Connor Hellebuyck’s standoff with the Winnipeg Jets has reached a point where the message coming out of Winnipeg is hard to miss: the team does not want him back.
That’s the latest word from TSN’s Darren Dreger, who said on OverDrive that while there has been some chatter about Hellebuyck possibly ending his holdout, “Winnipeg is not interested in that.” Dreger added that the most obvious reason Hellebuyck would consider returning is the money he’s giving up by staying away.
Hellebuyck hasn’t played this season and remains in holdout mode while waiting to be traded. The Jets have suspended him without pay, and Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson have handled the net in his absence. With no trade developing, Hellebuyck keeps losing money from his $8.5 million cap hit, which has only added fuel to the idea that he might decide to report again.
Dreger said there is truth to the speculation that Hellebuyck could change course, but he also noted the NHL is on Winnipeg’s side when it comes to the suspension. Because Hellebuyck skipped training camp and made it clear he wants out, the league backs the Jets’ decision to keep him out without pay. Dreger said any move back would require a discussion between the league office and the players’ association, though his checks with the league show it still strongly supports Winnipeg’s position on the suspension.
There’s another issue working against Hellebuyck: the market is getting colder. Dreger said teams that have looked into him are starting to worry about his conditioning, since nobody has seen him skating. In Dreger’s view, he won’t be in elite shape immediately if he does come back, and clubs are asking how long it would take for him to get back to form.
That concern matters because the appeal of a trade chase has already taken a hit. Dreger pointed to Hellebuyck’s sketchy playoff performances and said his numbers from last season were among his worst.
The longer this situation drags on, the less likely teams are to offer the kind of package Winnipeg would want. And for now, Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Jets are in no rush to force anything.
The biggest problem for Hellebuyck is that the Jets keep winning without him. Winnipeg is 4-1-2 through seven games, and every result without him makes the holdout look worse. He appeared to have the Jets in a difficult spot, but the opposite has happened: the club is functioning fine, teams aren’t rushing to trade for him, he’s losing money, and Winnipeg doesn’t want him back.
This isn’t unfolding the way Hellebuyck planned.
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