If The Panthers Want To Go All In, Trading For Jets' Connor Hellebuyck Is The Move To Make

The Florida Panthers might be in the market for a new goaltender if Sergei Bobrovsky walks in free agency, and if the Panthers want to make a bold move and solidify their crease, making a trade for Winnipeg Jets and Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would do just that.

Hellebuyck’s playoff history isn’t too pretty. In his playoff career, he has a .903 save percentage, but his last three playoff appearances have been dreadful. In 2022-23, he posted an .886 SP; in 2023-24, it was .870; and last year, it was a woeful .866.

Although it’s not all bad, his first four playoff appearances saw positive results, including a .922 SP when the Jets went to the Western Conference finals in 2017-18.

While concerns about his playoff performances are reasonable, his regular-season track record is outstanding. Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, a two-time William M. Jennings trophy winner, and won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2024-25 after posting a .925 save percentage in 63 games while helping the Jets secure the Presidents’ Trophy.

Finally, the last piece of evidence that Hellebuyck is still the best goaltender in the NHL was his dominant performances for Team USA on the international stage. Team Canada dominated Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics final, and likely deserved to lose, but goaltending is part of the sport, and no one does it better than Hellebuyck.

The 32-year-old allowed just one goal, giving the Americans the chance to win in overtime and take gold.

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If acquired by the Panthers, Hellebuyck can give the organization a level of goaltending that even Bobrovsky may never have reached, but the issue with acquiring Hellebuyck is the cost in assets and against the salary cap.

To at the very least get the Jets front office interested in listening to offers, the deal would involve the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft. After that, a deal would involve young players like Mackie Samoskevich and Jack Devine, as well as possibly a veteran like Carter Verhaeghe.

If the deal doesn’t include a veteran who takes up a large chunk of the salary cap, the next issue would be icing a lineup that fits. Hellebuyck’s $8.5-million contract can fit with that lineup, but it does leave them with little space.

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The Panthers also need to find a backup goaltender, as Daniil Tarasov is a UFA as well.

Dealing away the ninth overall pick and Samoskevich would indicate that GM Bill Zito is willing to mortgage the future of the franchise to give the current roster another few years of being top Stanley Cup contenders.

While the Panthers would be able to compete for Cups with, say, Jordan Binnington or Filip Gustavsson in their crease, Hellebuyck would make them the most balanced team in hockey and the greatest threat to win the Stanley Cup.

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