Elliotte Friedman says the Winnipeg Jets are past the point of pretending this can be patched up.
On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, the veteran insider laid out a messy Connor Hellebuyck situation that he believes has become too tangled to fix. Friedman said he’s come away with sympathy for everyone involved - the Jets, Hellebuyck and the fan base - and pointed to last year’s events after the Olympics as a major reason the relationship reached this point. “There were some things that happened last year that were out of the Jets’ control post-Olympics that have made this situation impossible to resolve,” Friedman said.
He also said Winnipeg appears to understand a move has to happen now. Friedman described it as a major trade the Jets need to handle properly, and said he’ll wait to judge the return until the deal is finally completed.
“I think the biggest challenge for the Jets was realizing that they couldn’t go back in time and a deal has to get done at some point. I really do feel badly for everybody involved here. This is not like some of the other situations; this is different.”
Friedman added that Hellebuyck’s preferred destinations are broader than the usual recent trade request list, though Canadian teams are not part of it. The focus, he said, is on places where Hellebuyck believes he can win, not on off-ice factors such as taxes.
The trade picture has also shifted because some of the pieces once tied to possible packages are no longer available. Buffalo no longer has the pick that had been believed to be in play, and assets from a reported Florida offer, including a player Friedman named, have since been moved elsewhere.
Friedman also said Winnipeg has at times leaned toward bringing back a familiar name as it figures out its next move in goal.
In Other News...
Former Jets Defenceman Barry Melrose Leaves Behind A Lasting Hockey Legacy
Barry Melrose, a former NHL player, coach and longtime ESPN analyst, has died at 70 after battling Parkinsons disease. For hockey fans in Winnipeg, his name still carries the edge of a rugged playing career that stretched through the NHL and WHA before he went on to become one of the sports most recognizable voices on television.
Melroses legacy only grew after his playing days, most notably when he coached the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final and later spent nearly three decades as a prominent ESPN analyst. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman mourned his passing in a statement and credited Melrose with meaningful contributions to the game, a fitting reminder that his impact reached far beyond the bench or the broadcast booth. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Just Made A Move Fans Will Have Strong Opinions On
The Edmonton Oilers decision to sign Alex Formenton to a one-year contract is the kind of move that instantly gets people talking, and not always in the same direction. Formentons past involvement in a Hockey Canada case is part of why the reaction has been so sharp, because this is the rare hockey story that lands well beyond the usual roster debate and straight into questions about judgment, timing and what teams are willing to absorb for on-ice help.
For Winnipeg, it adds one more layer to a busy stretch around Connor Hellebuycks future, with trade discussions still hanging over one of the franchises defining players. The Jets are watching that situation closely even as other league storylines keep shifting, including Quinn Hughes saying he is not rushing extension talks with the Minnesota Wild and the hockey world mourning Barry Melrose, who died at 70. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Informal Skates Already Raised A Few Early Roster Questions
The first informal skates at the Hockey For All Centre offered an early look at the Winnipeg Jets mix of prospects and returning players, and they also provided a bit of offseason texture before the real ramp-up begins. Among the notable sights was free-agent addition Henry Thrun making his first on-ice appearance with the organization, a small but meaningful step as the Jets continue sorting through their depth picture ahead of prospect events in Gatineau, Quebec.
Those skates also came with a few familiar names missing from the main session, which naturally gives the early roster chatter a little extra weight. Winnipeg has already announced its group for the 2026 Prospect Challenge, a four-team field that will include clubs from Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa, and with more summer work ahead, the lineup choices made around these informal sessions could offer some early hints about where the competition is going. [Read more 🡒]