Connor Hellebuyck’s situation in Winnipeg is drifting toward a real standstill, and the latest read on the market suggests the Jets are not exactly swimming in options.
TSN’s Darren Dreger said on Insider Trading Tuesday that interest around the league has “minimal” since the draft, backing up the idea that Winnipeg still hasn’t been getting meaningful offers for its three-time Vezina Trophy winner. With training camp set to open Thursday, Dreger said he does not expect Hellebuyck to be there.
The Jets are also expected to speak publicly about the situation sometime Wednesday or Thursday, right as the rest of the team begins camp.
Dreger expanded on the lack of traction during a radio appearance, explaining that plenty of contending clubs already feel set in goal. For those teams, Hellebuyck would be a luxury piece, not a pressing need.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added another layer last Thursday on his 32 Thoughts podcast, saying the Florida Panthers were among the teams that made an offer earlier in the process. But some of the assets that were believed to be part of that proposal have since been moved on, including draft capital sent to Ottawa in the Brady Tkachuk trade and Florida sending Evan Rodrigues to New Jersey instead.
Friedman also noted that trade lists do not reset on July 1, which means some players who might once have been available in a Hellebuyck package may now have Winnipeg on their own no-trade lists.
As for possible landing spots, Friedman pointed to the Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth and Carolina Hurricanes as the most realistic fits still out there, while saying he was less certain about the New Jersey Devils.
A few other teams still merit attention. Buffalo was already close to landing Hellebuyck at last season’s trade deadline. Vegas has an unsettled tandem in Carter Hart and Adin Hill, plus the NHL-ready assets to build a deal Winnipeg might actually want.
Los Angeles is another club with a clear opening, with 36-year-old Darcy Kuemper headed for free agency after this season. And New Jersey still checks a lot of boxes on paper, with veteran Jake Allen and unproven Nico Daws currently in place, along with the appeal of moving Hellebuyck closer to his family in Michigan.
In Other News...
Jets Camp Opens With One Huge Hellebuyck Problem Looming
Training camp is set to open with the Winnipeg Jets mostly healthy and a full roster taking shape, but one notable absence has already changed the tone around the start of the season. The club released its camp rosters and on-ice schedule ahead of opening day, and the final informal skate did not include Connor Hellebuyck or Walker Duehr. For a team trying to get organized quickly, the missing names are easy to spot.
Hellebuycks situation carries the real weight here, even before the first drills begin. With medicals not expected to be part of his camp arrival, the Jets are bracing for the possibility of moving forward without him, and there has been little sign since the draft that a trade market is going to solve the issue. It leaves Winnipeg facing a problem at the one position it least wants unsettled, and the first days of camp may say as much about the front office as they do about the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Camp Suddenly Has One Big Goalie Battle To Watch
Connor Hellebuycks absence from training camp has opened the door for a much different look in Winnipeg goal. With Stuart Skinner stepping in as the starter for the time being, the Jets suddenly have a real competition brewing behind him, and the focus has shifted to the depth chart as camp decisions start to take shape.
Thomas Milic, Domenic DiVincentiis, Isaac Poulter and Alex Worthington are all in the mix for the backup job, giving the Jets a chance to sort through a young group before the roster tightens. Milic and DiVincentiis have been the names to watch so far based on their recent showings, and Winnipeg could still decide to supplement the battle by exploring the waiver wire if it wants a more experienced option. [Read more 🡒]