Connor Hellebuyck and Scott Arniel are still tied to Winnipeg's biggest unresolved file of the summer.
Elliotte Friedman's latest update matters because it pushes the story forward again. He said he still thinks Hellebuyck gets moved, even after the Jets added Stuart Skinner as protection in net.
That is not small noise anymore. Once a team adds what Friedman called a good insurance policy, the rest of the league reads it as preparation, not random depth work.
The reason the market stays hot is obvious. Hellebuyck is still one of the few goalies who can change a season by himself when he is on. Marqueur's current line for 2025-26 shows 57 games, 23 wins, a 2.86 goals-against average, and a .895 save percentage.
Those numbers were lighter than his top years, but they did not kill his value. They only sharpened the question around Winnipeg, because a goalie with that résumé still brings back a haul if the front office truly wants to pivot.
The team context matters too. Marqueur's reporting around this file had Winnipeg finishing 35-35-12 with a -29 goal differential, which is not the profile of a club that can shrug off big decisions.
" Elliotte Friedman: Re Jets: I still think we're gonna see Connor Hellebuyck get moved, they got a good insurance policy...in Stuart Skinner, but I don't think we've heard the end of that one yet - NHL Tonight (7/1) "
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Friedman's latest Connor Hellebuyck update could reshape the Jets' plans
That is the strongest part of Friedman's update. Skinner does not end the Hellebuyck story, but he gives Winnipeg a safer path if Kevin Cheveldayoff decides the right offer is finally on the table.
It also changes the pressure on Arniel. A coach can handle trade rumors around a star goalie a little easier when the room is not staring at an empty crease behind him.
That does not mean a trade is automatic tomorrow. Friedman's wording was clear on that too. He just does not believe the story is finished, and that tracks with how many teams have already circled this file.
Buffalo talks have been reported. Carolina has been tied to him. Florida has hovered around the story too. When that many clubs stay connected to the same goalie, the market usually is real.
That is why this update lands. Winnipeg no longer looks like a team only listening out of courtesy. It looks like a team that gave itself options and is waiting for the best hockey return.
And for Hellebuyck, that means the trade lane is still open. Stuart Skinner may have calmed the risk for the Jets, but he also made Friedman's read much easier to believe.
Should the Jets move Connor Hellebuyck now that they have insurance in net?
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