Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 27

Connor Hellebuyck Confirms Trade Request From Jets at 33 as Winnipeg Entertains Offers

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 27

Connor Hellebuyck Confirms Trade Request From Jets at 33 as Winnipeg Entertains Offers

Q: With a strict no-movement clause, which NHL contender will Connor Hellebuyck force the Winnipeg Jets to accept in a blockbuster trade?

Buffalo is the clearest answer right now, though nothing is settled. The strongest reporting in the material points to the Sabres as the most realistic team Hellebuyck could steer Winnipeg toward because his full no-movement clause gives him effective veto power. Multiple reports say Buffalo and Winnipeg discussed a deal around the draft, and Elliotte Friedman reported Hellebuyck was willing to waive that clause for the Sabres. That is the most concrete evidence attached to any destination. Carolina remains the main challenger. The Hurricanes have both the cap space and contender status Hellebuyck appears to want, and reporting says they made a serious offer involving a first-round pick and Alexander Nikishin. There have also been indications Hellebuyck would be interested in Carolina. Florida has been heavily speculated on as a preferred contender, but cap constraints and a thinner asset pool appear to make a Panthers trade harder to execute. The key issue is not just where Hellebuyck wants to go, but which contender can satisfy Winnipeg’s demand for a franchise-level return. Buffalo still stands out because it has been linked most concretely, has tradable assets, and reportedly already cleared the biggest obstacle: Hellebuyck’s willingness to approve the move. So if he effectively forces the Jets’ hand, Buffalo is the most defensible pick today, with Carolina as the strongest alternative if trade talks there become more aggressive.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 27

Connor Hellebuyck said Thursday he has asked Winnipeg for a trade, making public a request he said he had tried to handle quietly before training camp.
The 33-year-old goalie said his position "has not changed" and that moving on is the best path for him and his family after the Jets regressed last season.
Kevin Cheveldayoff said Wednesday the Jets were listening to offers, and after Hellebuyck's statement the general manager said there was still no further update.
Hellebuyck has spent his entire NHL career in Winnipeg since 2015-16, winning 3 Vezina Trophies and emerging as one of the franchise's cornerstone players.
The request comes months after his 41-save Olympic gold-medal performance against Canada elevated his profile beyond the NHL.