The Carolina Hurricanes just won the Stanley Cup. But if GM Eric Tulsky is as aggressive as the rumor mill suggests, the celebration might be short-lived. The defending champs are already being linked to a blockbuster move that would bring Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck to Raleigh.
According to a hypothetical trade floated by ESPN’s NHL Insiders Greg Wyshynski, Ryan S. Clark, and Kristen Shilton, the Hurricanes could send defenseman Alexander Nikishin, forward Bradly Nadeau, and a 2026 first-round pick to the Jets in exchange for Hellebuyck. It’s a lot to give up, but the logic is straightforward: Carolina’s goaltending situation is less than settled.
The goalie question in Carolina
Frederik Andersen, 37, is headed for unrestricted free agency and it’s unclear if he’ll be back. Brandon Bussi came out of nowhere to replace Andersen midway through Game 3 of the Final and won three straight games to help the Hurricanes lift the Cup. But counting on Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov for a full 82-game season? That’s a gamble most contenders don’t want to take. Kochetkov, who is under team control through 2027 as a restricted free agent, has been dependable but hardly dominant. Bussi is locked in at $1.9 million AAV for three more seasons, which is a bargain for a backup, but the duo lacks the star power Carolina might need to repeat.
Enter Hellebuyck. The guy is a Vezina winner, Team USA hero, and still under contract for five more years at an $8.5 million cap hit. Sliding him in alongside Bussi would give the Hurricanes arguably the best 1-2 punch in the crease in the entire league. That’s not just depth. That’s a luxury.
Would the Jets actually do it?
Winnipeg would be getting a defenseman in Nikishin who projects as a top-pairing guy, a forward prospect in Nadeau who has top-six upside, and a first-round pick. That’s a legitimate haul for a team that might not want to pay a goalie $8.5 million through his age-35 season. The Jets haven’t shown much interest in moving Hellebuyck publicly, but the rumor mill has a way of gaining momentum when a contender comes calling. The Hurricanes, as ESPN’s panel noted, are built on the philosophy that there’s always a way to get better. Tulsky proved that during the Cup run by making aggressive moves at the deadline. Going after Hellebuyck would be the same mindset on steroids.
It’s just a rumor for now. But the fact that it’s even being discussed tells you where Carolina’s front office brain is at. The window is open. They’re not going to waste it.
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