- Mike McIntyre says a Connor Hellebuyck trade this summer remains extremely likely
- The Winnipeg Free Press insider adds San Jose to the mix behind frontrunner Buffalo
- Read below for why the Sharks come up and where the Jets stand
The Connor Hellebuyck trade rumors picked up a new team.
Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote this week that a deal this summer remains extremely likely, and he pointed to the San Jose Sharks as a fit worth watching. Buffalo is still the club most people tie to Hellebuyck, but McIntyre put the Sharks in the same breath.
That Sharks angle comes with a catch. San Jose already has Yaroslav Askarov penciled in as its starter, so this would be a win-now swing, not a need. McIntyre’s read is that the Sharks have the cap room to take on a goalie at $8.5 million and the appetite to speed up their timeline.
There is a Winnipeg connection too. San Jose signed Eric Comrie on July 1, and Comrie spent the last two seasons backing up Hellebuyck with the Jets. A reunion would not be the reason for a trade, but it is the kind of detail that keeps a rumor alive.
Winnipeg gave itself cover to make a move. The Jets brought in Stuart Skinner earlier this month, and Skinner has made 50 or more starts in four straight seasons. That is a real starter to fall back on if Hellebuyck goes.
None of this makes Hellebuyck easy to land. He is a three-time Vezina winner, and he is signed through 2030-31 on the seven-year extension he inked in 2023.
He is also coming off another strong year, which is why the Jets can ask for a big return and wait for the right one.
Buffalo has led this from the start, and McIntyre still sees the Sabres as the likeliest destination if a deal lands. Hellebuyck hasn’t asked out.
Check out the kind of goaltending any buyer would be paying for:
San Jose is a name to file, not a signed deal. The Jets set the price, and so far it hasn’t scared anyone off.
