Three NHL storylines stood out on September 17, 2026, and each one carried its own kind of tension.
In Winnipeg, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff addressed the Connor Hellebuyck situation and framed the team’s suspension of its superstar goalie as more procedural than personal. Cheveldayoff said it’s not clear Hellebuyck would be easy to bring back into the locker room, but he also called the goalie family until he’s not family anymore.
The Jets still haven’t moved Hellebuyck, and Cheveldayoff pointed to value as the reason. He said the organization understands what Hellebuyck means to the franchise and that there was comensurate value in return.
He also pushed back on reports that the team had a “gentlemen’s agreement” to trade Hellebuyck if the Jets failed to contend. Cheveldayoff said NHL contracts are binding and insisted there were no side agreements or promises regarding a future trade.
In Detroit, Dylan Larkin met the media ahead of Red Wings training camp and confirmed he did ask for a trade. He wouldn’t explain why.
Larkin said he’s trying to remove the distraction from the rest of the team and would love to be on the ice, but when it came to giving his reasons, he said he’s not ready to go there. He added he may never be, and fans didn’t exactly warm to the press conference, with many suggesting he didn’t do himself any favors.
The third major update came from Quinn Hughes, who said he isn’t worried about his unsigned extension with the Minnesota Wild. As camp opened, Hughes said he and the team have no issues and that he’s simply taking his time without feeling pressure to get a deal done before the season.
Hughes also addressed the obvious family angle. He acknowledged how appealing it would be to play with brothers Jack and Luke someday, but made clear he isn’t about to give up a great situation in Minnesota just to make that happen.
Reports around the league say the Wild have already put an eight-year offer on the table worth more than Cale Makar’s record $20.4 million AAV. If that deal gets done, Hughes would become the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history.
In Other News...
Sabres' Goalie Search Just Got More Interesting Than Fans Realized
The offseason goalie market had a little more intrigue than it looked from the outside, with Elliotte Friedman reporting on the 32 Thoughts podcast that the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers both explored the possibility of landing Connor Hellebuyck from the Jets. Winnipeg was at least willing to listen, which fits the reality of how valuable a top-end goaltender like Hellebuyck is, but there was always a practical hurdle attached to any conversation about moving him.
The Jets were not looking at this as a simple futures deal, and that helped explain why nothing came together before training camp. Buffalo and Florida had offers on the table that centered on draft picks and players, but the discussions never crossed the line into an agreement, leaving Winnipeg with its No. 1 in place and the rest of the league still thinking about how hard it is to pry a goalie of that caliber out of Manitoba. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Suddenly Face A Worrying Core Contract Problem
Contract chatter around core players has become a familiar headache across the league, and the latest round of it has touched several teams at once. Detroits internal debate over Dylan Larkin showed how hard it is for management to weigh present value against long-term stability, while Minnesotas Quinn Hughes has already been trying to keep extension talk from becoming a distraction. For Winnipeg, the discussion has centered on Connor Hellebuyck, whose trade request put the Jets in a delicate spot and raised questions about how front offices handle star players once the relationship starts to fray.
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff moved quickly to shut down the idea that any soft understanding was in place with Hellebuyck, but the broader picture remains messy because the club has been exploring trade options since the request was made. That kind of unresolved business is exactly what makes the Blue Jackets situation worth watching, too, with Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko both sitting in a contract gray area of their own. When a teams best players are not firmly locked in, every conversation about the future starts to feel a little more urgent. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Have An Early Camp Test For A Contract Fans Still Question
Training camps always bring a little inventory report along with the optimism, and the Jets are no exception as they sort through the early health status of a few players. Around the league, clubs are getting encouraging signs from familiar names like Owen Tippett and Noah Cates in Philadelphia, while Pierre Engvall is back on the ice for the Islanders after last season was wiped out by hip and ankle surgeries. San Jose, meanwhile, is already dealing with a couple of sidelined skaters before the preseason grind really gets rolling.
For Winnipeg, the updates center on two players whose recoveries are still part of the early-season picture. Elias Salomonsson is working back from shoulder surgery, and Walker Duehr has only recently started skating again after his injury, leaving the club with a clearer sense of where both stand but not much certainty beyond that. It is the kind of camp detail that rarely grabs attention outside the room, yet it matters for a team trying to keep its depth chart intact as October approaches. [Read more 🡒]