Connor Hellebuyck was firmly on Florida's radar, but Paul Maurice's Panthers refused to move the piece Winnipeg wanted most.
Elliotte Friedman revealed that Florida made a serious trade offer for Hellebuyck before the Panthers eventually shifted their assets elsewhere.
The proposed package included Evan Rodrigues, draft capital and another roster player. Anton Lundell was not part of the offer, and that reportedly became a major sticking point.
Winnipeg's interest in Lundell changed the equation. Florida wasn't prepared to include the young centre, leaving the two sides without the framework needed to push the trade across the line.
"According to Elliotte Friedman, the Florida Panthers had made an offer for Connor Hellebuyck that included the draft capital they instead flipped for Brady Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues, and another roster player not named Anton Lundell."
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The Panthers then went in another direction. The draft assets included in their Hellebuyck pitch were eventually used as part of the blockbuster move that brought Brady Tkachuk to Florida.
That decision effectively removed Florida from the Hellebuyck conversation. Once those picks were committed, the Panthers no longer had the same package available for Winnipeg.
Florida's refusal on Anton Lundell changed everything
The Lundell detail stands out because Florida clearly drew a line around one of its core forwards. The Panthers were willing to discuss meaningful assets, but not every piece on their roster.
Rodrigues is gone too. He was later moved to New Jersey in Florida's deal for Jacob Markstrom, meaning much of the original Hellebuyck package has now been redirected.
Winnipeg had its own demands. The Jets also wanted a goaltender coming back in a Hellebuyck trade, something Florida's original offer did not include.
That left both teams staring at different versions of the deal. Florida wanted Hellebuyck without sacrificing Lundell, while Winnipeg was looking for a return that addressed both roster value and its crease.
The Panthers have since reshaped their goaltending picture with Markstrom and Akira Schmid, closing the obvious opening that once existed for Hellebuyck.
For Winnipeg, the trade market remains complicated. Moving a star goaltender requires the right destination, the right return and enough flexibility to satisfy every side involved.
Florida once had the assets to make a serious push. The Brady Tkachuk move changed that path, and keeping Lundell ultimately helped shut the door.
Should the Panthers have included Anton Lundell to land Connor Hellebuyck?
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Connor Hellebuyck's full trade request list exposed by reputable insider and it leaves the Jets with nothing
