Connor Hellebuyck – Under Contract with the Winnipeg Jets
Arguably one of the top goaltenders in the National Hockey League, Connor Hellebuyck is nearing the end of his six-year contract. As of now, his contract runs through the end of the 2023-2024 season. He is now 30 years old and can feel that his time to compete for a Stanley Cup is running out.
He recently spoke to the media and expressed his disinterest in being a part of a rebuild.
"“My main goal is to win a Stanley Cup and I’m starting to run out of time and I can feel it,” Hellebuyck said. “You do need to be in the hunt every single year, you’ve got to make the most of your years. I’m not interested in a rebuild. I’m just looking to compete every year.”"
With the way the Winnipeg Jets are structured at the moment, it seems very evident that a rebuild is exactly where the Jets are headed, or at least what they should head toward. The LA Kings could be a dark horse candidate for him to come to because they have made the playoffs the past two seasons and their rebuild has been expedited as a result of their success.
Connor Hellebuyck would solidify the crease in a way it hasn’t been since Jonathan Quick in his best years. However, the trade package for him would be more of a puzzle than it would be for Karel Vejmelka. It could look something like a package of Alex Iafallo and Sean Durzi + picks or a package of Trevor Moore, Sean Durzi, a prospect + picks.
That package would ultimately be up to Rob Blake, but it doesn’t seem completely out of the realm of possibility to bring the top-tier American goaltender back to the States.