The Winnipeg Jets have given themselves some breathing room early, and that matters if they’re trying to work the Connor Hellebuyck market.
Winnipeg is off to a 3-1-1 start, and the numbers in net have at least made life easier for Kevin Cheveldayoff. The Jets have allowed 15 goals in five games, while Stuart Skinner has gone 2-0-1 with a 2.62 GAA and a .920 save percentage. Clay Stevenson, the newly acquired off waivers option, is 1-1-0 with a 3.10 GAA and a .872 save percentage.
That kind of start, even in a tiny sample, has changed the temperature around any possible Hellebuyck deal. On DFO Insider, Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta talked through what Winnipeg’s patience might mean, whether the Jets still need a goalie back in return, and which teams are leading the chase.
“And what about Connor Hellebuyck? Right now, advantage Winnipeg, as both goaltenders are winning games.
Whether it’s Stewart Skinner or the, the newly acquired off waivers, Clay Stevenson. Both are playing well, and if you’re Kevin Cheveldayoff right now, that is music to your ears.
Both because it’s a big season for the Winnipeg Jets to get back to their graces, and two, you’re not forced into making any deal right now,” Marek said.
Pagnotta’s read was simple: Winnipeg can wait, and that patience could even reshape the kind of return it asks for.
“Yeah, no, you don’t have to. You can sit back and wait, and it gives you the luxury of waiting even more.
You know, for this group, they keep going. They can, you know, if you’re Cheveldayoff, you say the only thing that switches maybe is you go okay instead of two immediate pieces in a package; I’ll take one, but the other pieces are going to be amplified,” Pagnotta said.
The bigger question is whether Winnipeg would insist on a goalie coming back. Marek raised that possibility, but Pagnotta pushed back.
“No. Yeah, I don’t think they need it.
Now it depends situationally with, with like I just, I was just mentioning Utah. I think Utah’s still lurking in the weeds.
(Karel) Vejmelka would have to be part of the mix for sure. If it’s Carolina, I don’t know if you necessarily need a goaltender back.
It’s (Alexander) Nikishin. Nikishin is the piece they’re dangling in order to go out there and get other pieces that they can package up to send to Winnipeg.
So they’re still, they’re still exploring that. I know they’d like to do it.
I know Carolina would love to improve their club, even though they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. It’s Buffalo, Buffalo, Utah, Carolina for me,” Pagnotta said.
For now, the Jets’ early results have bought them time, and that may be enough to change the shape of any Hellebuyck negotiations.
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Oilers Start Is Raising One Big Lineup Question
The Oilers unbeaten start has changed the conversation around their forward mix, with Mike Babcock already signaling that Zach Hyman should be back soon and rookie Owen Michaels potentially earning more ice time. It is the kind of early-season performance that forces a coach to keep rechecking the board, especially when a team keeps stacking points and the lineup begins to tilt toward tougher decisions rather than easier ones.
For Winnipeg, the bigger ripple is in the background noise around the roster, because Connor Hellebuycks name has again surfaced in trade chatter. Elliotte Friedman has pushed back on the Rangers speculation, and the practical hurdles are part of why it does not line up cleanly for either side, which leaves the Jets with the more familiar reality of having to sort through what they would even want back in any serious goalie discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Get A Brief Reset Before A Weekend That Suddenly Matters
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There was some scattered positive news beyond the main roster, too, as Jets prospects Owen Martin, Zach Wooten and Alexandre Taillefer each chipped in offense in recent CHL and NCAA action. For a team trying to manage the wear and tear of a heavy stretch while keeping an eye on the pipeline, those small developments matter, even if the bigger question still sits in front of Winnipeg as it heads into a game that suddenly carries more weight. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Practice Just Raised A Big Question Before Minnesota
After a two-day break, the Jets were back on the ice in Winnipeg on Monday with a few lineup clues beginning to emerge before their meeting with Minnesota. Josh Morrissey, listed as day-to-day after the injury he sustained against Colorado, was seen working with skills coach Matt Larke, a small but notable sign as the team tries to sort out its blue-line picture. Elias Salomonsson also took a step forward by ditching his non-contact jersey, even if he still stayed out of full-contact work.
Up front, the lineup tinkering continued as Winnipeg mixed things up at practice. Nino Niederreiter rejoined the group while Brad Lambert slid into the 13th forward role, giving the Jets a little more flexibility but also leaving one of the clubs biggest questions hanging heading into the Minnesota game: just how close they are to getting the full regular look back together. [Read more 🡒]