WINNIPEG – Connor Hellebuyck made his intentions clear Thursday, publicly asking to be traded from the Winnipeg Jets.
The three-time Vezina Trophy winner says he privately requested a trade several months ago.
“I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options,” Hellebuyck said in a statement released by his agent, Ray Petkau.
“With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.”
The Jets organization has been relatively quiet throughout all of this, but general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed Thursday that Hellebuyck has been open with the team on his desire for change.
“While we continue to work through the situation in a thoughtful manner, there is no update at this time,” he said in a statement.
Hellebuyck was not happy how the 2025-26 campaign ended in Winnipeg, only one season after the Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy, an award given to the team that finished the regular season with the most points.
“You’re looking at the future of the team and what we did this year is unacceptable, and no one wants to be part of that,” Hellebuyck told reporters after the regular-season ended last April. “Where do we go from here? And what’s the next step? It’s hard.
“Can you get the pieces you need? Will the players come? These are always questions that you have in Winnipeg,” he added.
These comments left a lot of speculation as to Hellebuyck’s future in Winnipeg.
TSN Hockey insider Darren Dreger reported back in June that Hellebuyck wouldn’t mind a change of scenery, but there was no confirmation from the goaltender or his agent until now.
“It wasn’t super surprising, since there were rumblings he wanted out of Winnipeg,” said Danielle Bain, who is a TSN reporter based in Winnipeg.
She believes Hellebuyck is putting pressure on the Jets organization to trade him and felt coming out publicly was the best move.
“He’s been waiting all summer long for a trade. I think with training camp looming, he just wanted to put that out there publicly to avoid a situation where he may not show up to training camp,” she said.
In October 2023, the 33-year-old netminder signed a seven-year, US$59.5-million contract extension through the 2030-31 season, and has been the team’s starter since 2016.
After missing the playoffs last season, Hellebuyck was critical of Jets management, but said he made Winnipeg his home and likes being here.
Fans react to trade request
One day after the statement was released on social media, some Jets fans are still grappling with this announcement.
“I can’t believe that,” said Anthony Clarke. “When I heard that, I said, ‘What? It’s crazy.’”
“I guess he was lying to the people after all,” said Jets fan Arthur Bighetty. “Good luck wherever you’re going, buddy. That’s all I have to say.”
Other Winnipeggers say they understand the decision.
“He is the best goalie, but if he isn’t happy here any longer, there’s no point in keeping him here, because he won’t be playing at peak performance,” said Richard Marcou.
Hellebuyck helped the U.S. men’s hockey team win Olympic gold earlier this year but drew criticism for attending the White House reception celebrating the victory, where U.S. President Donald Trump also awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
He is now the latest high-profile American player seeking a move out of a Canadian market, following former Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, who was traded to the Florida Panthers in June.
“I think it’s completely reasonable, up until somebody confirms or denies it, to think that all of these Americans, especially after Brady Tkachuk was also moved, are maybe working on something kind of collectively to get down south,” said Murat Ates, who covers the Jets for The Athletic.
“I think there is going to be a subset of Winnipeg Jets fans who really want to know the reason here, and if it does come out at some point that this was a push to be down south, this was a push to get out of Canada, then there’s going to be a group that feels hard done by in this whole scenario, and we’ll see how that levels out.”
The Jets had a relatively quiet off-season, adding defencemen Mario Ferraro from the San Jose Sharks, and goaltender Stuart Skinner from the Pittsburgh Penguins, which, at the time, only fuelled more questions about Hellebuyck’s future in Winnipeg.
With files from TSN.ca staff
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