Connor Hellebuyck could end up fixing the Winnipeg Jets second line on his way out the door.
Insider David Pagnotta reported on The Sheet that the Jets still want to check off a few boxes, especially at that second line spot.
His read: Winnipeg has other holes too, and if they can use Hellebuyck's trade request to fill them, that's exactly the plan.
That's a notable shift in framing. This isn't just about finding Hellebuyck a new home. It's about what Winnipeg gets back.
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Hellebuyck posted an .895 save percentage across 57 games last season for a Jets team that finished 35-35-12, 26th overall in the league.
He's publicly confirmed his desire to leave for an American franchise, and that request hasn't cooled off heading into camp.
So the question shifts from whether Winnipeg trades him to what exactly they demand in return.
Why the second line is really the target here
Look at Winnipeg's forward group and the gap becomes obvious fast. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor combined for 195 points last season, an elite top line by any measure.
After that, Gabriel Vilardi added 69 points, solid but clearly a tier below. Cole Perfetti managed just 32 points in 68 games.
That's the drop-off Pagnotta is pointing at. Winnipeg's issue isn't a lack of stars. It's what happens on the next line down.
GM Kevin Cheveldayoff now has real leverage in any Hellebuyck return, an elite American goaltender teams will pay real futures to acquire.
Using that return to address multiple roster needs at once, instead of just goaltending prospects, changes the entire trade calculus.
Winnipeg doesn't need a one-for-one goalie swap. It needs pieces that plug directly into the middle of the lineup.
Is that realistic for a single trade return? Hard to say, but it explains why Winnipeg hasn't rushed to move him yet.
Every extra week Hellebuyck stays unsigned to a new team is another week Cheveldayoff can shape exactly what comes back.
Training camp is close now, and eventually patience has a limit even for a franchise trying to maximize this return.
For Winnipeg, the real story was never just losing Hellebuyck. It's whether his departure quietly fixes two problems at once.
Should the Jets prioritize a second-line scorer over goaltending prospects in any Hellebuyck trade?
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