Last spring, the Winnipeg Jets had aspirations of becoming the first Canadian-based NHL club to win the Stanley Cup since 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens reached the summit.
And the Jets had good reason to believe, considering they breezed through the regular season as the NHL’s top club, winning the President’s Trophy and looking unstoppable. However, they barely survived a scare in the Western Conference Quarterfinal against the St. Louis Blues, literally needing a last-second miracle in Game 7 to stave off elimination before winning in double overtime.
Their Cup quest came to a close at the hands of the Dallas Stars, who eliminated them in the subsequent postseason round and ending their dreams. The Jets then lost one of their top forwards in Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. Meanwhile, the Jets largely struggled this past season, ultimately missing the postseason.
What are the chances that Hellebuyck could reunited with Ehlers as a member of the Hurricanes, who are now the reigning Stanley Cup champions?
The Carolina Hurricanes Want To Acquire Connor Hellebuyck From The Winnipeg Jets
According to NHL Insider Frank Seravalli, the Hurricanes have made a pitch to acquire Hellebuyck from the Jets. Right now, Frederik Andersen, who started every game in the postseason until he was replaced by Brandon Bussi in Game 3 of the Cup Final against Vegas, is a pending unrestricted free agent.
At 37 years old, he’s not getting any younger. And right now, the Hurricanes don’t appear to be comfortable with the thought of a tandem of Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov.
Seravalli wrote:
“Sources indicate the Carolina Hurricanes made a pitch this week for United States Olympic gold medalist and three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck,” he wrote. “The offer was believed to include a first-round pick along with pending RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin, a player swirling in trade winds this week. Nikishin, 24, scored 11 goals in his freshman season as a blue liner and was selected to the All-Rookie team alongside Matthew Schaefer.
Carolina also has an extra future first-round pick still to play with – four over the next three drafts – from the Mikko Rantanen trade that yielded Logan Stankoven last year. They used the other first-round pick acquired in that deal to bring in K’Andre Miller last summer.”
Seravalli also speculated about Hellebuyck’s future with the Jets and where he would approve a move to.
“There is still so much to sort out for the Jets as they consider what’s next for their franchise icon goaltender,” he wrote. “Is the toothpaste out of the tube? Is it possible to bring Hellebuyck back for another season? How strong has the market been for the 33-year-old with five seasons left on his deal? Where exactly would Hellebuyck approve a trade?”
Connor Hellebuyck Led Team USA To Gold Medal Glory
Hellebuyck helped Team USA win a historic gold medal in an upset win over Team Canada during the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, turning in a legendary performance in the gold medal game.
He’s also under contract for another five seasons with an $8.5 million salary cap hit.
He’s gone 345-208-55 with a 2.58 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage, and has 45 shutouts so far in his career.
Eastern Conference Power Makes Offer For Jets Goalie Connor Hellebuyck