Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff says the Connor Hellebuyck situation is still open-ended, with no deadline attached to a trade and no indication that every door has been shut.
Speaking Thursday in Winnipeg, Cheveldayoff addressed the suspended goaltender’s status one day after the team held Hellebuyck out for not reporting to training camp. The GM said the trade request became official during the club’s exit meetings after the 2025-26 season, even though Hellebuyck’s camp said last month that the request came earlier in the offseason.
Cheveldayoff was direct about where things stand now. “No doors are closed,” he said.
“He’s under contract for five more years. At the end of the day, that will be his choice.”
The Jets have spent a long stretch trying to find a deal that satisfies both sides, and Cheveldayoff made clear the process is not being rushed. “Nothing at this point in time is final.
It’s a procedural thing,” he later added. “We’ve been trying to make a trade that works for both sides for a long time now.”
He also stressed that the situation has to stay professional, even with one of the franchise’s biggest names involved.
“It can’t get emotional. It can’t get personal,” he said.
“Connor Hellebuyck is part of our family until he isn’t part of our family. You don’t just say that.
You have to believe it.”
Cheveldayoff, who has run the Jets since 2011, was also asked about the possibility of Hellebuyck returning to Winnipeg. His answer left the door cracked.
The 33-year-old has been one of the league’s top goalies since entering the NHL 11 years ago. In 2025-26, he went 23-23-11 with a 2.86 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage in 57 appearances for Winnipeg. Over 11 NHL seasons, he has a 345-208-55 record, along with a .916 save percentage and 2.58 goals-against average in 625 career games.
For now, Cheveldayoff says the Jets can afford patience.
“This isn’t necessarily a time thing for me,” he said. “For me, I just want to get this right.”
In Other News...
Connor Hellebuyck Still Puts The Jets In A Tough Spot
Connor Hellebuyck is still a Winnipeg Jet, even after his trade request was confirmed by his agent, and the situation has left the club in an awkward holding pattern as the offseason drags on. Interest has surfaced from teams including Buffalo and Carolina, but so far nothing has moved close enough to force Winnipegs hand, and the Jets have made it clear they are not looking to move a top goalie for pennies on the dollar.
For now, the whole picture is tied to training camp, where the next shift in leverage could determine whether this turns into a real trade discussion or simply lingers as an unresolved distraction. Winnipeg knows the stakes here are higher than just one roster spot, because a move of this magnitude would reshape the clubs outlook in a hurry, and the front office appears content to wait rather than settle. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Face One Big Hellebuyck Question As Trade Talk Lingers
Trade chatter around Connor Hellebuyck has kept Winnipeg in the middle of one of the leagues most closely watched goalie stories, with the Jets fielding inquiries but not finding a package that meets their price. The holding pattern has left interested clubs watching the situation from a distance, while teams such as Buffalo, Carolina, San Jose and Edmonton remain among those tied to the conversation.
For the Jets, the real issue is less about whether there is interest and more about whether any of it turns into an offer worth moving a franchise goalie for. The longer the stalemate lasts, the more pressure shifts onto both sides, especially with other camps still taking shape and the market waiting to see if Winnipeg relents or if a suitor finally steps forward with something more compelling. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Face A Bigger Hellebuyck Problem Than Just His Trade Request
Connor Hellebuycks public trade request has pushed the Jets into a familiar but uncomfortable place, and Winnipeg is now dealing with the fallout in a way that makes the standoff even more pointed. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said the club is pursuing a deal that would return fair value, while also making clear there are no side agreements attached to Hellebuycks contract, a detail that adds another layer to an already tense situation.
The bigger issue, though, is the one the Jets had to address immediately after Hellebuyck failed to report to training camp. Winnipeg suspended its goaltender, and Cheveldayoff said the move was procedural, which means Hellebuyck will not be paid or count against the salary cap while the suspension lasts. For a team trying to manage both the business of the roster and the optics of a star player wanting out, the wrinkle is no longer just the request itself but the formal break that now sits around it. [Read more 🡒]