According to insights from Ken Weibe of Sportsnet , Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck appears to have turned down a potentially lucrative short-term deal offered by the team. While speculative that an offer was officially made by the team, the prevailing assumption is that Hellebuyck’s decision to decline a three-year, $10 million per season contract could stem from his desire to be traded to a contender or test the free agent market.
Assuming Hellebuyck’s departure is all but inevitable, the Jets, hoping to garner substantial value through a trade if Hellebuyck’s tenure is ending, face challenges in the current goaltender trade market. Despite Hellebuyck’s exceptional skills, trade interest doesn’t appear to match his rumored salary expectations on a long-term deal. This rumored short-term offer might have been Winnipeg’s way of meeting the netminder in the middle.
Weibe highlights the complexity of the situation, noting that while the Jets could offer Hellebuyck an eight-year contract, this commitment carries significant risk and it’s not clear Hellebuyck is interested. A shorter-term deal with a higher annual average value (AAV) emerges as a possible compromise to retain the star goalie and it gives the netminder a chance to revisit free agency around the age of 33.
Weibe writes, “The Jets will likely need to make Hellebuyck one of — if not THE — highest paid goalie in the NHL to convince him to stick around beyond this season.” This shorter-term deal gets him close. It also addresses something Hellebuyck is probably learning as the Jets scour the market for a possible trade, — the evolving goaltending landscape, wherein teams lean towards a 1A and 1B arrangement, complicates the justification for a lengthy, high-value contract for a goaltender entering his late 30s, even if their performance remains elite.
Would Either Side Benefit From This Arrangement?
Amid these considerations, the question arises: Would the Jets be willing to negotiate a contract that pays Hellebuyck around $10 million annually for a period of two to three seasons? It keeps them with a starter that is among the best in the league, but how good are the Jets going to be in the next three seasons?
Meanwhile, will Hellebuyck consider this knowing that hitting a home run in free agency in three seasons could be challenging? Yes, the cap will go up, but the older he gets and the more the goaltending landscape in the NHL changes, the less likely he is to get the massive payday he’s looking for.
Weibe finishes with, “So to answer the original question, yes I suspect the Jets have offered a shorter-term deal for higher money but no, I don’t think that’s something Hellebuyck and his camp would be interested in agreeing to — at least not at the moment.”
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