Overview
- Reporting this week shows talk of a Hellebuyck trade has intensified but no deal is complete, with local pundits split between near certainty and continued doubt.
- The Buffalo Sabres are widely identified as the primary suitor and held serious talks that reportedly collapsed hours before the first round of the NHL draft.
- Winnipeg’s offseason roster moves — not re-signing Eric Comrie and signing Stuart Skinner — have fueled belief the Jets are preparing to move Hellebuyck but the club has not said he requested a trade.
- Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is asking for top assets in return, with sources saying Winnipeg wants a top-six forward, a first-round pick, or equivalent high-end prospects or centers.
- Any trade will hinge on Hellebuyck’s consent because he holds a full no-movement clause, and his five years left at about $8.5 million and recent play will shape how teams value him.