Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets now have a clearer picture of what an actual trade package might look like.
Murat Ates laid out his ideal return on Oilers Now this week: a top-six forward, a prospect or first-round pick, and a goaltender.
The forward piece matters most here. Ates specifically wants that player to be a true second-line center, calling it the ideal centerpiece of any deal.
That's not a random ask. Winnipeg has been searching for a legitimate 2C for what feels like forever now.
Mark Scheifele already anchors the top center spot after posting 103 points last season, but the drop-off behind him has been a real organizational problem.
If a true 2C isn't available in trade talks, Ates floated a plan B: a top-six right winger instead as the headline piece.
Hellebuyck brings real value to any negotiation, with three Vezina Trophies, a Hart Trophy, and an Olympic gold medal already on his résumé.
Why the goaltender return matters just as much as the forward
His $8,500,000 cap hit runs five more seasons, exactly the kind of term that makes acquiring teams plan carefully around term and fit.
The goaltender request in this package makes sense too. Winnipeg would need real insurance in net once Hellebuyck actually leaves the building.
Getting a true 2C, a prospect or first-rounder, and a capable goaltender in one deal is an ambitious ask for any single trade.
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Is that package realistic, or closer to a wish list? Probably somewhere in between, depending on which teams actually get serious.
Carolina and Buffalo remain the most logical fits given their cap situations, and either would have to get creative to check every box on this list.
Whatever the final package looks like, Winnipeg clearly isn't approaching this as a simple salary dump.
Should the Jets prioritize a 2C over a top-six winger in a Hellebuyck trade?
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