Connor Hellebuyck could lose millions of dollars

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Connor Hellebuyck could lose millions of dollars
Credit: Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images

How eager is Connor Hellebuyck to leave Winnipeg?

It's safe to assume he's eager for a trade to happen, considering that he'd say yes to several teams and has made his request public.

That probably wasn't his intention, but oh well.

While it's true that the player has the right to request a trade, it's also true that the Jets have the right to take their time in getting what they want.

And the player—if he's willing to live with the fact that he might come across as a jerk to the fans—even has the right to retaliate by going on strike as early as training camp.

I say this because Martin Biron, speaking on TSN, was asked if he thought the goaltender might decide to go on strike and not show up in Winnipeg in the coming weeks.

And the Quebec native thinks it's possible. He didn't say it was likely, but rather that it was possible in response to the question.

Obviously, we're not there yet. Maybe a trade will happen… and even if it doesn't, the most likely scenario is still that the American will show up in Manitoba next month.

But a strike remains a possibility. It's also a tool for putting pressure on his organization.

There's a scenario in which Connor Hellebuyck agrees to forgo his pay to stay home while he waits for the Winnipeg Jets to trade him.

Keep in mind that the goaltender earns an average of $8.5 million per season. He could therefore leave millions of dollars on the table if he really wanted to get his message across and the Jets decided not to budge.

In my view, a player has the right to request a trade. He also has the right to go on strike… but that says a lot about the person's values.

Let's hope, for the Jets' sake, that the goalie's situation doesn't go that far.


In a Nutshell

– A fascinating race.

– Martin St. Louis has a way with people.

– Really?

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