One of the questions lingering in the air as part of the Connor Hellebuyck trade fallout was why the deal happened when it did.
The official narrative had focused on the fact that the three-time Vezina Trophy winner was coming off an unpaid suspension and would begin earning his paycheck upon returning.
But according to insider Elliotte Friedman, it was a little more complicated than that.
During Monday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, the notable insider revealed that while the Jets weren’t too happy about paying Hellebuyck to stay home, the organization had a more powerful reason to trade Hellebuyck when they did.
“There was a chance that Hellebuyck was going to talk to the media, that he was going to make himself available. And look, regardless of what anyone feels about all this, and who they think is right and who they think is wrong and whatever, while this has caused incredible strain on everyone involved, people were trying to be respectful of each other.”
In other words, had the Connor Hellebuyck trade not happened when it did, there was the risk that people talking to the media, the erstwhile Jets goalie in particular, would end up exacerbating an already tense situation.
Had Hellebuyck spoken to the media, there might have been a chance that a tense exchange could have occurred between the player and the organization.
Connor Hellebuyck Trade Had to Happen Before the Gloves Came Off
Friedman expressed his concern about the fact that a public exchange via the media could have led to some choice words. And if things got to that extent, it could escalate the situation to a place no one wanted.
“I think if Hellebuyck had spoken, the gloves would have gone off. And I think the Jets would have responded in kind.”
The point here is that Friedman believed that if the situation had gotten to that point, things could have gone “off the rails.”
Heaven knows what that situation would have looked like for the player and the organization. Hence, the Connor Hellebuyck trade had to happen before any such situation happened. It’s a good thing it did. The Jets didn’t want anything clouding their participation in the Heritage Classic. Plus, the team just wanted to move on from the situation.
Friedman Believes Jets Players Had Their Say in the Situation, Too
One other thing: Friedman stated that he believed the Jets players also did their part to push for a Connor Hellebuyck trade. In particular, the Jets clubhouse leaders, like captain Adam Lowry, were adamant about their desire to put the situation behind them.
“(Kevin) Cheveldayoff met with his leadership group in Dallas, and they talked about what the next steps were; I think the team knew how the players felt. I just think the organization said, ‘it’s time. It is time to do this and the time is now.’”
Friedman concluded that while the financials played a factor in the entire situation, the ultimate issue was the needless grind on the team that would have come from Hellebuyck reporting to the team. That’s why the time of the Connor Hellebuyck trade went down when it did.
Connor Hellebuyck Trade Timing Was No Accident for Jets