Connor Hellebuyck Makes Trade Request Public, But Could Florida Panthers Explore Potential Deal

One of the NHL’s top goaltenders is back in the headlines.

On Thursday, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck publicly announced that he had requested a trade.

Hellebuyck, 33, made the proclamation in a statement that was posted on social media by his agent, Ray Petkau.

“Several months ago, I privately requested a trade,” Hellebuyck said in the statement. “I have tried to handle this situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.”

We’ll see if this public declaration moves the needle at all in terms of Winnipeg finding a deal that its comfortable with making for its elite netminder.

A couple hours after Hellebuyck’s statement went viral, the Jets responded with one of their own in which Winnipeg General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said, in part, “While we continue to work through the situation in a thoughtful manner, there is no update at this time.”

Contractually, Hellebuyck has five years remaining on his current deal, which runs through the 2030-31 season and comes with an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million.

It also carries a full no-movement clause, giving Hellebuyck total control over where he may ultimately end up, as no trade can be completed without him signing off on it.

Fresh off a gold medal-winning performance for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics and universally considered one of the best goaltenders in the world, the interest in Hellebuyck has been unsurprisingly high.

There were rumors swirling around Hellebuyck back around the NHL Draft in late June and into the new league year, which began on July 1, but things have been on the quiet side since.

The Florida Panthers were among teams often mentioned in the same breath as Hellebuyck, as Florida’s goaltending situation was in flux leading up to the start of July.

Longtime Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky left Florida in free agency, signing a three-year, $21 million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Florida pivoted for a short-term fix, trading for veteran Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils and restricted free agent Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights.

Markstrom has two years remaining on a deal paying an AAV of $6 million while Florida signed Schmid to a new two-year, $4 million contract, giving the Cats a pair of tendies locked up for next two seasons.

Does that mean the Panthers would be out on any potential deal for Hellebuyck? Not necessarily.

The easiest path would be a deal that included a goalie swap, which would make sense for the Jets as they would likely want as solid of a tandem post-Hellebuyck as possible.

Considering Florida does not own another first round pick until the 2030 NHL Draft, the Panthers would almost certainly have to part ways with one or more of their elite pieces, as well as one of their few high-end prospects, in order to entice a deal with the Jets.

Another way to potentially peak Winnipeg’s interest would be to include young center Anton Lundell in any trade offer, though Lundell has been a player that Florida GM Bill Zito has been extremely hesitant to dangle in any possible deals.

If Zito and Co. feel comfortable with Markstrom and Schmid as their tandem, it doesn’t make much sense to rip up part of the roster, as the question will come down to whether a possible upgrade at goaltender would outweigh a potential downgrade up front.

Ultimately, there will have to be a combination of an offer that Winnipeg would accept coming from a team that Hellebuyck will approve a deal to.

Whether the Panthers have the wherewithal to check both of those boxes, or the desire to try, remains to be seen.

Is there a deal that you think would work for both sides? Let us know in the comments below.

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Photo caption: Nov 19, 2024; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; FloridaPanthersleft wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) tries for a tip in on Winnipeg Jets goaltenderConnorHellebuyck(37) in the third period at Canada Life Centre. (James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images)