The Los Angeles Kings are poking around on one of the biggest names potentially available in net.
According to insider Frank Seravalli, the Kings have shown interest in Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Seravalli also said Kings general manager Ken Holland has checked on what it would take to get a deal done for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, and he has been told that Hellebuyck would approve a move to Los Angeles.
That possibility has been brewing for a while. Hellebuyck, the Commerce, Mich. native, asked for a trade over the summer, but Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff still hasn’t landed an offer he believes works for Winnipeg. The situation has now gotten messy enough that the team suspended the 2024-25 Hart Trophy winner after he didn’t show up to training camp, leaving him to train on his own while the standoff continues.
For the Kings, the timing makes plenty of sense. They’re off to a brutal start in 2026-27, opening the season with a winless five-game stretch at 0-3-2.
Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg haven’t been able to steady the crease for new head coach Peter Laviolette, with the pair allowing 20 goals combined so far. Kuemper owns a rough .847 save percentage, while Forsberg sits at .853 in only two appearances.
Los Angeles clearly needs someone who can settle things down in goal.
Hellebuyck’s most recent season wasn’t up to his usual standard, either. In 2025-26, he went 23-23-11 with a 2.86 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage. Still, there’s no denying the level he can reach, and he reminded everyone of that while helping the U.S. win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Winnipeg has managed to keep things moving without him. The Jets are 4-1-1 so far, which puts them tied for the fifth-best record in the Western Conference.
The Kings are back in action Saturday, when they host the Boston Bruins.
In Other News...
Connor Hellebuyck Trade Buzz Just Got Real For The Jets
The conversation around Connor Hellebuyck suddenly feels a lot less hypothetical. According to Sportsnets Frank Seravalli, the Los Angeles Kings have reached out to the Jets to inquire about the reigning Winnipeg cornerstone in net, and the early contact is already enough to put the story on the radar around the league. No specific players or offers have changed hands yet, but Kings general manager Ken Holland has been informed of Winnipegs asking price, and that Hellebuyck would be willing to accept a move to Los Angeles.
For Winnipeg, any serious interest in a franchise goaltender immediately raises the stakes, especially with a team trying to balance present expectations against a market that does not often see a name like this come up. The Kings need is easy to understand, given their uneven play in goal and an aging roster that makes a big swing more complicated, but this is still the kind of discussion that can stall quickly if the price climbs too high. For now, the real story is not whether the Jets are shopping Hellebuyck, but how far Los Angeles is willing to push to make the idea more than just due diligence. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Head Into Chicago Waiting On One Crucial Lineup Decision
The Jets left Winnipeg after an optional practice with Josh Morrissey still listed day-to-day, leaving his status for the upcoming game against the Blackhawks uncertain. It is the kind of late-week question that can shape everything from the opening pairings to the overall tempo, especially with a Central Division matchup on deck and projected lineups already being pieced together on both sides.
Chicago, meanwhile, has found a bit more life since captain Connor Bedard returned, adding another layer of difficulty to a meeting that already carries a little extra weight. Winnipeg still has final roster and availability decisions to sort through before puck drop, so the most important update may not come until much closer to game time. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Face A Huge Goalie Decision As Slow Start Changes Everything
A slow start has pushed the Kings into a place where even a franchise-altering move is being weighed, and Connor Hellebuyck has surfaced as the kind of name that can shift the whole conversation. Los Angeles has reportedly explored the idea of trying to land the Winnipeg Jets goaltender, with GM Ken Holland said to understand the cost and Hellebuyck reportedly open to the possibility of a move.
For Winnipeg, the wrinkle is obvious: if the talk keeps building, the Jets would have to think through what happens if Hellebuyck wants back in after any deal drama. For now, though, this is still one of those situations that is more about the pressure of the moment than a finished plan, with the Kings sorting out whether the fit matches their strategy and no trade announcement anywhere in sight. [Read more 🡒]