Report: Connor Hellebuyck not expected to report to Jets training camp
On the heels of Connor Hellebuyck making his trade request from the Winnipeg Jets public in late August, it should come as no surprise that he plans to hold firm on his position.
According to The Athletic‘s Murat Ates, the three-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender is not expected to report to the Jets’ upcoming training camp.
Winnipeg released their training camp roster on Tuesday, which includes Hellebuyck among the six goaltenders listed. Despite this, Hellebuyck is likely to sit out training camp in order to force general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff’s hand into moving him to another team.
On August 27, Hellebuyck released a statement through his agent confirming that he had requested a trade “several months” prior. Publicizing his request was almost certainly a tactic to put more pressure on Cheveldayoff to get something done, and not attending training camp is the clear next step in that plan. The question becomes, if a trade doesn’t materialize ahead of the regular season, how long would Hellebuyck be willing to hold out to get his desired outcome?
Hellebuyck, 33, hasn’t made any of his preferred destinations known, but Daily Faceoff‘s Anthony Di Marco has raised the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils as possible landing spots.
The Commerce, Michigan native had a down year by his standards last season, starting 57 games despite missing about three weeks with a knee injury and posting a 23-23-11 record with a .895 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average. He did, however, dazzle for the United States men’s hockey team at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February, putting up a spectacular 41-save performance in a 2-1 overtime win against Canada in the gold medal game.
In addition to his three Vezina Trophies, Hellebuyck won the Hart Trophy as league MVP for the 2024-25 season in which he led the NHL with 47 wins and a 2.00 GAA.
