Are the Sharks a good fit for Connor Hellebuyck?
With one of the best goaltenders looking to move, would a young and rising team be the right fit?
It has become clear that Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck wants out and refused to report to training camp as a result. While he sits around, suspended by the team, many wonder where he could end up.
One team that has been brought up is the San Jose Sharks, a team that has been rebuilding for several years, but is very close to becoming a Stanley Cup Playoff contender. However, they already have their goaltender of the future, Yaroslav Askarov. With the Russian netminder likely a return pipe in a hypothetical trade, would it be worth for San Jose to take on a veteran such as Hellebuyck?
On this week’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discuss whether the Sharks might be the right fit for someone like Hellebuyck.
Tyler Yaremchuk: They would have to move an Askarov presumably in the trade, and he’s kind of viewed as that next man up in the goaltending world, and they would have the future assets to get it done. I just don’t know if San Jose is quite in the spot where making a move like that makes sense. I think it’s a touch too early, and you have Askarov.
Carter Hutton: You have Askarov at 24, who’s coming into his own. He’s an RFA. You could lock him up on a pretty good deal, and he’s your future. With Hellebuyck, it’s almost more of a win-now situation. I think that’s where it gets so muddy with Hellebuyck, like where he lands, because anybody who’s getting Connor Hellebuyck is like, ‘We want to win the Stanley Cup.’ So, you hear Carolina’s name being thrown around, right, or Buffalo that’s trying to be in there. Winnipeg wants back guys that can win right now, so he’s going to give up guys that can help you win right now when you’re trying to win right now on the team that wants Connor Hellebuyck, so that’s the tricky situation with him. I think San Jose stays status quo.
Tyler: Connor Hellebuyck is not young anymore. He’s he’s 33. You know, going to be 34 years old. Like, if you’re a team with a 20 year old Macklin Celebrini and a 21-year-old Will Smith and all these other pieces, Stenberg, Misa, go down the list. Do you want to have five years from now, when those guys are firmly in their primes? Do you want to be paying a 39-year-old Connor Hellebuyck or a 29-year-old Yaroslav Askarov? I mean, who knows what either player is at those ages? But I just think there’s a point of like San Jose is still building. They’re not quite looking for that finishing piece.
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…
