- Pierre LeBrun says nothing on the table would represent a fair deal for Winnipeg
- Carolina, Buffalo and Utah are the suitors left standing, with Florida out
- Read below for where the Sabres talks stand with Jets camp opening Sept. 17
Connor Hellebuyck asked out in public two weeks ago. The Winnipeg Jets still do not have an offer worth taking.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic laid out where the goalie market stands in his first rumblings column of the season, and he did not dress it up.
“The bottom line at the moment, as far as I can ascertain, is that there’s just nothing on the table that would represent a fair deal for Winnipeg.”
Three teams are still in it, per LeBrun: the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres and Utah Mammoth. Florida is gone. The Panthers showed real interest back in June, then spent their assets on Brady Tkachuk and traded for Jacob Markstrom, which handled both the capital and the need.
Hellebuyck’s willingness to move has never been the holdup. Chris Johnston reported in late August that the goalie will waive his no-movement clause for a variety of teams, which hands Kevin Cheveldayoff more room than most general managers get in this spot.
Carolina keeps circling. LeBrun wrote that the Hurricanes reiterated their interest to him Tuesday, and any deal figures to run through unsigned restricted free agent Alexander Nikishin.
That contract is a standoff of its own. Asked this summer about reports he wanted $8 million a season, Nikishin smiled and said “More.”
Buffalo has the longer history here. The Sabres and Jets swapped offers and counteroffers on the Friday of the first round in late June and could not close it. Johnston said Wednesday the two sides have re-engaged to some degree, with both clubs rethinking what a package looks like now.
The request went public on Aug. 27 through agent Ray Petkau, with Hellebuyck calling a move the best path forward for both sides. Here’s the statement:
Cheveldayoff has sat in this chair before. LeBrun pointed out that the Jets came out of the Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jacob Trouba exits in fine shape, and this time Winnipeg holds five years of an $8.5 million goalie rather than a rental.
Captain Adam Lowry already told reporters the room is finished speculating about how this ends.
Jets camp opens Sept. 17, and nothing from the last two days points to Hellebuyck starting it in another team’s crease.
