Where do things stand in Winnipeg with Connor Hellebuyck?
Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period joined SiriusXM NHL Network Radio Morning Skate with Gord Stellick and Scott Laughlin to discuss the options surrounding Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets. Has Hellebuyck’s mindset changed to the point where he has recommitted to the organization, or does he still want out?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Connor Hellebuyck’s Suspension is Coming to an End, But it Won’t be the End of the Turmoil
Scott Laughlin: “We were just talking about maybe, arguably, number one on that list, and we know Brady Tkachuk is going back to Ottawa Wednesday night. We know that Quinn Hughes is back in Vancouver on Sunday night. That being said, Connor Hellebuyck. So there’s three options here for the Jets and for the Hellebuyck camp, right? Either he returns to the team, they pay him to stay home, or he finally gets traded. Dave, what are you hearing on this? What are you feeling on this situation? Hellebuyck with the Jets.”
Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah, I mean, I don’t think there are many people within the organization that want him back, whether it’s Friday or over the weekend, during Heritage Classic, or after given the circumstances, so a little bit of added pressure on Kevin Cheveldayoff and company to try to swing something over the next four to five days here to prevent that possibility from actually becoming reality.
He hasn’t, the Jets haven’t wavered off their position and wavered off their stance of what the asking price is, what they want overall for Conor Hellebuyck. One team may have different assets than another, and it may alter part of the package, but in terms of overall value, they still, the Jets are still looking for a home run here, as they should. He’s their best player. He’s a Vezina winner. He won the Hart without question.
Hopefully the Connor Hellebuyck Will Results in a Trade Sooner Rather Than Later
They should be getting top-tier talent back, depending on what that looks like again. Is it two current NHL players, young prospects and draft picks, or a higher value of prospects and picks? I mean, we’re going to have to wait and see whenever this thing does come to fruition. But maybe this re-engages the team in terms of the urgency levels in the next few days. That being said, if they don’t get the price, they’re going to continue to wait things out.
Now, he comes back. Yeah, he’s back with the organization. We’ll go through the physical process. We’ll go through all that stuff. They could send him down to the AHL immediately on a conditioning stint, or have him skate with the team in practices. Continue to keep him off the ice in game situations, and then send him down to the AHL on a conditioning stint before determining further steps or before trading him.
So there are a lot of balls up in the air here, guys, and there’s no clear-cut answer at this stage. The only thing we know definitively is that, or the few things, Hellebuyck’s going to come back at some point if he’s not traded, and the other is, is that Winnipeg remains adamant on what their overall asking price is.
Connor Hellebuyck Contemplating Rejoining the Winnipeg Jets?
Gord Stellick: “And I take it, Dave, that in no way, shape, or form, as Connor Hellebuyck said, you know something, everything has worked out. I’m satisfied. I’m here for the duration. I think part of the problem is, I guess, an understanding that he’s coming back, but he’s still coming back as a guy who wants to leave.”
Pagnotta: “Yes, correct, exactly. Yeah, I don’t think his position has changed. Every indication that I’ve been given, I think others have reported over the weekend as well. He still wants out. He still wants to move. So this isn’t a change of heart. This is and it’s not so much the paychecks that aren’t coming in being a factor or big factor anyway.
I’m sure it’s a factor, but the other is he’s got to show that he’s game ready whenever a team trades for him or at least close to it, before a team pulls the trigger on something. So this is, again, this isn’t him going. Ah, you know what? Now we’ve talked it over. We want to stay in Winnipeg. This is still a guy who wants to be moved out, just like Dylan Larkin still wants to be moved out of Detroit.”
NHLRumors.com Note: The one thing the players have made clear from the start is that if Connor Hellebuyck were to come back to the team, he would recommit to helping the team win and be there for the long haul. Kyle Connor made that clear at the beginning of training camp. Adam Lowry told reporters on Saturday that tough conversations would need to take place. Head coach Scott Arniel has no time for scenarios that are not in play.
However, the Winnipeg Jets face the reality that they need to resolve this situation like Ottawa did with their Brady Tkachuk issue. While they want the best return, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff may have to cut his losses sooner rather than later. There is only so much time before the NHLPA steps in and says Hellebuyck wants to play; you can’t pay him to go away without good reason.
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