It appears the Connor Hellebuyck situation has escalated in Winnipeg.
The Winnipeg Jets announced Wednesday they have suspended the three-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender for a “failure to report to training camp.” Their general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will also speak with reporters Thursday morning to address the matter.
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Hellebuyck went public with a trade request in August, releasing a statement confirming he had privately requested a trade months earlier and said a move out of Winnipeg is “the best path forward for me and my family.”
In response, the Jets released a statement from Cheveldayoff saying the organization will “continue to work through the situation in a thoughtful manner.”
Per TSN, the Buffalo Sabres held trade talks with the Jets ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft in June, with no discussions since. The Jets reportedly believe they have not received any offers with “fair value in return for an elite-level goaltender in Hellebuyck with years remaining on his contract.”
Hellebuyck is currently playing on a contract that pays him an average of $8.5 million through the 2030-31 season. He had a down season last year, but has overall been one of the best goalies of the current decade, with Vezina wins in 2020, 2024 and 2025 and a Hart Trophy in 2025. He is set to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom as well, for his heroics in Team USA’s gold medal run at the 2026 Olympics.
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While they have not yet granted Hellebuyck’s request, the Jets appear to be preparing for a life without him. They signed former Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5 million contract over the summer, giving them either a potential starter or a backup to either Hellebuyck if he changes his mind or a starter they acquire in a hypothetical trade.
The Jets are set to officially begin training camp on Thursday.
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