One Jets Reporter Thinks Connor Hellebuyck’s Trade Odds Are 95 Percent or Higher

The Connor Hellebuyck trade rumors aren’t dying down. If anything, they’re getting louder.

Longtime Winnipeg Jets beat writer Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press is putting a number on it. He says the chances Hellebuyck gets traded are north of 95 percent. That’s not a hedge. That’s a near-certainty from someone who covers the team day in and day out.

McIntyre laid out his reasoning in a column last week. He pointed to two things the Jets did this offseason that basically sealed it. First, they let backup goalie Eric Comrie walk in free agency. Comrie signed with San Jose. That matters because Comrie has been Hellebuyck’s close friend and personal security blanket for years. Losing him removes a major reason for Hellebuyck to stay.

Second, the Jets signed Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5 million deal. Skinner is a proven starter who has made at least 50 starts in every NHL season he’s played. That’s not a backup contract. That’s a guy being brought in to take over. McIntyre also notes that Skinner and Hellebuyck share the same agent. You don’t sell Skinner on Winnipeg as a long-term home if Hellebuyck is still there.

The Sabres Look Like the Favorite

Buffalo keeps coming up as the most likely landing spot. Talks between the Jets and Sabres reportedly heated up around the NHL Draft. The Sabres have the cap space, the young assets Winnipeg would want, and a clear need for an elite goalie. McIntyre agrees Buffalo is the frontrunner, but he’s not locking in on just one team.

He also mentioned San Jose as a strong possibility. The Sharks already signed Comrie, which makes the sales pitch to Hellebuyck a lot easier. Having a close friend already on the roster never hurts. McIntyre called Buffalo and San Jose his two favorites, with Carolina a distant third.

The Avalanche and Hurricanes have both been linked to Hellebuyck at different points this summer. But the chatter around Buffalo has been the most persistent.

What Hellebuyck Said in April

This all started at the Jets’ end-of-season media availability back in April. Hellebuyck made comments that basically dared the front office to either commit to winning or trade him. He didn’t say he wanted out. But he made it clear he wasn’t interested in another rebuild at age 33.

Hellebuyck has spent his entire career in Winnipeg. He won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2024-25. That’s a generational talent. But the Jets have yet to build a true contender around him, and both sides seem to know a split is inevitable.

Whether the trade happens later this summer or closer to training camp, McIntyre’s prediction lines up with what a lot of people around the league are thinking. Hellebuyck may have already played his last game in a Jets jersey. The only question now is where he ends up next.