The rumor mill is heating up around Connor Hellebuyck this offseason following a frustrating year for both the star goaltender and the Winnipeg Jets. After posting a 23-23-11 record and an .895 save percentage in 2025-26, Hellebuyck finished well below the elite standard he has set throughout his career.
Several teams have already been linked to the veteran netminder, but one club is beginning to stand out as a particularly intriguing potential destination if Winnipeg decides to explore a trade.
Connor Hellebuyck Trade Sweepstakes Takes New Turn
The Jets’ 2025-26 season was a major disappointment. Just one year removed from winning the Presidents’ Trophy, Winnipeg slipped near the bottom of the Central Division, finished with 82 points, and missed the playoffs altogether.
Following the season, Hellebuyck didn’t hide his frustration. He called the team’s decline “unacceptable” and openly questioned whether the current group is capable of winning a Stanley Cup.
Those comments immediately fueled speculation about his future and put additional pressure on Jets management heading into the 2026 NHL Draft.
According to NHL analyst Murat Ates, there would be no shortage of interested teams if Winnipeg ever made Hellebuyck available. “Multiple league sources believe that if the Jets were to shop Hellebuyck in earnest, there’d be a bidding war for his services.
“Florida, Buffalo, Detroit, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Utah and New Jersey are all in various win-now positions and none of them have a goalie they can trust,” Ates noted.
Among those teams, Florida stands out as one of the most logical fits.
“Florida is probably the most interesting; the Panthers badly need a goaltender and could offer the No. 9 pick, a young forward like Anton Lundell or Mackie Samoskevich, and a goaltending prospect like Kirill Gerasimyuk or Tyler Muszelik. They have plenty of cap space, even with Aleksander Barkov back at full health,” Ates reported.
Even so, Ates stressed that he does not expect Winnipeg to actively shop Hellebuyck and only raised the possibility because of the immense value the goaltender would command.
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Still, Florida’s name continues to gain traction.
With reports indicating that Sergei Bobrovsky could test free agency on July 1, the Panthers may soon have a major need in goal. For a team that expects to remain a Stanley Cup contender, finding a high-end replacement would become a top priority.
There’s also an existing connection between Hellebuyck and the Panthers organization. Head coach Paul Maurice worked with him for years in Winnipeg, while general manager Bill Zito has experience with Hellebuyck through Team USA.
Any potential trade would ultimately depend on Hellebuyck himself. He has a full no-movement clause through 2031, so the Jets cannot trade him without his approval.
If Winnipeg decides to move its star goaltender, Hellebuyck will have the final say on his destination.
