Connor Hellebuyck may have no choice but to report to the Jets, according to Elliotte Friedman, with Winnipeg yet to signal it plans to trade him.
The goalie is still under contract and was suspended by the team for not reporting to training camp, according to TVA Sports.
On Monday's episode of 32 Thoughts, Friedman said he doesn't believe anybody actually wants a return.
Not the goalie, not the Jets, not the players in that room and not the fans, in his view.
Winnipeg is right to wait this out. A player under contract who skips camp doesn't get to set the timeline on his way out.
A reunion now would be like showing up to the family dinner after skipping the wedding. Everyone stays polite, and nobody is comfortable.
Some fans have even built a website tracking the money he's losing during the suspension, and he has yet to play a game this season.
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Morning Cuppa Hockey (Oct 13): Dave Pagnotta says there has been some talk on the Hellebuyck side about him contemplating going back to Winnipeg.
He doesn't think Hellebuyck would be welcomed back with open arms and says "I don't think there are a lot of guys in that room that are overly happy, that would be overly happy, having him back there."
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Connor Hellebuyck could be forced to return to Winnipeg
Stuart Skinner has handled the crease well, going 2-0-1 with a .920 save percentage.
Clay Stevenson sits at .872 as he gains experience behind him.
Kyle Connor has carried the offense with 6 goals, and Josh Morrissey is still listed day-to-day.
Winnipeg is 3-1-1, 12th in the league, and hosts Minnesota tonight.
Hellebuyck's $8,500,000 cap hit still ranks third among NHL goaltenders.
Friedman has also said Hellebuyck would waive to go to Buffalo, though Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has Winnipeg on his no-trade list.
David Pagnotta reported over the weekend that the goalie may be thinking about rejoining the team, which is exactly what Friedman says nobody wants.
If nobody wants it, who blinks first in this standoff?
Kevin Cheveldayoff hasn't shown any rush to move him, and Scott Arniel's group keeps finding ways to win without him.
The Jets visit Chicago on Thursday and host Carolina on Saturday.
Every day without a deal makes a reunion a little more likely. And the more likely it gets, the worse it looks for everyone involved.
Should the Jets force Connor Hellebuyck to report instead of trading him?
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