Floated Landing Spot for Connor Hellebuyck Could Terrify the NHL

The Winnipeg Jets’ upcoming offseason just got a lot more interesting. Connor Hellebuyck held nothing back in his year-end media availability on Friday, displaying frustration with how the season went, concerns about the future of the team, while also being very non-committal about his own future.

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He had a similar exit interview back in 2022–23 before ultimately signing a long-term extension to stay in Winnipeg, and while cooler heads could still prevail, this time around felt different. The superstar goalie wants to win now, and if he feels that won’t happen with the Jets, then a trade becomes a legitimate possibility.

It’s far too early to draw any conclusions on legitimate landing spots, but one option thrown out by analyst Dave McCarthy could really shake up the league: the Florida Panthers.

McCarthy wrote:

“As it relates to Connor Hellebuyck, I was told recently that it wouldn’t be surprising if he plays elsewhere next season. A number of factors at play, including his discontent with how the season went for the Winnipeg Jets. 4 yrs left at $8.5M. 33 yrs old next season.

I’ll tell ya if I’m Bill Zito and the Florida Panthers, I’m banging down the door of Kevin Cheveldayoff tomorrow. Would be a perfect fit with Panthers at a reduced cost to what they were paying Sergei Bobrovsky,”

The 32-year-old Hellebuyck just finished year two of the seven-year, $59.5 million extension he signed with Winnipeg in 2023. He had the worst statistical season of his NHL career in 2025–26, posting a 23-23-11 record along with a 2.86 goals-against average, a .895 save percentage, and zero shutouts.

Connor Hellebuyck to Florida?

Adding Connor Hellebuyck to a fully healthy Panthers roster heading into 2026–27 could be dangerous, and it’s absolutely the type of move Bill Zito and company are known to make.

With, as McCarthy mentioned, Sergei Bobrovsky’s $10 million coming off the books, Florida shouldn’t have any issue taking on Hellebuyck’s $8.5 million cap hit. Add in the potential top-10 pick they’ll have in the upcoming draft—thanks to protections from the Seth Jones trade—and there’s a fit here for both sides.

American stars playing in Canadian markets aren’t shy about asking for what they want nowadays, and Hellebuyck is the latest example of that. While other teams will surely have interest in the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, there may not be a better place to pursue a Stanley Cup than in Sunrise.

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