The San Jose Sharks have suddenly become a team to watch in the Connor Hellebuyck chase.
For weeks, the Buffalo Sabres have been treated as the favorite in the Winnipeg Jets star’s trade buzz. But a new report has put San Jose in the mix as a real challenger, and the Sharks’ latest move may have made their case even stronger.
Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to open as San Jose’s starter. Last season, he appeared in 40 games and finished with an .896 save percentage and a 2.87 goals-against average.
Those are respectable numbers, and with Yaroslav Askarov and Eric Comrie also in the picture, the Sharks have a goaltending group that could help them chase a playoff spot on the back of an improved defense. Still, that’s a far cry from Hellebuyck.
The Comrie addition is the part that stands out. According to Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press, San Jose’s decision to bring in Comrie - Hellebuyck’s longtime backup in Winnipeg - could matter more than it looks on paper.
McIntyre called Comrie Hellebuyck’s “personal security blanket” and said the reunion could make the Sharks’ pitch to the Jets goalie much more attractive. “I still believe Buffalo is the most logical landing spot, but I also keep coming back to San Jose as a suitable destination - and that was before they went and inked Comrie, which no doubt would make the sales pitch to Hellebuyck even easier,” McIntyre wrote.
McIntyre also made his belief clear about where this is headed. “I firmly believe Connor Hellebuyck is going to be traded.
In fact, I’d put the odds somewhere north of 95 per cent. I just don’t know exactly when, or to whom.”
If the Sharks do pull it off, they’d probably have to clear the crease by moving on from Nedeljkovic, who has a three-team no-trade clause. That would leave San Jose with a projected tandem of Hellebuyck and Comrie, while 24-year-old Yaroslav Askarov keeps developing behind them.
It’s already been a busy summer for San Jose. The Sharks added Jacob Trouba and Mason Marchment in free agency, then traded for Darnell Nurse and acquired Michael Kesselring. If GM Mike Grier is going to make one true statement move, landing Hellebuyck would be the kind of swing that changes the whole conversation.
In Other News...
Connor McDavid Suddenly Faces A Real Concern Under Edmontons New Coach
Connor McDavids numbers could take a hit if Mike Babcock leans into the kind of defensive structure he has favored in the past, but the bigger takeaway for the rest of the league is that Edmonton may be entering a more disciplined era whether its star likes it or not. Even so, the expectation is not that McDavid disappears from the scoring race, only that the ceiling may look a little different if the Oilers spend more time playing without the puck and more time asking their best player to work through tighter checking.
For the Sharks, the more immediate intrigue is in goal, where the market around Connor Hellebuyck is starting to widen in a way that could matter in San Jose. Buffalo had been viewed as the obvious landing spot, but the Sharks are now being mentioned as a team with enough appeal to keep the conversation alive, especially with a familiar face in the mix on their side. If that interest keeps building, it would be one of the more notable goalie twists of the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Macklin Celebrini Just Reached A Massive Milestone For The Sharks
Macklin Celebrinis rise has already given the Sharks a centerpiece to build around, and now it has landed him on one of hockeys biggest stages off the ice. EA Sports announced that the San Jose forward will be the cover athlete for NHL 27, a nod to how quickly he has become one of the sports most recognizable young names.
For San Jose, the selection carries extra weight because it reflects both his production and his profile at just 19 years old. Celebrini has made a strong impact in his first two seasons with the Sharks, and his year has only broadened his rsum with major international duty for Canada, leaving the next chapter of his career looking even bigger than the last. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Goalie Prospect Explains His Next Step After A Rocky Year
Christian Kirschs path since the Sharks took him in the 2024 draft has not been a straight line. The goalie prospect spent a rocky 2024-25 season bouncing between leagues before finally settling in with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, where he found some stability and helped them win the Memorial Cup. Now he is preparing for his next jump, with NCAA hockey at Quinnipiac University on deck next season, and he spent Sharks development camp talking through the kind of growth that comes from having to adjust on the fly.
For Kirsch, the appeal of college hockey is as much about development as it is about a fresh start, and he has been open about the importance of consistency after a year that tested it. His move to Quinnipiac gives him a chance to reset in a new environment and keep building his game before he turns his attention back to the Sharks pipeline, even if the circumstances that opened that door were not exactly the ones he would have drawn up. [Read more 🡒]