4 Teams That May Have Made “Terrible ” Trade Offers for Hellebuyck

According to TSN insider Darren Dreger, teams are calling the Winnipeg Jets about the ask for three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, but the offers are “terrible.” There isn’t a lot of interest in trading for the netminder at the price the Jets are seeking, so no deal has happened, and Hellebuyck won’t be at camp. Things could get ugly.

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He still has five years remaining on his current contract that pays him $8.7 million per season against the salary cap. Some teams can absorb that, but still aren’t willing to make a great offer.

But which teams are talking trade and waiting for the Jets ask to drop? Emily Kaplan of ESPN writes, “Connor Hellebuyck won’t lose money during camp or preseason. The pressure point comes in two weeks, when he’d begin forfeiting salary if still suspended in regular season. I’m told interested teams are waiting for Winnipeg’s price to drop or seeing how their camps unfold.”

Buffalo Sabres

We know the Sabres were interested in Hellebuyck at the draft, with a trade for the fourth-overall pick on the table. Ultimately, a deal didn’t get done and the Sabres made their draft selection. Now, with the big piece off the table, how can these two get a deal done? The answer seems to be that maybe they can’t.

If the Sabres are in this, they don’t have a first to offer in 2026. They could offer a 2027 selection, but the Jets want a roster player back, and one that would help them remain competitive. A 2027 selection certainly won’t do that, and the way things are trending in Buffalo, that pick could be a later selection.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes were also linked to Hellebuyck, but it was never made clear what was on the table. Given his holdout at camp, Alexander Nikishin would be the piece most likely offered up. Does that really solve the Jets’ issues in goal? No. Would that be shipping off a good player who might also be a problem? Possibly.

The Hurricanes don’t have a good reason to mess with their goaltending if the deal isn’t right. They won the Stanley Cup last season with three netminders who weren’t really starters. They’re certainly not panicking.

Related: Jets Make It Official: Connor Hellebuyck Suspended Amid Trade Standoff

San Jose Sharks

A sleeper team in all of this is the San Jose Sharks. They have three goalies and have been making a push this offseason to improve their team. With the Pacific Division wide open, would anyone be shocked if they made a pitch for Hellebuyck?

However, the Sharks are an up-and-coming team that won’t sacrifice parts of their core for a deal like this. If they’re moving anything, its one of Alex Nedeljkovic or Yaroslav Askarov. Neither really moves the needle for the Jets.

Edmonton Oilers

Don’t expect Hellebuyck to choose a Canadian team, but if things get really ugly, he may have to sacrifice his preference to get out of Winnipeg. The Oilers might be interested for the right price, but they have cap concerns and want to keep flexibility.

If the Jets need a goalie, the Oilers would happily send Tristan Jarry back. If either Ike Howard or Quinn Hutson were included, that still wouldn’t be to the Jets’ liking.

The question in all of this becomes how desperate one of Hellebuyck or the Jets become. If Winnipeg wants to be a contender, Hellebuyck needs to be in net and performing up to his standards. If Hellebuyck wants to be traded, he can’t afford to sit too long. The trade offers will only get worse as time passes.

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Jets, Maple Leafs & Oilers’ Patient GM