Nico Hischier says staying with the New Jersey Devils was about more than just a contract decision. For him, it came down to paying back the team that gave him his NHL shot in the first place.
In The Athletic, Hischier made clear that free agency never felt like the right path. “For me it was clear: My goal is to give something back to New Jersey.
They gave me a chance to play in the NHL. They picked me.
That’s also a reason for me to stay. I still believe in the guys we have in that dressing room - that we can be a good team.”
He also said the Devils’ recent management changes led to some conversations about where things were headed. “We discussed some things.
And we came to the end, and I want to be part of the plan. I want to be part of this.”
Meanwhile, the Quinn Hughes situation is still drawing attention in Minnesota, where Wild GM Bill Guerin’s latest comments only added more uncertainty. Guerin said he has a strong relationship with Hughes and his agent, and that the two sides stay in touch constantly. But he also made it clear there’s no guarantee Hughes will follow the same path as Cale Makar, whose recent record-setting extension may have reset expectations around the league.
One of the bigger variables, as Guerin noted, is Hughes’ own priorities. His interest in potentially playing with his brothers could matter more than contract precedent. And when a radio host suggested the Wild were boxed in and could never move Hughes, Guerin shot that down with, “I can do whatever I want.”
The Hellebuyck situation in Winnipeg is shaping up as another major offseason storyline. Murat Ates of The Athletic looked at what the Jets might target if they move Connor Hellebuyck, listing Connor Ingram, Cam Talbot, James Reimer, Matt Murray, and Petr Mrazek among the possible UFA options.
Ates said the cleanest approach would be to land a backup goalie as part of the Hellebuyck deal, though he noted Winnipeg wouldn’t have to do it that way. He wrote: “If Cheveldayoff finds a trade partner who can’t spare a goaltender, there’s nothing stopping him from pivoting toward making multiple trades.
In theory, the first would send Hellebuyck out the door for multiple first-round picks instead of roster players. That draft capital could then be used to shop for goaltending help in a subsequent deal - perhaps after giving Skinner some time to establish himself in his new city.”
At this point, a Hellebuyck trade feels less like a question of if and more a question of what Winnipeg can extract in return. The bigger issue is timing, not direction, and whether Hellebuyck is willing to sit games remains one of the key things to watch.
In Other News...
Kyle Connor Carries One Huge Question For The Jets Offense
Kyle Connor has been one of the most reliable offensive anchors in Winnipeg since breaking into the NHL in 2016-17, and nothing about the Jets recent planning suggests that role is changing anytime soon. The left winger has long been the kind of scorer the team can build around, a steady source of production who has already delivered year after year and now carries the expectations that come with being one of the franchises defining forwards.
The larger question is not whether Connor will matter to the Jets, but how high his ceiling can still go as he enters a new phase of his career. Winnipeg needs him to keep driving play and finishing chances at an elite level if the offense is going to stay among the leagues most dangerous, and the early read is that he should remain in the range of a high-end first-line scorer. The only thing left to see is whether he can turn that dependable track record into another jump when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Face One Brutal Question With Their Franchise Goalie
Connor Hellebuycks status has put the Jets in a delicate spot, because the franchise goalie has now made clear he wants out after already letting the organization know earlier in the offseason. Winnipeg is dealing with one of the leagues toughest problems to solve at the most important position on the ice, and the timing only adds pressure as general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff weighs whether to keep waiting or begin seriously testing the market.
The challenge is made even sharper by how thin the goalie market looks right now, which can leave a team with leverage on paper but fewer realistic options in practice. Around the league, the Devils and Hurricanes have surfaced as the most logical landing spots in discussions, but Winnipeg still has to find a package that matches Hellebuycks value without settling just because the list of bidders is limited. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Add A Familiar Local Goalie To An Unusual New Role
The Jets have filled one of hockeys oddest jobs for the 2026-27 season, signing Cole Kehler as their emergency backup goaltender. It is a role built for pure contingency, with Kehler set to be around for all 84 games and ready to step in only if both dressed goalies are unavailable.
For Winnipeg, it is a familiar name in an unusual place. Kehler has spent time in the organization before and has bounced through various minor leagues, but he has not yet appeared in an NHL game, which gives this assignment a very specific kind of intrigue: mostly invisible, until the moment it suddenly is not. If his number ever gets called, he will do so in No. 00. [Read more 🡒]