The Montreal Canadiens may not be in the Connor Hellebuyck market, but they could still end up feeling the effects of the Jets’ goalie drama first.
That’s what makes this situation worth watching in Montreal. The trade buzz around the league has grown this week, with Dylan Larkin and Hellebuyck both drawing attention, and while the Canadiens have reason to monitor Larkin, Montreal still has not been added to his list.
Hellebuyck is a different matter entirely. The Canadiens aren’t being connected to him as a target - they may simply be the team that runs into the aftermath.
Hellebuyck has been suspended to start the season after failing to report to training camp, and that suspension is set to end on Friday. That creates a clear pressure point for Winnipeg.
The Jets do not seem eager to welcome him back, but if he is prepared to return, they may have to make a decision. The alternative would be paying him to stay away from the team.
If Hellebuyck is still on the roster after that deadline, it’s tough to picture Winnipeg throwing him straight into game action without some kind of practice or ramp-up first. If he is moved, though, the Canadiens could be staring at a different kind of Jets team altogether. Winnipeg is expected to bring back a strong return in any trade, potentially including NHL players, which could quickly change the makeup of the lineup.
That matters because the Jets have already opened the season better than many expected. They are 4-3-2 with 10 points through nine games. Add even more quality to that group, and Sunday’s Heritage Classic against Montreal becomes a tougher assignment.
The problem for the Canadiens is the uncertainty. They don’t know who those incoming players might be, and that leaves little time to get ready for whatever Winnipeg looks like by the weekend. They are not shopping for a goalie, but they could still be the first team affected by the end of the Hellebuyck situation this week.
In Other News...
Canadiens Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away Late
The Canadiens had enough through two periods to feel in control, with their top line driving the offense and Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each finishing with a goal and an assist. For a team trying to stack wins and turn promising starts into points, a 3-1 lead heading into the third period looked like the kind of game it needed to close out.
Instead, the third period turned into the latest reminder that nothing comes easy for Montreal right now. San Jose chipped away, erased the cushion and eventually finished the comeback in overtime, leaving the Canadiens with another result that will sting because the opportunity was there for the taking. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Have A New Reason To Watch The Dylan Larkin Rumors
Andrei Markov got the kind of welcome at the Bell Centre that only a longtime Canadiens favorite can command, drawing a standing ovation during the game and reminding everyone how quickly old connections still matter in Montreal. It was the sort of moment that had the building buzzing before the night even moved into more serious hockey business, with familiar faces and front-office energy all around the arena.
Among those watching from above was Red Wings assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper, which naturally sent the rumor mill spinning in a city that never ignores a hint of roster intrigue. The timing lines up with the ongoing Dylan Larkin chatter, as Detroit is said to be looking for a major return, but there is still no trade to report and nothing concrete yet for Canadiens fans to grab onto beyond the possibility. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Harsh Reality In Dylan Larkin Rumors
Dylan Larkins trade request out of Detroit has quickly turned into one of those situations that tells you as much about the process as it does about the player. What began as a tightly controlled list of preferred destinations has now grown, and the change has sparked plenty of debate around how the request was handled in the first place. On TSN OverDrive, a panel took aim at Larkin and his camp for mismanaging the ask by narrowing the field so aggressively before needing to broaden it again.
For Montreal, the wrinkle is obvious: this is the kind of star-center conversation the Canadiens would normally be watching closely, especially with trade speculation already swirling around the league. But with no confirmed deal and no real clarity on where this ends up, the story has become less about the player movement itself and more about the limits of leverage once a request goes public. The Canadiens can monitor the market, but for now they are stuck waiting on a situation that has already shifted once and could shift again. [Read more 🡒]