Connor Hellebuyck has become one of the biggest names to watch this offseason after Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed the team is listening to trade offers. With speculation growing around the three-time Vezina Trophy winner’s future, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has now revealed which team came closest to landing the star goaltender.
Connor Hellebuyck Nearly Joined This NHL Team
According to Friedman, the Buffalo Sabres emerged as the leading contender and came remarkably close to striking a deal with Winnipeg.
Reports indicate the Jets were seeking a massive return for Hellebuyck. The reported asking price included the Sabres’ No. 4 overall pick, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a roster player believed to be Jack Quinn, and possibly another player or draft pick.
“Well, I’ll say this, I had heard on Friday he was willing to waive to go to Buffalo. I don’t know if that was ever formally submitted, but I’m 100% convinced he was willing to waive to go to Buffalo,” Friedman noted.
Friedman added that Hellebuyck’s list of acceptable destinations wasn’t nearly as restrictive as some expected. In fact, Buffalo’s emergence as a potential landing spot says a lot about how far the organization has come.
The Sabres finally ended the NHL’s longest playoff drought during the 2025-26 season, returning to the postseason for the first time since 2011 under head coach Lindy Ruff. They followed that up with a run to the second round, pushing the Montreal Canadiens to seven games.
Buffalo’s young core continues to inspire optimism. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has developed into one of the league’s premier blue-liners, while Tage Thompson remains one of hockey’s most dangerous goal scorers. The organization also kept the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and selected highly regarded defenseman Daxon Rudolph after his standout 78-point season with the Prince Albert Raiders.
Friedman believes Hellebuyck’s willingness to waive his no-movement clause for Buffalo should be viewed as a major compliment to where the franchise is headed.
“Imagine a year ago, American hero Connor Hellebuyck saying, ‘Yeah, I could see the Sabres being a consistent contender over the next three years. I’ll go there.’ The Sabres and their fans should be feeling really good about that, that he was willing to go,” he added.
While many assumed Buffalo’s chances disappeared once the fourth overall pick was used at the draft, Friedman isn’t convinced the door has completely closed.
He also noted there has been speculation that Winnipeg could still try to convince Hellebuyck to stay by keeping the current core together for one more season, though he isn’t sure that approach is realistic.
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For now, Hellebuyck remains a Jet. But the fact that Buffalo was reportedly on his list of preferred destinations is a strong sign of just how much the Sabres’ reputation has changed. Whether the two teams revisit trade talks later this offseason remains one of the biggest questions heading into free agency.
