Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck confirms trade request

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) watches players line up for the faceoff in the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck confirms trade request

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Kyle Morton | Last updated Aug 27, 2026 3:08 PM ET

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After months of speculation and reporting that Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck requested a trade this summer, the Hart Trophy-winning goalie broke his silence on the matter on Thursday.

Through his agent Ray Petkau, Hellebuyck released a statement confirming that he requested a trade earlier in the offseason.

“Winnipeg has been my home for my entire NHL career, and I will always be grateful for my time there,” Hellebuyck said via the statement. “I have never forgotten June 23, 2012. That’s the day Winnipeg took a chance on a goalie playing in Odessa, TX. I gave everything I had from that moment to prove the Jets made the right decision. Several months ago, I privately requested a trade. I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family. I appreciate everything Winnipeg Jets fans have meant to me throughout my career and hope a resolution can be reached soon.

Statement from Connor Hellebuyck: pic.twitter.com/hW8sNw1LJi
— Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) August 27, 2026

Hellebuyck, 33, was the No. 130 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, and after a successful collegiate career at UMass Lowell, he quickly established himself as one of the top goalies in the NHL, posting a save percentage of .910 or better in 9 of his first 10 NHL seasons.

After a dominant 2024-25 campaign that saw Hellebuyck capture his third Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender and become the first goalie to win the Hart since Carey Price in 2015, the Michigan native took a step back this past season, recording a .895 save percentage and 2.86 goals against average as the Jets went from winning the Presidents’ Trophy to missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs altogether.

Hellebuyck is one of three star NHL players from the gold medal-winning Team USA Olympic squad to request a trade this offseason. Brady Tkachuk was dealt from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers in June, and Dylan Larkin remains a member of the Detroit Red Wings after his trade request went public in early June.

Around the NHL Draft in late June, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes made a play for Hellebuyck by extending an offer centered around talented young defenseman Alexander Nikishin. The Buffalo Sabres have also been widely viewed as a possible fit for Hellebuyck given their newfound contention window and need for a difference maker between the pipes.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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