The Carolina Hurricanes have reportedly gone all-in for Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, 33, with their latest bold trade proposal.

As reported by Hockey 247 analyst Frank Seravalli, it features 24-year-old Alexander Nikishin, who is out of contract and set to go into restricted free agency on July 1 of this year. The Canes are also looking to give a first-round draft pick in return for the top goalie to the Jets as part of the potential trade.

Notably, the reigning Stanley Cup champions are working on their goaltending options with uncertainty around pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) Frederik Andersen.

"Carolina also has an extra future first-round pick still to play with - four over the next three drafts - from the Mikko Rantanen trade that yielded Logan Stankoven last year," wrote the analyst. "They used the other first-round pick acquired in that deal to bring in K’Andre Miller last summer."

The 36-year-old hasn’t agreed on a new contract yet with the Hurricanes, with the UFA looming large on July 1 of this year.

As per the report from Seravalli, there are a few other teams interested in Hellebuyck apart from the Hurricanes.

"The Florida Panthers have also been connected to Hellebuyck to potentially join Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, but Florida does not have the assets to move compared to Carolina," the analyst added. "Utah, Detroit, Buffalo and San Jose were among the other teams properly positioned to take a run at Hellebuyck."

Hellebuyck, who carries an $8.5 million cap hit through the 2030-31 season, is rumored to be dissatisfied with the Jets' current path. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner and former NHL MVP watched the club miss the postseason this year for the first time since 2022.

With Hellebuyck's name surfacing in trade speculation, the performances he and Alexander Nikishin delivered in 2025-26 offer an important perspective.

How did Connor Hellebuyck and Alexander Nikishin fare in the 2025-26 NHL season

Hellebuyck didn’t have the best of seasons in 2025-26 in the NHL after playing 57 games for the Jets. He ended up with a record of 23-23-11, including a .895 save percentage and 2.86 goals-against average with no shutouts all season, according to the Winnipeg Jets' official site.

Before the 2025-26 season, Hellebuyck always had more wins than losses and at least two shutouts in a single campaign since debuting nearly 11 years ago.

Despite a tough season for Hellebuyck without being anywhere close to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, his quality as a goaltender is undeniable. Hellebuyck is a recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2025 for the most valuable player with an overall record of 345-208-55 in 625 games.

When it comes to Nikishin, he doesn’t have the wealth of experience in the NHL like Hellebuyck, but his stock is expected to rise in the coming seasons. During the 2025-26 season, the rookie scored 33 points and 22 assists for the Hurricanes.

Nikishin was named to the 2026 NHL All-Rookie Team after he scored a franchise-record 11 goals.

Will the Carolina Hurricanes be able to bring in Connor Hellebuyck for Alexander Nikishin? Share with us your prediction in the comments.

Read more at NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar