would only make an already uncomfortable situation more awkward.
Elsewhere, the Minnesota Wild took care of their own business by extending head coach John Hynes, keeping him from entering the season on the final year of his deal. Martin St.
Louis had recently been in a similar spot before landing an extension, and Pierre LeBrun pointed to a handful of other coaches still working under that kind of uncertainty: Joel Quenneville, Jared Bednar, Scott Arniel, Ryan Warsofsky and Rick Bowness. Andrew Brunette is another name to watch, with one season left and a team option for 2027-28.
There’s also a deadline squeeze building in Anaheim, where the Ducks and restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier are still trying to hammer out an extension. LeBrun said Tuesday is a key day in those talks, and Anaheim put a new offer on the table Sunday.
The two sides still had more to sort through and were expected to meet again. The wrinkle is the old CBA expiring tonight, which matters because of how front-loaded rules change in the new agreement.
LeBrun noted, “But if a deal doesn’t get done before the old CBA expires tonight, then there’s an issue because of how the front-loaded rules change in the new CBA. And the front-loaded money is an important part of the current discussion.”
That means Gauthier isn’t just pushing for a strong AAV. He also wants a contract built with signing bonuses and front-loaded money.
The Vancouver Canucks are dealing with a similar clock, and Rick Dhaliwal said the talks with RFA Liam Ohgren were pretty quiet as of Tuesday morning. “Things can change with 1 phone call, but I was told this morning, very quiet between the Canucks and free agent Liam Ohgren in contract talks.”
If the sides can’t bridge the gap soon, Vancouver could lose the chance to sign him to the maximum eight-year term. At the same time, Ohgren is still viewed as a bit of a wildcard, so the Canucks may not be eager to lock themselves into that long of a deal.
In Columbus, the Blue Jackets are trying to get Adam Fantilli under contract before camp gets rolling. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic wrote, “Deals are getting done.
Have to believe Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell and Adam Fantilli’s agent, Pat Brisson, will be hard at work today.” He added that players report for physicals on Wednesday and hit the ice on Thursday, and nobody wants the 21-year-old No. 1 center missing the start of camp.
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Waddell has made it clear Columbus is not interested in moving Marchenko just to make a deal, which is part of why this feels so delicate. For now, the expectation is still that he will be in camp, but the silence around the situation has kept trade speculation alive even without any official sign that a move is close. [Read more 🡒]