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This has been one of the more unusual early NHL offseasons. Instead of focusing on free agency, much of the attention has focused on star players looking to leave their current organizations.
Ottawa already sent Brady Tkachuk to Florida. Meanwhile, Dylan Larkin has asked out of Detroit and Zach Werenski’s future in Columbus appears to be up in the air.
Potentially the biggest name that could be on the move is Winnipeg Jets goaltender and Team USA Olympic hero Connor Hellebuyck. Now, the team’s general manager has confirmed that they are at least listening to offers from potential business partners.
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Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed the team is listening to offers for star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (Images by Ron Chenoy-Imagn)
“Certainly, as an organization, we’re going to listen,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said, according to NHL.com. “Everyone saw (Hellebuyck’s) press conference at the end of the year; he was passionate. Certainly in our exit meetings we also had some frank conversations, but again, what happens in those meetings certainly remains private.”
Hellebuyck is under contract through 2031 and has a salary cap hit of $8.5 million, meaning any trade partner would have to give up quite a bit.
But it’s not every day a team can add a generational No. 1 goaltender with three Vezina Trophies on his resume, so it would probably be worth it.
WHO IS CONNOR HELLEBUYCK? TEAM USA GOALKEEPER TO RECEIVE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM AFTER OLYMPIC GOLD
Connor Hellebuyck’s current contract runs through the 2030-31 NHL season. (Images by James Carey Lauder-Imagn)
The Jets took a big step back this season by missing the playoffs entirely after winning the Presidents Trophy the previous season.
This led to some critical comments from the future Medal of Freedom recipient at his year-end media availability.
Connor Hellebuyck of Team USA celebrates a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada for the gold medal during the men’s gold medal match at the Milano Santagiulia ice hockey stadium in Milan, Italy, on February 22, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“Complacency will not move us forward, so something has to happen,” he said. “…A lot of times, that’s all you can ask (of your teammates) is to give it your all every night. As a teammate, I can really support that and appreciate those moments with those guys. But just putting that same product on the ice, I don’t think it worked for some reason.”
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There was a flurry of moves during the NHL Draft on Friday night, and one wonders if some teams that could take a shot at Hellebuyck but are up against the salary cap, like Vegas or Florida, might be getting their ducks in a row to make an offer.
