Connor Hellebuyck’s name is out there, and that alone makes the idea of a Sharks trade worth a serious look.
The Winnipeg Jets goalie is 33, an Olympic gold medalist, and still one of the league’s biggest names in net. For a San Jose team trying to sort out its future in goal, that kind of player naturally gets attention. But the fit is not nearly as simple as “go get the star.”
On the upside, Hellebuyck brings the kind of resume that can change how a team looks overnight. Two seasons ago, he became just the eighth goaltender in NHL history to win the Hart Trophy. Over his career, he owns a 345-208-55 record with a .916 save percentage and a 2.58 goals-against average.
That’s why he keeps coming up in the conversation as one of the best goaltenders in hockey, right there with Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Compared to what the Sharks have in Yaroslav Askarov, Hellebuyck would be a major upgrade.
San Jose has been waiting for Askarov to take a step forward, and he has reached full-time NHL status, but whether he becomes the player the organization hoped for is still uncertain. Hellebuyck would give the Sharks their best chance to win right now.
His contract also matters. Hellebuyck’s deal, signed at the start of the 2023-24 season, carries an $8.5 million cap hit. That is a big number for a goalie, but in a league where top skaters are landing contracts around $20 million a year, it does not look out of line for long.
Still, there are real reasons to pump the brakes.
The biggest one is age. Hellebuyck is 33, and while he would make sense for a team ready to chase the Stanley Cup immediately, the Sharks do not appear to be there yet. He is in the third year of a seven-year contract, which gives San Jose the possibility of several strong seasons in net - but also the risk that his level drops before the deal is done.
There is also the price. Any trade for a goalie of Hellebuyck’s stature would likely cost a lot, and the source material suggests Winnipeg would want a king’s ransom. If the Jets insisted on Askarov going back the other way, that creates another layer of risk for the Sharks.
That is where the long-term picture gets tricky. Hellebuyck would help now, but moving Askarov could become a painful decision if Askarov eventually turns into the elite goalie he was expected to be. It would also put a lot of pressure on Joshua Ravensbergen to become the next answer in goal, and that is a heavy bet to make when judging young goaltenders is so difficult.
Then there is the playoff issue. Hellebuyck was a solid postseason goalie earlier in his career, but he has struggled in recent playoffs. A new team could change that, but it is still part of the evaluation.
So the question is really about timing. If Mike Grier believes the Sharks’ contention window is already open, then Hellebuyck starts to make a lot more sense. If not, the move becomes a much harder sell.
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Grier has made clear he is open to adding major talent if it makes the roster better, which is why the idea of chasing a goaltender of Hellebuycks caliber has real intrigue. San Joses interest is not hard to understand, but any serious pursuit would come with hard choices and plenty of moving parts, from the cost of acquisition to the cap gymnastics that often shape these kinds of swings. The Sharks are at the point where a bold move could speed up the timeline, and the question is whether this is the one Grier decides is worth the price. [Read more 🡒]
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