Trade chatter around Connor Hellebuyck is picking up fast, and Thursday brought the clearest sign yet that something could happen soon.
Darren Dreger reported that talks involving the Winnipeg Jets goaltender are heating up and could produce a deal today, with the Montreal Canadiens set to face Winnipeg on Sunday. Dreger also pointed to a busy day ahead and said things could come together quickly.
“Okay, twist in the plot. Connor Hellebuyck trade talks are escalating it could go down today.
Busy day developing. Stay tuned.”
Elliotte Friedman added another layer to the situation, saying the Carolina Hurricanes have an offer on the table that no longer includes Alexander Nikishin. He also said the Buffalo Sabres and Utah Mammoth are hoping Winnipeg feels backed into a corner, though he is not convinced that strategy will work.
The timing adds another wrinkle for the Jets, who sit at 4-3-3 after a 3-2 overtime loss to Dallas on Thursday. Winnipeg is scoring 2.6 goals per game and allowing 2.9, and now the future of its starting goalie is suddenly up in the air.
Carolina, meanwhile, is the team Friedman specifically singled out. The Hurricanes are 8-2-2 and averaging 3.9 goals per game.
Buffalo is 4-4-2 and giving up 3.7 goals per game, while Utah sits at 7-4-0 and has allowed 3.3. Both clubs have reasons to be in the hunt for a goalie of Hellebuyck’s caliber.
Montreal is not part of the trade discussions, but the Canadiens are still squarely in the orbit of the story. The Canadiens are 4-3-2, with Jakub Dobes carrying an .847 save percentage and Jacob Fowler at .900. They are scheduled to meet the Jets on Sunday in the Heritage Classic.
If a deal gets done before then, that matchup could look very different than expected. Winnipeg could be rolling out a new goaltender by the time Montreal arrives, and a blockbuster move like this would ripple across the goaltending market.
For now, nothing is finalized. But with Dreger and Friedman both reporting movement, Hellebuyck’s situation has become the day’s biggest storyline.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Feel Connected To A Defense Market Worth Watching
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One detail that only added to the buzz was Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper being spotted at the Bell Centre on Tuesday. The visit was reportedly tied to scouting the San Jose Sharks, which only feeds the sense that several clubs are already positioning themselves for a larger trade market to open up. No move has been confirmed, but with teams like San Jose and Boston mentioned in the mix, this is the kind of situation that can shift quickly and leave plenty of contenders waiting to see who blinks first. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Waiver Option Worth Watching On Defense
A pair of waiver moves around the league created a little more to monitor on the blue line, with Daemon Hunt of the Minnesota Wild and Jack St. Ivany of the Winnipeg Jets among the names available. For a Canadiens team dealing with injuries and looking for short-term defensive depth, that kind of list always gets a second look, especially when the available players include defensemen who might help stabilize the back end without requiring a bigger roster shakeup.
St. Ivany is the more interesting name for Montreal because the right-shot profile matters when a team is trying to patch together a lineup. He would be the sort of depth option worth watching rather than someone who would transform the Canadiens' defense, but in this part of the season those smaller moves can still matter. No decision has been made involving Montreal yet, but the waiver wire has at least given the Canadiens something relevant to track. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Test They Havent Seen In 546 Games
Nick Suzukis absence changes the feel of the Canadiens night in a way they simply have not had to deal with in a long time. Montreal heads into its matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center at 8:00 PM without the captain, who has been ruled out for the next stretch, and the club also will have to manage without Ivan Demidov. For a team used to building around Suzukis presence, this is the kind of lineup adjustment that tests depth as much as structure.
The timing makes it even more notable, because this will be the first time Montreal takes the ice without Suzuki in 546 games. The Canadiens have not yet confirmed their starting goaltender, and the broadcast will be carried on TSN2 and RDS, but the bigger storyline is how the group responds when a familiar constant is suddenly missing. Demidovs absence only adds to the uncertainty, leaving Montreal with a very different look than usual as it tries to get through a rare night without its top center. [Read more 🡒]