Insider Links Top Team To Trade For Jets' Connor Hellebuyck
Darren Dreger of TSN linked the Hurricanes to Connor Hellebuyck on Overdrive this week, identifying Carolina as a potential destination for the Winnipeg Jets goaltender and pointing to a specific roster piece that could make a deal work.
"Carolina could be a stop for Connor Hellebuyck," Dreger said. "They've got some interesting young guys who are unprotected, like Seth Jarvis, who's from Winnipeg and is unprotected. He doesn't have trade protection, that's what I'm saying."
The Jarvis connection is notable.
He is from Winnipeg, does not carry a no-trade clause, and is exactly the kind of young, high-end forward the Jets would need to extract in any deal for the best goaltender in the world.
Why Carolina Has a Goaltending Question
The Hurricanes' goaltending picture is still a big question mark heading into next season despite the championship.
Frederik Andersen, who was brilliant through three rounds of the playoffs, turns 37 in October and is headed for unrestricted free agency with his return uncertain.
NEWS: Pierre LeBrun on OverDrive said Connor Hellebuyck is 'very much open to a change' #GoJetsGo#TimeToHunt have interest and will be in the cards for a deal. Anton Lundell will not be included in any trade.
— OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) June 22, 2026
Brandon Bussi emerged as an unexpected postseason hero, taking over for Andersen midway through Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final and winning three straight games to help Carolina secure the title.
But asking a 27-year-old with a handful of NHL games to be the starter for a full season is a significant risk.
The Proposed Framework
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, Ryan S. Clark, and Kristen Shilton published a hypothetical trade that sends Hellebuyck to Carolina in exchange for defenseman Alexander Nikishin, forward Bradly Nadeau, and a 2026 first-round pick.
"The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup for a lot of reasons, but one of them was GM Eric Tulsky's loathing of complacency," the trio wrote. "He's as aggressive in the front office as coach Rod Brind'Amour's system is on the ice, constantly looking for ways to improve the roster."
"Hellebuyck's trade possibility seems to be heating up." @DarrenDreger on Connor Hellebuyck's next steps with the Jets and the future in Winnipeg.#GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/lLlF8M32zl
— OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) June 18, 2026
Carolina won the Cup in part because of the trades Tulsky made to push an already strong roster over the top, and a Hellebuyck acquisition would make the Hurricanes the clear favorite to repeat.
Where the Situation Actually Stands
Hellebuyck has not formally requested a trade, but he is reportedly 'very much open' to a change of scenery.
His end-of-season comments were a challenge to Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, expressing dissatisfaction with the direction of the organization after Winnipeg missed the 2026 playoffs.
Dreger summed up the situation by noting that where there is smoke, there is often fire, and confirmed that Cheveldayoff is at least in a position where he has to listen, with teams actively calling.
Hellebuyck is signed for five more seasons at an $8.5 million cap hit and carries a no-movement clause, which gives him control over any destination.
Carolina is not the only Eastern Conference team linked to him.
Dreger also named the Florida Panthers, as a logical fit given Sergei Bobrovsky's uncertain contract situation and Paul Maurice's history coaching Hellebuyck in Winnipeg.
If Hellebuyck decides he wants out and Carolina is willing to pay the price, a goaltender who wants to win would have a hard time finding reasons to say no to the defending champions.
