Connor Hellebuyck has zero leverage in trade saga

The message from the organization is clear: any deal is on our timeline, not yours. We’ll trade you if and only if we feel like it and we feel we’re getting the value we deserve.

This is not the type of situation where the player is one season away from being an unrestricted free agent and there’s big-time pressure on the organization to move him before they lose him for nothing. As it turns out, signing a seven-year deal is not a smart move if you’re going to sour on the organization after two.

The only other thing Hellebuyck could do is refuse to report to training camp, but that would be self-sabotage: teams would rightly view that as petulant and potentially avoid trying to acquire him for personality reasons. Also, it’d mean forfeiting his $8.5 million annual salary.

It wouldn’t put more pressure on the team, either; Whether Hellebuyck refuses to report or gets traded, the result for Winnipeg is the same in that Stuart Skinner becomes the starter.

Hellebuyck Frustrated With Jets’ Poor 2025-26, But Took No Accountability For His Role In It

The Jets regressed badly in 2025-26 to be certain, missing the playoffs and finishing with 21 fewer wins than their Presidents’ Trophy-winning 2024-25. Hellebuyck was quick to criticize the organization and cast doubt on its ability to compete in his exit interview, and it’s true that Cheveldayoff had a bad 2025 offseason. It’s also true the Jets’ direction is unclear.

However, Hellebuyck took zero accountability for the role he played in the regression. He had one of the worst seasons of his career, posting a 23-23-11 record, 2.86 goals against average (GAA), a career-worst .895 save percentage (SV%), and no shutouts.

Hellebuyck has a deep desire to win the Stanley Cup, and that’s admirable. He clearly doesn’t see Winnipeg as a place he can do that anymore. However, he has also failed to address or acknowledge that when the Jets have been legitimate Cup contenders in the postseason, he’s been middling to awful with a career 24-34 playoff record, 2.90 GAA, and .903 SV%.

Jets Would Still Be Better Off Trading Hellebuyck Sooner Than Later

All that being said, Cheveldayoff is still probably best off to trade Hellebuyck sooner than later. Hellebuyck has a no-move clause (NMC) in his contract but cannot submit a 10-team approved trade list until next season, meaning Cheveldayoff can currently discuss offers with all 31 other teams. If Hellebuyck refuses to waive his NMC a number of times, Cheveldayoff can cast himself publicly as the good guy acting to fulfill the player’s wish and Hellebuyck as the obstinate party holding things up.

Cheveldayoff generally holds his cards close to his chest and talks with the media only a few times a year, but he should be very transparent in this process and disclose every time Hellebuyck vetoes a deal with his NMC.

The Jets don’t need anyone in the locker room who doesn’t want to be there and is a potential threat to the strong team culture they’ve rebuilt over the past few seasons. Additionally, if Hellebuyck — going on 34 years old — has another poor season, he will be perceived as on the decline and his value will drop.

It’s too bad that the man who just three seasons ago said he was “ready to be a Jet for life and bring a Cup to this city” wants to bolt after the first time in a decade the team didn’t finish above .500. There are few other goalies who have been as good as he has been or has stolen as many games as he has over the past number of seasons.

However, the Jets are still in a position of strength and what they could get back for him — likely some combination of a top-six forward or top-four defenseman, an NHL-calibre goalie, a top prospect, or multiple first-round picks — could really lessen the blow.

Hellebuyck had one card, and he’s played it. Now all he can do is wait and watch as Cheveldayoff surveys and shuffles the rest of the deck.