After yet another season of disappointment, the Winnipeg Jets have a ton of decisions to make. Darren Dreger of TSN reported that the Jets are listening to offers on Mark Scheifele. If that wasn’t enough, Pierre LeBrun also reported on Insider Trading that Pierre-Luc Dubois requested a trade, and The Athletic reported that cornerstone goaltender Connor Hellebuyck also wouldn’t sign another contract (from ‘NHL Offseason Trade Board 2.0: The Latest on The Jets, Leafs, Flyers, and more – and how it impacts the market,’ The Athletic, June 10, 2023).
That is an awful lot for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to handle, and it’s possibly his toughest task since arriving in Winnipeg. Elliotte Friedman said that the Jets have no intentions of rebuilding, but with a Hellebuyck trade, they may not have a choice. There’s no doubt that the former Vezina-winning netminder will command a haul, so Cheveldayoff should act sooner rather than later. He’ll be a busy man this summer, but this should be his first priority.
Hellebuyck’s main focus is to win, so either a contender or a young team on the rise are excellent candidates for the Michigan native. Here’s a look at three teams that would not only be an optimal fit for Hellebuyck but ideal trade partners for the Jets.
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are an interesting trade partner because they may or may not have finally found their solution in net. But will they be okay sending a young netminder with promise for an already proven commodity? For years, the constant problem with the Sabres and their inability to take the next step has been their goaltending and defense. So far, it seems like the defensive part is sorting itself out. Rasmus Dahlin is shaping up to be the player the Sabres thought they were getting when he was drafted first overall in 2018. Now, it’s time to address the crease.
Both Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are thought of highly in Buffalo, but if the Sabres want a player like Hellebuyck, you have to give to get. The Jets’ goalie pipeline isn’t anything to write home about. They have Mikhail Berdin, who’s an unrestricted free agentand on loan in the Kontinental Hockey League, along with Arvid Holm and Oskari Salminen, who still need to work on their consistency in the American Hockey League. Beyond them, there are no pro-ready goalies in the system. If a trade with Buffalo happens, negotiations should start with Levi or Luukkonen.
With the future of Scheifele in question, and Dubois requesting a trade, the need for a center is that much more important. Matthew Savoie, the ninth-overall pick in 2022 is an interesting target, as well as Noah Ostlund or Peyton Krebs, who played junior hockey in Winnipeg. Tie in Levi or Luukkonen with one or two of those players and a first-rounder in 2023, and you have a pretty solid haul.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings and Hellebuyck are a match made in heaven. After an ugly divorce with longtime King, Jonathan Quick, they need a new netminder. Of course, they can always bring back Joonas Korpisalo, but he is a hard goalie to trust. A security blanket like Hellebuyck would be just what the doctor ordered. He’s a top-five goalie in the league, and his presence would solidify the Kings as a top contender in the West.
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What could slow a deal down with Los Angeles is their lack of 2023 first-round picks. It was traded away in the Ivan Provorov deal earlier this month, but the Kings can always offer up their 2024 first-rounder and a 2023 second-rounder to make up for it.
To keep up with the center theme, the Jets have to look at Gabe Vilardi and Quinton Byfield. It may be hard for the Kings to part with the 2020 second-overall pick in Byfield, but a player like Hellebuyck would help raise them to contention. Another player Winnipeg can look at is Alex Turcotte, the fifth overall pick in 2019. He has struggled since transitioning to the pros. In 91 AHL games, he’s only registered 18 goals, and no goals in 12 NHL games.
On the defensive side, Jordan Spence is an interesting option who hasn’t had a chance to permanently showcase his skills on the main stage. Sean Durzi is another player the Kings have been dangling, and the Jets can use some youth on the back end. He can also play both sides, and right-shot defensemen don’t grow on trees.
Detroit Red Wings
Could Hellebuyck’s home be an option? Similar to the Sabres, the Detroit Red Wings have had some consistency issues between the pipes. They signed Ville Husso last summer, and he underperformed with a .896 save percentage, 3.11 goals-against average, and a -14.7 goals saved above expected. The talent is there, but perhaps the Finnish netminder isn’t a starter and is best served as a 1B or backup option.
Hellebuyck would provide the stability that Detroit has yearned for since 2012-13. Winnipeg should look toward former 2021 first-rounder Sebastian Cossa as a possible trade piece. Cossa did not have an easy time in the AHL but was one of the best goaltenders in the ECHL. He’s still only 21, and there’s a ton of room for growth. The Jets could definitely use him to bolster their pipeline.
The Red Wings have an embarrassment of riches in their prospect pool. Assuming that there are some untouchables, the Jets would still have a number of potential options. Of those, you have Marco Kasper, Joe Veleno, Filip Zadina, Simon Edvinsson, and Elmer Soderblom; take your pick. Not only that, but Detroit has a number of picks that can go Winnipeg’s way, including five in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. It seems like a perfect match. The question is, will Detroit want to part with key pieces of their future?
A Reflection on Hellebuyck’s in Winnipeg
Hellebuyck is the best goalie in the Jets’ history – there’s no question about it. His time in Winnipeg should be remembered fondly. He embraced the community, represented the city proudly, and gave his all to make the team succeed. Just look at what he did in the final month of this past season, playing to a .922 SV% and helping catapult Winnipeg to the playoffs.
There’s always a chance we see Hellebuyck suit up for the Jets one more season, but that’s unlikely. This core brought a lot of memories (whether it be positive or negative), but it’s time for a new era. Not only are the players ready, but the fans seem to be as well. When it’s all said and done, it’ll only be a matter of time until his number 37 gets hung from the rafters at Canada Life Centre.