The Connor Hellebuyck trade buzz is picking up, and three teams keep standing out as possible landing spots for the Winnipeg Jets goalie.
Buffalo is one of them. The Sabres took a real step forward last season and are expected to keep trending in the right direction, but their ceiling still comes back to one thing: goaltending.
This is a team that could use a true No. 1, and Hellebuyck would give them exactly that. He’s the kind of goalie who can handle 60-65 games and give Buffalo a real chance to matter in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen finished last year with a .910% and a 2.25 goals-against average, but the consistency has been shaky. The season before, the position was even more of a problem.
Only one Sabres goalie finished above .900%, and that was James Reimer in 22 games.
New Jersey is another obvious fit. The Devils need stability in goal, and Jacob Markstrom was shipped to Florida.
Nico Daws and Jake Allen are not viewed as long-term answers, which makes Hellebuyck an attractive target for a team that already looks strong on paper. With him in net, the Devils could push to be a top-3 team in the Metropolitan Division.
The price would be steep, but New Jersey may be willing to put together the kind of package it would take.
Carolina rounds out the list. Yes, the team that just won the Stanley Cup is in the mix for Hellebuyck, and there’s a clear reason why: the Hurricanes have the assets and the cap space to make a deal work.
They already got strong production from Fredrick Anderson, Brandon Bussi, and Pytor Kotchekov, but that hasn’t stopped them from being linked to the biggest name still available. With their top players on team-friendly contracts, adding Hellebuyck would be the kind of move that puts an already good offseason over the top.
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In discussing the decision, Hischier pointed to his commitment to the Devils and the recent shifts around the organization, including the arrival of new general manager Sunny Mehta. For a player of his stature, the timing underscored how much faith he has in where the team is headed, and it also hinted at a broader belief that the Devils next chapter could be even more compelling than the last. [Read more 🡒]
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For a team trying to settle into its next phase, that kind of uncertainty can matter just as much as production. New Jersey did not bring in Evangelista for a long-term mystery, but his situation adds another layer to a summer already full of league-wide movement chatter, including renewed discussion about whether Sidney Crosby even leaves Pittsburgh at all. The Devils cannot control those bigger narratives, yet they do have to manage the one in front of them, and what happens with Evangelista over the coming year could decide whether this trade looks like a short-term boost or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Have Every Reason To Watch This Hellebuyck Sweepstake
As training camp approaches, the Devils are carrying a roster that already looks crowded in a few important places, especially up front and in goal. That makes any significant move harder to pull off, but it also leaves New Jersey in position to monitor the market closely if the right opportunity appears. Connor Hellebuyck has already made his desire for a trade public, and the Devils are widely viewed as one of the teams best positioned to chase him if Winnipeg decides to engage seriously.
The issue, of course, is cost. Any deal for a goalie of Hellebuycks stature would require a substantial package, and that is where the Devils would have to decide how aggressive they want to be while trying to keep their current depth intact. Luke Evangelista, recently acquired by New Jersey, has already sounded eager to help push the club toward the playoffs, which only adds to the sense that this is a team trying to win now while still leaving room for a major swing if the market breaks its way. [Read more 🡒]