The Winnipeg Jets still don’t know whether Connor Hellebuyck will play for them again, with the goalie’s suspension reportedly ending Friday and his Hellebuyck trade request unresolved. Head coach Scott Arniel said Monday that “everybody’s waiting to see” how it plays out, according to NHL.com.
The clock matters because Friday, Oct. 23, is the date Hellebuyck becomes eligible to rejoin the roster. The Jets have three realistic options and no trade in place, and they have started the season without their franchise goalie.
What Arniel said about the Hellebuyck situation
Arniel spoke to reporters on Monday after the Jets returned to practice following a 3-2 home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. He pushed back on the idea that the dressing room has turned on the goalie. According to NHL.com, he said the group isn’t saying it doesn’t want Hellebuyck, and that outside chatter had built that story.
He was just as clear that the team has no inside knowledge. “We’re not sure what the next play is going to be,” Arniel said, per Daily Faceoff. He added that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is handling the matter and that, until Hellebuyck shows up or a deal happens, it’s hard to talk about.
Forward Cole Perfetti took a similar line. He wants Hellebuyck to show he is committed to the team if he returns, and he said the players are focused on the group already in the room.
How the Hellebuyck trade request reached this point
Hellebuyck went public on Aug. 27 through a statement from his agent, Ray Petkau. He said he had privately asked for a trade “several months ago” and was confirming it publicly with training camps due to open Sept. 16. He said moving on was the best path for him and his family.
The Jets did not move him over the summer. Cheveldayoff said on June 26 that the club would listen to offers, but he gave no firm answer on whether the goalie had asked out. Winnipeg suspended Hellebuyck on Sept. 16 when he did not report to camp.
The timeline of his attempted return is less clear. Daily Faceoff reported that he told the Jets on Oct. 2 he planned to end his holdout, and the club suspended him for three weeks under the collective bargaining agreement. NHL.com, citing a Sportsnet report, said he informed the team before its first regular-season game that he intended to come back. The reports differ on the exact date, but they agree on the end point.
The CBA says a player who is absent from camp without permission and then returns can be suspended for “a reasonable length.” That is the rule the Jets used.
Why a trade has been so hard to complete
Hellebuyck holds most of the leverage on where he can go. He has a full no-movement clause this season, which becomes a modified no-trade clause next summer. Sportsnet’s reporting, cited by Yahoo Sports, puts his cap hit at $8.5 million with five years left on the deal.
Winnipeg also isn’t in a hurry. The Jets opened the season 4-1-1. That start came without Hellebuyck, and TSN reported that Clay Stevenson stopped 34 of 37 shots in Saturday’s loss to Carolina. A team that is winning has less reason to take a discount.
On the buyer’s side, ESPN has named the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes as potential suitors. An earlier ESPN report said at least three teams were in the mix. None of those talks has produced a deal.
The options for Friday and after
NHL.com listed four routes for the Jets once the suspension ends:
- Trade Hellebuyck to a team he will accept.
- Pay him to stay away from the club.
- Send him to the minor leagues for a conditioning stint.
- Put him back on the roster.
Reports differ on which the Jets prefer. The Big Lead, summarising a Sportsnet report from Elliotte Friedman, said the Jets would rather trade him than simply bring him back. It also said Winnipeg could pay him to stay away if no deal comes together. Those are reported views, not statements from the club.
For Hellebuyck, an eventual return would restart his pay. Daily Faceoff noted that rejoining the locker room would allow him to start getting paid again. A return to the roster does not by itself mean he is ready to step back into the crease, the outlet added.
What the Hellebuyck trade request means for the room
The players have been careful in public. Winger Kyle Connor declined to comment Saturday on a possible return, having previously called the trade request “heartbreaking” as a teammate. ESPN reported that players are preparing for difficult conversations if the goalie walks back in.
Arniel’s position is that his focus stays on the games. According to ESPN, he said all his 23 players care about is winning hockey games. He said he would deal with the Hellebuyck matter when it happens.
TSN reported that captain Adam Lowry said conversations would be needed if Hellebuyck returned. He called it a “water under the bridge” situation, and also said it was unfair to speculate before more is known.
Why Hellebuyck matters to Winnipeg’s season
Hellebuyck is a Hart Trophy winner and a three-time Vezina Trophy winner. ESPN noted he also backstopped the U.S. men’s team to Olympic gold this year. He was voted league MVP in 2024-25.
Last season was rougher. He missed time with injury and posted a career-worst .895 save percentage as Winnipeg underachieved and missed the playoffs. The Jets finished seventh in the Central Division, eight points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second Western Conference wild card.
That history frames the choice in front of the front office. Winnipeg has a goalie who still wants out, a team playing well without him, and a trade market that has not met its price. Leaving the situation open also carries a cost, as the club can’t plan its goaltending around a player who is both on the roster and trying to leave it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Connor Hellebuyck’s suspension end?
It is reportedly set to end Friday, Oct. 23. The Jets suspended him on Sept. 16 after he did not report to training camp.
Has Hellebuyck been traded yet?
No. As of Oct. 20, no trade has been completed. Reports have named the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes as potential suitors, and ESPN earlier said at least three teams were in the mix.
What are the Jets saying about his return?
Coach Scott Arniel said everybody is waiting to see what happens and that he is “not sure what the next play is going to be.” He also said the group is not saying it doesn’t want Hellebuyck.
Friday is the date to watch, when the suspension is due to lapse and the Jets will have to say whether Hellebuyck practises, plays, stays away or is dealt. A trade would need his approval because of the no-movement clause, so any deal would come with his sign-off.
Sources:NHL.com, ESPN, Daily Faceoff, Yahoo Sports
