Buffalo, Utah and Carolina are the frontrunners for Connor Hellebuyck, and the Jets suddenly have all the time in the world.
Winnipeg is 2-0-1 without him. Stuart Skinner and waiver claim Clay Stevenson are both winning games, and that changes the whole negotiation.
Skinner sits at .909 and Stevenson at .935. For Kevin Cheveldayoff, that's music to his ears.
The Jets aren't forced into anything now. One insider put it simply: they can "sit back and wait," and that luxury only grows if the goaltending holds.
It also shifts what Winnipeg asks for. The Jets had made it clear they wanted a goalie back in any Hellebuyck deal, but the insider doesn't think they need one anymore.
Instead of two immediate pieces, Cheveldayoff could take one and demand more value in the rest of the package.
Carolina, Buffalo and Utah each bring a different case for Hellebuyck
Carolina makes the most sense on paper. Pyotr Kochetkov sits at .889 and Brandon Bussi at .851, and the Hurricanes would love to improve their club.
The insider believes Carolina is still exploring ways to build a package, including moving one piece to collect other assets it could send to Winnipeg.
Buffalo came closest at the draft, per Elliotte Friedman. The Jets wanted the fourth overall pick without giving back the eighth, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen now has Winnipeg on his no-trade list.
Utah is the team "still lurking in the weeds." Karel Vejmelka and Sebastian Cossa have played well, but the Mammoth have the assets to chase a difference-maker.
Winnipeg should drop the goalie requirement for good. If Skinner and Stevenson keep this up, every asset in a Hellebuyck deal should go toward skaters and picks.
It's like selling your old house after you've already moved into a rental you love. No rush, and no reason to take a lowball offer.
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Hellebuyck still carries an $8,500,000 cap hit. The Jets host Colorado on Wednesday, and every win without him adds a little more leverage.
Carolina, Buffalo and Utah are circling. Cheveldayoff, for once in this saga, gets to make them wait.
Should the Jets trade Connor Hellebuyck to the Hurricanes?
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