A handful of the NHL’s offseason questions are still hanging in the air, and a few of the biggest ones center on names that could shape the next round of movement.
Connor Hellebuyck is still in Winnipeg for now, even though the idea of a trade was already floating around earlier in the summer. At the start of the offseason, it looked like the Jets might move the goalie, but as of mid-August, nothing has happened and the situation has gone quiet.
Elliotte Friedman said earlier this month that things might start to heat up closer to training camp. Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News noted that the Jets couldn’t get a deal done with the Buffalo Sabres, and if Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has Winnipeg on his no-trade list, that path looks unlikely.
The New Jersey Devils are also mentioned as a club that could be in the goalie market.
Detroit is facing its own unresolved situation with Dylan Larkin. Harrington pointed out that the Red Wings don’t have a GM right now, and even when they did, trade talks didn’t produce much.
If they do decide to move him, they’ll need a strong return. If he stays, there’s still the question of how he’ll be viewed.
There are also several other names still sitting in limbo. The Anaheim Ducks need to sign RFA forward Cutter Gauthier, while the Columbus Blue Jackets still have to get RFA forward Adam Fantilli under contract. Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin remains unsigned as an RFA, and his name has come up in trade chatter.
Jason Robertson is another situation worth watching. He becomes eligible for an extension when the calendar turns to January, and the next few months could determine where this goes.
He has wanted to stay in Dallas, but the question is whether he’ll get the money he wants and whether the Stars will be willing to pay it. If not, his time in Dallas could be nearing an end, and he would have full control over where he goes next July 1st as a UFA.
Dylan Larkin’s situation has also drawn interest from Minnesota, with the Wild said to like him and Larkin said to like the Wild. But Minnesota has its own issue to manage, with the Quinn Hughes situation and no extension in place at this time.
The wait continues across the league, with a few major storylines still unfinished and plenty of speculation left to sort through.
In Other News...
Jets Have One Young Trade Return Ready To Prove More
Isak Rosen arrives in Winnipeg with the kind of profile teams love to keep monitoring: a young Swedish forward who has done his best work in the minors and is still trying to translate that into a regular NHL presence. The Jets added him in a trade, and at 23, he already has enough pro experience to suggest the next step is less about learning the league and more about proving he can stick in it.
For Winnipeg, the appeal is obvious if Rosen can turn his pace and production into more dependable all-around play. He is expected to open the 2026-27 season in a bottom-six role, which gives him a clear starting point but not much margin for error. If his game sharpens the way the organization hopes, there is room for him to earn more responsibility and start climbing the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Face Growing Pressure From A Farm System They Can't Trust
The sting of missing the playoffs in 2025-26 is bad enough on its own, but Winnipegs longer-term picture is what makes the offseason feel heavier. The Jets are trying to thread a difficult needle with a veteran core that is slipping while the organizations pipeline remains thin, leaving little obvious help on the horizon if the current group needs reinforcements.
Viggo Bjrck and Sascha Boumedienne give the system at least a couple of headline names, yet the bigger concern is what comes after them. With the farm system lacking much reliable depth, Winnipeg does not have the kind of prospect cushion that can smooth over an aging roster, and that puts more pressure on every draft pick, every development season and every decision the front office makes from here. [Read more 🡒]
Former Jets Pick Is Getting One More Shot In North America
Alexander Burmistrov is getting another crack at North American hockey, a development that will still register for Jets fans who remember the Russian center as the clubs eighth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. After spending much of the past dozen seasons in the KHL, he is heading back across the ocean in hopes of restarting a career that once carried plenty of promise in Winnipeg.
The next stop is the ECHL, where Burmistrov has signed with the Cincinnati Cyclones and will try to work his way back into the conversation after six NHL seasons. It is not the kind of return path he likely envisioned when he first arrived, but it does at least give him a chance to reset in a league where a strong showing can still open doors. [Read more 🡒]