Connor Hellebuyck's name is back in trade rumors, and the Winnipeg Jets now have a no-trade clause standing in their way.
Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that a goalie refused to waive his NMC to join the Winnipeg Jets.
And now comes a new wrinkle. Friedman says at least one other goalie, beyond Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, has either been scouted by the Jets or offered to them.
Hellebuyck controls his own fate here. His no-trade clause means Winnipeg cannot simply ship him wherever a return looks best.
That is the kind of leverage that turns a front office quiet in public and loud behind closed doors.
The Jets carry Hellebuyck at a cap hit of 8,500,000 dollars, a number that makes any trade a puzzle even before his list of approved destinations gets involved.
Winnipeg dropped its last outing 2-5 on the road against Edmonton, sliding to a one-game skid heading into Monday night against Colorado.
Winnipeg is coached by Scott Arniel and run by general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, and this is exactly the kind of mess that lands on both their desks.
Why Hellebuyck holds all the cards in this standoff
A franchise goalie asking out is not a paperwork problem. It is a locker room problem, a crease problem, and now a market-value problem all at once.
Trading a star goalie with a no-trade clause is a bit like trying to sell a house where the owner picks the buyer, the price, and the moving date.
Cheveldayoff has leverage in name only until Hellebuyck signs off on a destination, and that is where these rumors tend to stall out for months.
If Winnipeg is quietly shopping for replacements while still fielding offers for Hellebuyck, the front office sounds like it is bracing for the worst.
None of this changes Monday night. Hellebuyck, or whoever starts, still has to stop pucks against Colorado with this hanging over the room.
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Friedman's reporting leaves plenty unanswered. Which goalie got scouted, what Winnipeg would need back, and whether Hellebuyck even wants this resolved anytime soon.
Should the Jets trade Connor Hellebuyck this season if he keeps pushing to leave?
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