Late last month, fans of the Winnipeg Jets were stunned by All-Star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck requesting a trade from the only NHL club that he’d ever suited up for.
Hellebuyck confirmed that he’d made the initial trade request not long after the Jets‘ season came to an end, but decided to go public with it months later after little progress was made.
And while Hellebuyck remains on the Jets roster, reports have emerged that he doesn’t plan on reporting to Training Camp, which begins this week. And now, a new wrinkle has reportedly been thrown into the situation.
A New Problem For The Winnipeg Jets Has Emerged With Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck
Hellebuyck, who is in the midst of a multi-year contract, is reportedly not going to waive his no-trade clause to join any of the other six Canadian-based NHL clubs, according to NHL insider Darren Dreger.
“There’s all kinds of speculation out there,” Dreger said, before adding that Hellebuyck “is not waiving to stay in Canada, he’s not.”
Meanwhile, Hellebuyck is reportedly not generating much trade interest according to recent reports. However, recent comments from Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen appear to leave the door open for a potential contract if events were to allow at some point.
“I’ll just say my same boring answer where anytime we have an opportunity to try to make our team better, we’re going to look at it and make phone calls and consider it and have internal meetings about it and see if it goes anywhere,” he said via The Athletic. “If not, then we’ll continue, and if we can make a trade to make our team better, we will.”
The Jets Say They Can’t Worry About Hellebuyck’s Trade Request
In the meantime, the Jets have a job to do with or without Hellebuyck in the crease.
According to Jets captain Adam Lowry, Hellebuyck’s trade request is disappointing, but they can’t allow it to become a distraction.
“Obviously the situation is what it is,” Lowry said after a captain’s practice on Tuesday. “(If) you spend so much time speculating on it you’re going to drive yourself crazy. The situation is going to resolve itself one way or the other, and I think from our perspective we’ve got to focus on getting ourselves ready for camp, getting the team ready and things like that. And as long as he’s a member of the Jets, we’ll treat that situation as such.
“Until that time, I don’t think it’s worth our time in the locker room speculating what’s going to happen. We’ve got to use the guys that are here and do our best to have a rebound year.”
Lowry continued:
“‘Helle’s’ a good friend of ours, so it’s not something that we think is going to really impact the room,” Lowry said. “It’s not going to create a big divide. It’s a personal decision that he’s made and one that he thinks is best for his family, and until that situation’s resolved we’re just going to approach it … he’s our teammate, he’s our friend and go from there.
New Twist Emerges In Connor Hellebuyck Trade Request Saga