Don't Rule Out Hellebuyck As A Trade Option For The Oilers
A surprising shift in narrative suggests Connor Hellebuyck might prioritize Stanley Cup ambitions over preferred markets, potentially fueling a blockbuster deal to an unexpected landing spot.
Video Transcript
I can think of 8.5 million reasons why this is a kooky theory by a good guy in Marty Baron.
It's, I'm sorry.
You know, I think there's a greater chance of Hellebuych going into the season, obviously knowing, and making it public that the trade request was made, and playing, but it's a situation where he'll be asked a question about it every time and, you know, by the, by the Winnipeg media.
And it's probably beneficial for both sides to make a deal before the season.
But if Kevin Cheveldayoff doesn't get the r- the return that he's asking for, he really has no choice other than to, than, than to keep Hellebuych, and I don't think Hellebuych has any choice other than to show up for training camp and play.
He's under contract.
I mean, yeah, I'm sorry, I wouldn't sacrifice $1 of 8.5 million for another five years.
Play, play the game until, until you get traded, 'cause you know eventually you will get traded.
Yeah.
And you know what, Michael Traikos, I'll get your thoughts on this in a second.
Like, if Hellebuych even sat out training camp, look at what that did to Jeremy Swayman a couple of years ago.
He had an awful time catching up.
And then you looked at what Jeremy Swayman did this past season, and it was that number one goalie that we have come to expect, that excellence we've come to expect from Jeremy Swayman.
So, first, what do you think of that idea, and, and what should the Jets do in terms of, handling Hellebuych at this point?
Yeah, Ryan, it does feel like the agent is talking through Marty Baron, and clearly Hellebuych expected this trade to have happened, you know, months ago.
The fact that it didn't, you know, now we're getting that public statement about how he had already asked for a trade, and now he's willing to, you know, not just go to, certain markets, he's willing to go everywhere.
You know, I wish we had our friend Devin Dubnyk on, because he could tell us where the best fishing markets are- where Hellebuych might wanna go.
Like, is he a big game fisherman?
You know, maybe Florida.
Mike, I don't know what the fishing's like in Buffalo area.
I imagine all those ex-NHLers retiring there, it's gotta be pretty good off of Lake Erie.
So, you know, maybe that's a perfect option.
But I'm with you, Ryan.
Th- there is, like, 0% chance that Connor Hellebuych is sitting out.
For one, he's 33 years old, and it's hard to get up to game speed when you're getting up in age.
And the second thing is, it's not like this guy has won a Stanley Cup.
You know, him going to Winnipeg, I know it's, it would be a difficult situation, kinda similar to Dylan Larkin going back to Detroit because Connor Hellebuych, you know, might as well be the captain there.
He's that important to the team.
But I can't imagine Hellebuych wanting to miss even one game.
Like, this guy's a horse.
Like, given the option, he would probably wanna play in all 84 games this season.
