Connor Hellebuyck's future with the Winnipeg Jets is genuinely uncertain heading into next season.
Chris Johnston said this week he isn't sure Hellebuyck starts next season in Winnipeg, and pointed to the Jets' need for a top-six centre as the real driver.
Hellebuyck posted 18 wins in 57 games this season with a .895 save percentage, a steep drop from the numbers that usually define his game.
Johnston said he could still see Winnipeg circling back with Buffalo about a deal, the same team long connected to Hellebuyck rumors.
Carolina has also called, though Johnston doesn't see how a realistic trade framework comes together between the two sides right now.
Hellebuyck's $8,500,000 cap hit is one of the largest goaltender numbers in the league, adding real weight to however this plays out.
The full breakdown Johnston laid out is spelled out in detail in the graphic circulating with the report.
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Why Winnipeg wants a centre back in any Hellebuyck trade
Winnipeg finished 35-35-12 for 82 points this season, 26th overall, proof the need for more scoring down the middle is real and not just a talking point.
Buffalo closed the year 50-23-9 for 109 points, fourth overall, exactly the kind of contender that could use a true number one goalie right now.
Carolina wasn't far behind at 53-22-7 for 113 points, second overall, but Johnston's read suggests the trade pieces just don't line up cleanly.
GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has run this franchise since 2011, and how he handles his franchise goaltender this summer will define the entire offseason.
Winnipeg holding out for centre help back in a Hellebuyck trade makes sense on paper, but goaltenders of his caliber rarely come with exact-fit returns attached.
Nothing here is decided. Hellebuyck could still be back in a Jets uniform come October, and nobody, including Johnston, is ruling that out.
Should the Jets trade Connor Hellebuyck this offseason?
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