The Connor Hellebuyck situation is still hanging out there, but Elliotte Friedman thinks one team in particular may be waiting to pounce: the Utah Mammoth.
On the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman said he believes Utah is determined to land the Winnipeg Jets goaltender, and he pointed to the way the organization has chased targets before. Utah, he said, has a habit of sticking with a player until it gets its man.
“If they want something, like you look at Vincent Trocheck, they wanted Trocheck for a year at least, and finally got him,” Friedman said. He also said Utah has been in and out of the Hellebuyck discussion, which signals real interest. “Now that it’s real, I just want to see if they’re a factor at the end of all this.”
Friedman identified a few teams as possible drivers in the goalie market. Buffalo has wanted Hellebuyck for some time, and Friedman said the goalie is willing to go there.
The Rangers are another part of the puzzle, though not because they want Hellebuyck themselves. Friedman said the Igor Shesterkin injury could trigger movement around the league depending on what Chris Drury does.
Utah’s place in the mix makes sense to Friedman because of where the team is headed. He described them as a good young team moving toward becoming a regular playoff contender. If a deal takes shape, he suggested Karel Vejmelka could be moved to the Rangers to fill the hole left by Shesterkin, which would then create room for Utah to bring in Hellebuyck.
There is a complication with Vejmelka’s deal, since he is signed through 2030, but Friedman said the $4.75 million hit is not a huge burden for New York, even once Shesterkin returns.
The timing also matters here. Hellebuyck’s suspension ends Friday, and Friedman said if the Jets cannot move him by then, they will pay him to stay home.
That would be expensive, but Friedman made clear Winnipeg is not going to force the issue. The team will wait for the right offer, and that could become more realistic if Hellebuyck is back in the lineup.
Friedman said Los Angeles does not appear to be a fit right now, while Carolina remains in the picture. Utah has talked with the Jets, but nothing has advanced far because of the uncertainty around Hellebuyck’s status and what he intends to do.
Chris Johnston added another layer to the concern, saying scouts have questions about which version of Hellebuyck a team would be getting. “You don’t really know what he’s doing,” he said.
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