Jets’ Hellebuyck Has a Problem He Didn’t See Coming

Hellebuyck Probably Expected a Trade by Now

Connor Hellebuyck may have expected his trade request to get things moving. He’s one of the NHL’s best goalies; he’s under a long-term contract, and he’s made it clear he wants a change. It’s not hard to see why he might think Winnipeg would eventually have to find a way to make a deal.

But these situations don’t always unfold on the player’s timetable. And Hellebuyck’s position may be getting more complicated than he expected.

Elliotte Friedman has been trying to make sense of it, too. There’s been talk that Hellebuyck wants to return to the United States after his Olympic experience, and that he may have lost some confidence in Winnipeg’s ability to win a Stanley Cup. We don’t know how much of that is true, or how much it influenced his decision. But if he’s looking for a fresh start, he may have expected things to be further along by now.

They aren’t.

The Jets Are Learning to Live Without Him

Maybe Hellebuyck thought sitting out would put pressure on the Jets to get a deal done. After all, starting a season without your franchise goalie is hardly ideal. But Winnipeg is beginning to find ways to manage the situation. Stuart Skinner has a chance to settle in, while Clay Stevenson has shown he can hold his own against NHL competition.

Are either of them Hellebuyck? No. There’s no need to pretend otherwise. But the Jets aren’t just standing around waiting for him to return and rescue the season, either. That could affect the balance of the situation. If you’re Hellebuyck, you have to wonder whether this is going the way you thought it would. Winnipeg still has to deal with his trade request, but if the team can keep winning without him, the pressure to make a move may not be as intense.

There’s a human side to this, too. Hellebuyck has spent years building his career in Winnipeg. He’s won major awards, carried a heavy workload and reached a point where he may feel ready for something different. That’s understandable. Players have families, personal priorities and only so many years to pursue a Stanley Cup. Wanting a change doesn’t make him the bad guy.

Still, standing your ground comes with risks. Sometimes the situation doesn’t develop the way you expect. You have to wonder whether Hellebuyck has been surprised by how things are unfolding.