Notable Sports Personality Absolutely Trashes Hellebuyck For Trade Demand: ‘No! Be Better!'

Saturday, August 29, 2026
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The Connor Hellebuyck situation played out quietly behind the scenes over the last few months, but his public trade request this week sent it exploding into the spotlight—in more ways than one. 

Everyone has an opinion on Hellebuyck wanting out of Winnipeg with five years to run on his eight-year deal. Safe to say, we can count ESPN sports personality Michael Wilbon as being opposed to the goalie's request. To say the least. His is the strongest condemnation of the trade request that you'll hear anywhere:

Basically, he's saying, 'Oh we need better players.' Well then be one of them, dude! Then be better!

They gave you the security you wanted, the money you wanted. They rewarded you. You signed the deal!  Can you not count from three to eight? Can you? Don’t you know what that is? Unbelievable.

No! I would call him in, and say, 'We love you, we signed you to this deal. You want a trade? Go to h***!.' ... The only thing I would do... I would trade him to whatever outpost I could. The nerve! 

But how does Wilbon really feel about it? 

Of course, we know how these things go, in all sports. Be it basketball, baseball... When a star player wants out, they usually get their way. We've seen it in hockey quite a few times recently. From Matthew Tkachuk to Brady Tkachuk and so many in between. And the Dylan Larkin situation continues to boil in Detroit. 

One of the things that Hellebuyck has going for him, says Wilbon's PTI partner in the above clip, Frank Isola, is that it's Winnipeg, and not New York or LA, or a major market like that.

"This is a case of him being lucky that he plays in a small market, or else he’d be getting destroyed.”

Sounds like he is, in some cases, already.

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