Connor Hellebuyck is more likely to be traded than Dylan Larkin

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Connor Hellebuyck is more likely to be traded than Dylan Larkin
Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Yesterday, Connor Hellebuyck publicly announced his intentions: he wants to leave Winnipeg.

Since the beginning of the summer, there had been speculation that the goaltender wanted to leave, but it wasn't known that such a request had been officially made earlier this summer.

After a summer of not getting what he wanted, he decided to speak out publicly (through his agent) in the hope of getting his way.

Naturally, this puts pressure on the Jets. They didn't exactly have a lot of leverage in the situation to begin with, but let's just say things haven't gotten any better since yesterday.

That said, it was up to them to trade him before now.

That said, it doesn't mean they won't ask for the moon. Hellebuyck is a franchise goaltender, and despite his struggles in the playoffs, he's among the elite.

The price to pay in terms of assets to get him out of Winnipeg (and to take on his $8.5 million-per-year contract for another five years) will undoubtedly be quite high.

The Jets want to take their time because they know that trading the goalie could mean a rebuild. And the Manitoba club can't necessarily afford that because Papa Gary is keeping an eye on them…

But at least the Jets would have options.

According to rumors and what Chris Johnston has reported, the goalie would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for a variety of teams. Several organizations, including the Sabres, could therefore be in the running.

So it's not like Dylan Larkin, who has a limited list. And that's why the goaltender is more likely to leave Winnipeg than the forward is to leave Michigan.

Both guys have the right to handle this however they want. But what Larkin—who has a very restrictive list—doesn't have the right to do is whine if he isn't traded.

He couldn't do what Hellebuyck did (by making his request public) not only because everyone already knows about it, but also because he'd look like a baby.

So far, the goalie's reputation hasn't suffered too much from this request.

The American goalie probably wants to leave Winnipeg more than the American forward wants to leave Detroit (one of the two cities is in Canada and the other is the player's hometown) right now. That must tip the scales.

It's worth noting that he's the third high-profile player (along with Dylan Larkin and Brady Tkachuk) to request a trade after winning Olympic gold with the U.S. in February.

It's also worth noting that the goaltender's request comes as Donald Trump—who honored Hellebuyck after the Olympics—has escalated the trade war with Canada to a whole new level. #LakeOntario


In Brief

– Interesting.

– Get ready for Fantasy Football. [98.5 Sports]

– Good question.

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