Connor Hellebuyck’s name continues to dominate the NHL rumor mill after the Winnipeg Jets missed the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Following the veteran goaltender’s public frustration with the team’s direction, speculation about his future has only intensified.
While much of the attention has centered on Eastern Conference teams, one major Western Conference contender has now emerged as a surprising albeit distant possibility.
Insider Connects Colorado Avalanche to Connor Hellebuyck
The Colorado Avalanche have been mentioned as a team that may have explored the idea of acquiring Hellebuyck.
The speculation comes after Winnipeg signed veteran goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5 million contract ($3.75 million AAV) in free agency. Although the Jets insist Skinner was signed to strengthen their goaltending depth, his arrival gives the club another experienced option should they ultimately decide to move Hellebuyck.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently revealed that Colorado’s name has surfaced behind the scenes in the Hellebuyck sweepstakes.
“By the way, I had a couple teams say to me they wondered if Colorado took a shot at Connor Hellebuyck. I don’t know how that could work. I don’t know what they would offer, and I’m not sure that Winnipeg would want to see that. But there were a couple of teams that kind of suspected that the Avalanche considered it,” Friedman said.
Until now, trade speculation had largely focused on Eastern Conference clubs such as the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes. Colorado entering the conversation would significantly change the market.
From a hockey standpoint, the fit is easy to understand. Hellebuyck is one of the league’s elite goaltenders, and pairing him with a roster led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar would immediately strengthen an already dangerous Stanley Cup contender.
Even though Colorado received solid goaltending from Scott Wedgewood and the rest of its tandem last season, adding a proven Vezina Trophy winner would give the Avalanche another game-changing piece during their championship window.
The challenge, however, is making the deal work.
Hellebuyck is signed through 2031 with an $8.5 million annual cap hit, and Colorado has very little salary cap flexibility. To fit that contract onto the roster, general manager Joe Sakic would need to move multiple players, weakening the depth that has helped make the Avalanche a perennial contender.
There’s also another obstacle: Winnipeg and Colorado are Central Division rivals. Trading a franchise goaltender to a team the Jets could face several times a season, or even in the playoffs, is rarely an attractive option.
For now, Friedman’s comments suggest Colorado’s interest is more speculation than an active negotiation. Still, if the Avalanche were to find a way to make the finances and trade package work, they would instantly become one of the most intriguing teams to watch in the Connor Hellebuyck sweepstakes.
