The Connor Hellebuyck trade talk has taken a sharp turn, and the return on the table from Florida sounds significant.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Panthers were prepared to send Evan Rodrigues, the picks that went to Ottawa in the Brady Tkachuk trade [9th & 25th overall 2026], and one roster player, not Anton Lundell. Friedman put it plainly: "Re Connor Hellebuyck/Panthers: I believe their offer was Evan Rodrigues, the picks that went to Ottawa in the Brady Tkachuk trade [9th & 25th overall 2026], and one roster player, not Anton Lundell."
That package would have given Winnipeg two first-round selections in the same draft, plus another NHL player and an additional roster piece. It is the kind of offer that does not come around often, and it is even more striking given that the Hellebuyck situation is still unresolved.
Looking back, the argument is obvious: the Jets may have passed on a deal that was hard to refuse. At the same time, the hesitation makes sense when the name involved is Hellebuyck, a goaltender of that caliber and a team that was winning.
But four months later, Florida has already moved on to another answer in goal. Jacob Markstrom, 36, has a .916 save percentage and one shutout, while Akira Schmid, 26, is at .875.
Winnipeg, meanwhile, is still waiting.
That lingering uncertainty is where this could start to get messy. What started as a trade idea has the potential to become a real distraction if it drags on much longer.
The Canadiens, at least, understand the pain of trying to find stability in net. Montreal is giving up 3.8 goals per game, with Jakub Dobes carrying an .856 save percentage and Samuel Montembeault out injured. Jacob Fowler has shown some promise, too, rebounding from a rough first outing with an impressive shutout against Detroit.
The Jets will see Montreal twice soon enough, visiting Winnipeg on October 25 before hosting the Canadiens on November 3.
And one more wrinkle: that Panthers offer was still available in June.
In Other News...
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Canadiens Face A Costly Dylan Larkin Dilemma Kent Hughes Can't Ignore
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For Montreal, that kind of framework matters because it hints at how steep the market would be before the Canadiens even get to the hardest part of the equation. Kent Hughes can check in, but the real obstacle may be getting Larkin's side to view Montreal as the right landing spot, and until that changes, the Canadiens are stuck watching a chase that looks expensive long before it looks realistic. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Real Samuel Montembeault Trade Decision
A goaltending scramble in New York has put Samuel Montembeault back into the conversation, and for Montreal it creates an awkward little fork in the road. The Canadiens have him sitting third on their depth chart, but the Rangers are dealing with injuries to both their primary and backup netminders, which has forced them to weigh whether they can lean on a less experienced option or go after a more established one.
For Montreal, the appeal is obvious in theory: a chance to move a goalie who may not have a clear runway here into a situation where the games could come sooner and more often. The wrinkle is timing, because Montembeault is on injured reserve and not exactly positioned to be a quick fix, which leaves the Canadiens with a decision to make while another team keeps searching for answers in net. [Read more 🡒]