Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made his trade request public Thursday after months of speculation about his future.
The decision to go public puts added pressure on the Jets, especially with training camp rapidly approaching in mid-September.
Winnipeg is just one season removed from winning the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's best team in the regular season. The Jets are a franchise that likely can't commit to a complete rebuild but also has to grapple with the reality of being on most players' no-trade lists and struggling to attract top talent in free agency.
It's a fascinating blend of circumstances for bidding teams to consider when making offers for Hellebuyck. Winnipeg is likely to emphasize young, controllable roster players - something contending teams typically don't want to give up. Hellebuyck also controls his future with a full no-movement clause.
Here are five potential landing spots for arguably the NHL's best goaltender.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are the most obvious fit for Hellebuyck. Buffalo is a team on the rise after ending its playoff drought in impressive fashion last season. If Hellebuyck's primary focus is to go to a competitive team, he may be willing to waive his no-movement clause to land in Buffalo.
Both Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910) and Alex Lyon (.907) posted above-average save percentages last season, but neither could solidify their place as the starter in the playoffs. Lyon had a good run in the first round before getting shelled versus the Montreal Canadiens, while Luukkonen managed only one quality start out of five opportunities.
Hellebuyck has been the NHL's workhorse goaltender for years and would provide certainty between the pipes. His playoff woes have been well-documented. He also put together a superb performance in the Olympic gold-medal game in February. As they say, bet on the talent, and Hellebuyck undoubtedly has that.
The Sabres have a ton of assets they could include in a Hellebuyck trade. Roster players Ryan McLeod, Josh Doan, and Jack Quinn don't have trade protection, and emerging talents Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius, and Jiri Kulich would be valued by Winnipeg. A potential hang-up, though, is Luukkonen's five-team no-trade list.
If Buffalo gets serious about pursuing Hellebuyck, rival clubs would be hard-pressed to beat its best offer.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes won the deciding game of the Stanley Cup Final with a goaltender whom they claimed off waivers (Brandon Bussi), so pursuing a Hart Trophy-winning netminder would be a slight change in philosophy.
That being said, Carolina reportedly did offer defenseman Alexander Nikishin and a first-round pick for Hellebuyck in June. It makes sense that the Hurricanes want more of a sure thing between the pipes after years of using multiple starters in the postseason and dealing with health concerns. They also saw Frederik Andersen, who started for the majority of their Cup run, depart in free agency.
Reigning Stanley Cup winners typically don't possess many tradeable assets, having used a significant portion of them to win said Cup. That doesn't apply to the Hurricanes. They own all of their draft capital in addition to Dallas' 2028 first-rounder and 2027 third-rounder. Carolina has also drafted well and boasts a handful of intriguing prospects.
Nikishin is the wild card in the equation. The Hurricanes are clearly hesitant to pay him after his rookie campaign, considering he remains a restricted free agent deep into the offseason. A throwback defenseman with a booming shot, Nikishin showed flashes in the regular season but played a diminished role in the playoffs, albeit after sustaining a concussion in the first round.
If Winnipeg is high on Nikishin as the centerpiece in a Hellebuyck trade, Carolina could end up as the top suitor for the star goaltender's services. If not, the Hurricanes' chances likely rely on the Jets being willing to accept a package that's heavy on future assets, potentially headlined by AHL standout Bradly Nadeau.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils dumped Jacob Markstrom before his extension even kicked in and now enter the campaign with Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich as options in the crease. Allen has been a quality tandem option, but the opportunity to upgrade to Hellebuyck is enormous.
The question is whether new general manager Sunny Mehta and his analytics-driven approach would spend significant assets on the volatile position that is goaltending. As noted, we just saw a Hurricanes team with a similar philosophy win the Stanley Cup with a trio of goalies that cost a combined $5.525 million. Hellebuyck could very well be the exception.
New Jersey owns four first-round picks in the next two seasons - its own as well as Vegas' in 2027 and Colorado's in 2028, both of which were acquired from the Calgary Flames for Simon Nemec this summer. That draft capital could make Mehta, a former professional poker player, more comfortable pushing in some chips for the bold play of getting Hellebuyck.
San Jose Sharks
There's a case that San Jose has the brightest future in the entire NHL with their bevy of elite young talent. They also spent aggressively in free agency and seem intent on beginning their contention window as soon as possible.
Yaroslav Askarov, one of the top young goaltenders in the sport whom the Sharks traded a first-round pick to land in 2024, had a disappointing first full season in the NHL. San Jose could be positioned to use Askarov as part of a package to upgrade to Hellebuyck, especially considering it has another high-end goaltending prospect in Joshua Ravensbergen.
Pursuing Hellebuyck would be another aggressive - and potentially reckless - move from general manager Mike Grier. San Jose's defense still looks dreadful on paper. The Sharks would have to be confident the 33-year-old Hellebuyck makes them immediate contenders and that he can remain at his level of play late into his thirties.
Vegas Golden Knights
A star player becoming available is like the Bat-Signal for the Golden Knights.
This would be a very difficult trade to complete. Vegas doesn't have much in terms of assets, plus goaltender Adin Hill and his unsettling $6.25-million cap hit through 2030-31 would almost certainly have to be involved.
Carter Hart was good in the playoffs until the Stanley Cup Final, when he allowed four goals in each of the first five games against Carolina. That showing could linger in the mind of general manager Kelly McCrimmon as he sees a potential upgrade hit the market.
If there's a team that could pull off a trade as complex as this one would need to be, it's Vegas. Still, the Golden Knights seem unlikely to be Hellebuyck's next team unless he determines Vegas is the only place he wants to go.
