Utah Mammoth Making Strong Push For Connor Hellebuyck

The Winnipeg Jets continue to navigate a trade request from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and while the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes seemed to be the heavy favorites out of the gates, turns out there's a wildcard team in the Western Conference to consider.

Multiple reports have recently linked the Utah Mammoth with making a strong play for Hellebuyck, as it's very likely the Jets and Mammoth are engaged in advanced trade talks, working on the specifics of the deal. Will it be enough for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to pull the trigger, we'll have to wait and see.

The Mammoth could offer a reasonable 1-B starter in Karel Vejmelka, who's under contract for four more seasons at $4.7 million AAV. The only catch there could be Vejmelka's 10-team no-trade clause, and if he does block a deal to the Jets, this deal isn't necessarily dead, because the Jets would have interest in Sebastian Cossa. 

David Pagnotta: Re Connor Hellebuyck trade candidates: Utah... Jeff Marek: Absolutely for Utah, as they continue to go big game hunting - The Sheet (8/31)

Utah owns a boatload of draft picks these next few years, and have one first-rounder in 2027, and two in 2028 to dangle, as the Jets will want at least one. There's also Tij Iginla, Jack McBain, and Caleb Desnoyers, who are certainly trade candidates the Jets will have interest in. We'll just have to wait and see how much the Mammoth are willing to give up as they've already moved out a couple of their best young prospects to the New York Rangers for Vinny Trocheck. 

Keep an eye on the Mammoth, as they'll be pressing hard to get a deal done before training camp, which would be music to the ears of Hellebuyck, as he'd prefer to move on, sooner than later.