Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff says there remains no timeline for a Connor Hellebuyck trade as the team gets set to open its 2026-27 season on Friday.
The Jets will be without Hellebuyck when they open their season against the Boston Bruins as the star goaltender remains suspended from the team for failing to report to training camp.
Hellebuyck is set to surrender his first game cheque on Friday, the first financial penalty of his decision to sit out as he awaits a trade.
“Well, in situations like this, you never know,” Cheveldayoff told TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger of how long it will take before the goaltender is traded. “You don’t have a crystal ball. When I was first made aware of the situation - the conversations that Connor’s representation and myself had - were very clear and explicit that this could take a while. What ‘a while’ means I guess, is still undefined.”
Hellebuyck went public with his trade request last month in hopes of spurring a trade before the season, but no such move has materialized. In fact, no trade has appeared close since the Jets held talks with the Buffalo Sabres ahead of the draft in June.
Dreger has previously reported the Jets have not received any offers with “fair value in return for an elite-level goaltender in Hellebuyck with years remaining on his contract.”
Cheveldayoff has repeatedly stated that the Jets are focused on remaining contender and improving their team in a Hellebuyck deal, though it remains unclear what a package back could look like.
“What it’ll ultimately be, that’ll be a decision that’ll be made when something presents itself,” Cheveldayoff said of how a return for Hellebuyck will shape the team’s outlook.
Last month, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun pointed to the Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes and Utah Mammoth as possible landing spots for Hellebuyck. He added that the Florida Panthers were once interested in Hellebuyck, but that ship sailed after the team paid up to acquire Brady Tkachuk and brought in Jacob Markstrom to solidify their net.
The Jets are expected to start Stuart Skinner in net Friday, with new addition Clay Stevenson serving as his backup. Stevenson was claimed off waivers earlier this week from the Washington Capitals, allowing the Jets to solidify their tandem for opening night.
“Well, nervousness a couple days ago not knowing if we get Clay, so we’re certainly excited that the waiver claim was successful there,” Cheveldayoff said of the state of the team’s goaltending.
“I think Stu is someone that we’ve talked about before, that there’s been a level of interest and excitement on both sides, on the side of (assistant coach) Wade Flaherty who kind of runs the goaltending department for us and the desire to want to work with Stu, but the mutual desire that Stu has always felt that there’s maybe some good synergy there.
“And then things start to unfold - as you get into the conversations, you find out that Stu and Clay Stevenson have a good relationship already. They know each other well. And when we started to have those conversations internally that this could be a waiver claim for us, there was that level of excitement.
“So the thing about the National Hockey League is that it’s very unpredictable. And as we head into this season, the canvas is blank right now and it’s up to us to paint the picture.”
Hellebuyck is coming off a down year, but took home the Hart, Vezina and William M. Jennings trophies in 2025.
The 33-year-old netminder appeared in 57 games last season, his lowest total since the 2020-21 season, but also started five games for Team USA at the Olympics en route to winning gold.
Hellebuyck posted the worst save percentage of his career at .895 – the first time he’s fallen below .900 - in 2025-26, to go along with a 2.86 goals-against average and a 23-23-11 record.
The 33-year-old signed a contract extension in October 2023 with an annual cap hit of $8.5 million through the 2030-31 season.
The Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2025, then became just the fifth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs in the following year.
