The suspension of star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t a path for him to remain with the Winnipeg Jets.
But when it comes to a possible trade, Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Thursday he won’t allow any move to be a setback for the organization. Hellebuyck has a no-movement clause in his contract and won’t approve of a deal which would ship him to any of the other six Canadian NHL teams, according to reports. Hellebuyck was the star of the U.S.
When he didn’t report to Jets training camp on Wednesday, the organization suspended the player who won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP for the 2024-25 season. Olympic team that won the gold medal at the 2026 Games in Milan Cortina. He made 41 saves as the U.S. beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in the final.
Hellebuyck, 33, privately requested a trade during his exit interview following last season, his 11th with the team. 27. “We’re talking about moving a player that has been very, very important to this franchise, and is a very good player in the National Hockey League. And we expect, I guess, that a level of return would be commensurate to that. So, that’s really been the premise. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goaltender made his request public on Aug. “He’s a player that’s under contract for five years. But at the end of the day, that’s his choice. “As a player, all you can do is kind of deal with what’s in front of you. Obviously, the news is heartbreaking being a teammate of his for so long. It’s tough, it feels like we had such a special group here and for whatever reason, I can’t speak to the reason until we hear from the man. I’m not going to speculate on what it is, but I know that a lot of guys in that room are heartbroken.”
“No doors are closed,” Cheveldayoff said. “Yeah, it’s tough,” Connor said.
