Will Connor Hellebuyck trade talks heat up again?
Posted August 18, 2026 11:14 am.
Nearly two months ago, it felt like a Connor Hellebuyck trade was imminent. And yet, it’s mid-August and the three-time Vezina Trophy winning-goaltender is still a member of the Winnipeg Jets.
As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman described during an appearance on NHL Tonight earlier this month, all is quiet on the trade-talk front. But that doesn’t mean it’ll remain that way.
Friedman suggested it “could be one of those things that picks up closer to training camp,” but for now, we wait.
Hellebuyck, 33, will enter the third season of the seven-year pact he signed back in October 2023. The 2024-25 MVP carries an $8.5-million AAV.
Asked about the summer-long speculation surrounding Hellebuyck’s future in Winnipeg, Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey told The Athletic’s Murat Ates that he hopes the star netminder remains with the club.
“You can’t believe everything you might see or hear out there,” Morrissey said. “At the end of the day, I hope Helle is back playing for us. He’s the best goalie in the world. But what happens, doesn’t happen, whatever, that’s with him and his agent and the organization. It’s something that’s part of the game and part of the business.”
