The Connor Hellebuyck trade saga took another turn Thursday, as it was reported that the Carolina Hurricanes remain interested in acquiring the star goaltender, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
Per the report, Carolina has offered a package built around a first-round pick and standout young defenseman Alexander Nikishin, and that offer could still be on the table. Nikishin’s situation adds an intriguing wrinkle to any potential deal.
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The 24-year-old Russian defenseman remains unsigned as a restricted free agent and did not attend the first day of Hurricanes training camp after requesting a trade from Carolina this offseason, following a diminished role as the Stanley Cup playoffs wore on.
A former third-round pick in 2020, Nikishin wasn’t considered a can’t-miss prospect on draft day, and that history may be part of what’s giving Winnipeg pause. He flashed real upside this past season, on pace for 30-point production, but the question for the Jets is just how low his floor could be if that offensive game doesn’t translate consistently at the NHL level.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff made clear he isn’t in any rush to finalize a deal, saying “I just want to get this right.”
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He also didn’t shut the door on a potential Hellebuyck return to Winnipeg.
“Look, no doors are closed,” Cheveldayoff said. “In my estimation, he’s a player that’s under contract for five years, but at the end of the day, that’ll be his choice.”
Cheveldayoff went a step further, reiterating that the organization still views Hellebuyck as one of their own regardless of how the situation unfolds.
“Connor Hellebuyck is a part of our family until he’s not a part of our family,” Cheveldayoff explained.
On paper, Nikishin is an appealing add as a six-foot-three, left-shot defenseman, who just finished seventh in Calder Trophy voting, but a top-four defenseman isn’t necessarily what Winnipeg is looking for.
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The Jets have consistently been among the league’s best defensive teams in recent years, and their more pressing need is on the other side of the puck, specifically a top-six forward, a hole that’s existed since they lost Nikolaj Ehlers to Carolina in free agency last offseason.
With five years remaining on Hellebuyck’s contract, a resolution that keeps him in Winnipeg is still very much in play. But if Hellebuyck continues to push for a trade out of town, the Nikishin package is one that Cheveldayoff and the rest of Jets management are said to be discussing seriously.
There’s also a secondary piece that could sweeten the pot for Winnipeg in goaltender Brandon Bussi. The late-career breakout at 28 years old, who recently signed a team-friendly three-year extension carrying a $1.9 million cap hit also has no trade protection. If Bussi were attached to a deal alongside Nikishin, it could make the return significantly more appealing for a Jets team weighing its options in net and along the back end.
For now, the situation remains fluid, with Cheveldayoff signaling patience while acknowledging that all avenues, including one that sends Hellebuyck to the defending Stanley Cup champions, remain open.
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