The Winnipeg Jets are up against the deadline as Connor Hellebuyck inches closer to coming back to the club. Whispers last weekend suggested the player wants to return, as Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on the TFP Hot Stove with Ryan Paton on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio.
“I guess we’ll get to it because we’re probably going to hear more about Connor Hellebuyck over the next few days with respect to coming back to Winnipeg, Pagnotta said. “At the same time, don’t be surprised if we hear pushback from the club itself and the guys in that room. An early indication from the people I’ve talked to is that, they’re not overly thrilled with the possibility of him coming back into that room after leaving.”
Well, a week later, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet dropped a huge nugget: Hellebuyck’s suspension for missing training camp ends on October 23rd. That is five days from now and two days before the Jets take on the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Heritage Classic.
Remember, Hellebuyck released a statement through his agent saying he wanted a trade after the season and that his time in Winnipeg was up. He gave Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff time to work on a trade, but since nothing happened, he needed to go public with the request.
Speculation grew about his future in Winnipeg and whether Connor Hellebuyck really played his last game. When training camp opened and he did not report by the 5 pm deadline, the Winnipeg Jets suspended him. That suspension carried over into the regular season, where Hellebuyck began to miss paychecks.
However, according to Friedman’s reporting, Connor Hellebuyck told the Jets that, ahead of their first game on October 2nd, he wanted to return. Under the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA, the Winnipeg Jets could impose a “reasonable” suspension, as he did not inform the club he was missing training camp.
According to multiple sources, Hellebuyck told the Jets before their first game of the season (Oct. 2) that he intended to end his absence and report to the team. Since he did not have permission from the organization to stay away from training camp, Winnipeg had some additional power under the CBA.
Specifically, Article 15.13, subsection (c)(v), which reads: ‘If a Player who has not received permission to be absent from Training Camp returns to the Club, he shall be subject to a disciplinary suspension of reasonable length.’
There is a lot of tension inside the Winnipeg Jets locker room between the players and Connor Hellebuyck. They don’t want him back. Awkward, tough conversations are going to happen because, as Kyle Connor said, if Hellebuyck wants to come back, he better be here to help us win.
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Now, Captain Adam Lowry told the media after the Jets 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes that conversations will need to happen given Hellebuyck’s comments at the end of the season, where he felt he couldn’t win with this group.
“If he does show up, conversations are going to have to happen, Lowry said post game on Saturday.
“I really don’t care right now on that scenario. That part falls on Chevy. I’m going to face that when it happens. I don’t know what next week is going to look like. I’ve got 23 guys, all they care about is winning hockey games,” head coach Scott Arniel said post-game Saturday.
It’s clear the Winnipeg Jets players and coaches don’t want him back. Connor Hellebuyck probably doesn’t want to come back to this locker room either. But Hellebuyck wants to play, not sit at home. The worst thing for a player is not to be playing and not getting paid.
So, as Friedman noted on Saturday Headlines on Sportsnet Saturday Night Hockey, teams are wondering whether, with the October 23rd deadline, the Jets will be more inclined to make a deal.
I do think some teams want to see what happens when Winnipeg faces deadline pressure, and whether that makes the Jets more eager or more determined to make a deal. I’m not so convinced of that,” Friedman said. “They would rather make no trade than a bad trade. We will see where this goes over the next few days.”
Remember, the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres will close on a deal at the 2026 NHL Draft, but GM Kevin Cheveldayoff didn’t want to give up the 8th overall pick. Do the two teams circle back with a third team getting involved, like the New York Rangers, who need a goalie with Igor Shesterkin out of the lineup? The Carolina Hurricanes like Hellebuyck, but they also need a third team to make this work.
Other teams include the San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, along with the usual suspects like the Vegas Golden Knights. But the Winnipeg Jets want value in return for Connor Hellebuyck. From the start, Full Press Hockey and Full Press Media have reported that they are selling him for futures.
Winnipeg doesn’t want a ripple effect through their lineup as guys leave. So right now they are looking for two quality NHL pieces in return plus some future assets. Does that ask change given how well the goalies are playing?
Regardless, the Winnipeg Jets have a situation on their hands, and they need to resolve it by October 23rd. Will this end in a trade, or will the Jets pay Connor Hellebuyck to go away?
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