Connor Hellebuyck has reportedly been looking for a move away from the Winnipeg Jets in the ongoing offseason, but nothing has materialized as of yet. The 33-year-old goaltender was heavily linked with the Carolina Hurricanes for a trade deal last month, but the Jets apparently didn’t take up their offer.

NHL insider Chris Johnston for The Athletic shared details regarding the latest development in the Hellebuyck-Hurricanes situation shortly after NHL Free Agency began on July 1. He was speaking with co-host Julian McKenzie on the latest episode of The Chris Johnston Show on July 2 about the matter.

“The Hurricanes didn't get a lot done on July 1st, the day itself, but they were in on everything,” Johnston said to McKenzie. “They've been linked to Connor Hellebuyck, and I wonder is there some world where they circle back and find a way to get that done. I think that's a possibility.

Notably, on July 1, the Canes saw their primary goaltender Frederik Andersen sign with the Edmonton Oilers as an unrestricted free agent (UFA).

With that, they must be looking at Hellebuyck as a marquee goaltending option despite the good performances from Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov as backups to Andersen in the 2025-26 season.

Johnston also looked at Hellebuyck as an “upgrade” for most NHL teams, let alone Carolina, which is why he doesn’t see their linkup to end this soon.

“I realize Hellebuyck would represent an upgrade for most teams,” he remarked to McKenzie on The Chris Johnston Show, which is available on the SDPN YouTube channel. “So I can’t rule it out entirely as a possibility.”

However, on July 4, Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky announced the signing of UFA goaltender Zach Sawchenko with limited NHL experience to fill Andersen’s boots.

With that, it will be quite interesting to see whether the Canes send a better offer to the Jets for Hellebuyck or he stays put in Winnipeg.

What Is Connor Hellebuyck’s Current Status With The Winnipeg Jets?

Connor Hellebuyck signed a seven-year, $59.5 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets on October 9, 2023, and it commenced with the start of the 2024-25 season. His $8.5 million average annual value (AAV) deal with the Jets will run till 2030-31, so their contract situation is very much sorted.

But Hellebuyck was reportedly dissatisfied about missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season in Winnipeg after making it three times in a row prior to that. In the 2025-26 season, the Jets had a 35-35-12 record with 82 points to finish in seventh place in the Central Division in the Western Conference.

The postseason miss for the Jets in 2026 coincided with a difficult run for Hellebuyck in the goal in the last 11 years with them. He registered a 23-23-11 record in 57 games last season with a .895 save percentage, 2.86 goals-against average, and no shutouts.

Hellebuyck went below .900 save percentage for the first time in his NHL career and couldn’t keep his record of at least two shutouts every season either.

Amidst all of that, the three-time Vezina Trophy winner for the NHL’s best goalie has just seen the Jets sign UFA goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5 million contract on July 4. It will most probably push him to get a move away from the organization, especially if the Hurricanes come calling with a better offer.

“Connor Hellebuyck is a Winnipeg Jet and there’s no update at this point and time,” general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said about him after signing Skinner, as per NHL.com. “The plan is still to win.”

Will Connor Hellebuyck secure his exit from the Winnipeg Jets and join the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the 2026-27 season? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi