Move over Buffalo Sabres, there's a new Eastern Conference contender making a strong push to land Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck as the 2026-27 season gets underway.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported Tuesday that Buffalo was the "closest to getting something done" with Winnipeg, but the Carolina Hurricanes have now emerged as the most likely landing spot for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
"Right now, Carolina is the most motivated pursuer. If [Alexander] Nikishin wanted to sign in Winnipeg, Hellebuyck would already be in Wolfpack country. There are now some teams with permission to speak to Nikishin (who just changed agents), and the suspicion is it's because the Hurricanes want to see if there's a three-way [trade] available."Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman
The Sabres made a significant effort to land Hellebuyck before the 2026 NHL Draft in late June. By all accounts, those discussions broke down after the Jets were unwilling to include the No. 8 overall pick in order to receive the No. 4 selection as part of a larger package.
Although the trade rumors persisted throughout the summer, it never appeared Buffalo came that close to acquiring the Olympic gold medalist again over the past few months.
The Blue and Gold will instead enter the new campaign with the same three-goalie rotation it used last season: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis.
Meanwhile, the Canes also used a trio of netminders last year (Brandon Bussi, Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov), with Bussi picking up the final wins of the team's Stanley Cup run after Andersen guarded the cage for most of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Andersen departed in the offseason, ultimately landing with the Edmonton Oilers (where he'll open the campaign on injured reserve), and Carolina brought up Cayden Primeau to fill the void.
It sounds like the Hurricanes are actively trying to add one of the generation's most decorated goaltenders as they attempt to defend their championship, though.
Hellebuyck is coming off the worst statistical season of his career (.895 save percentage in 57 games) but he'd be a virtual lock to bounce back playing behind one of the league's best clubs.
Friedman named the Anaheim Ducks and Utah Mammoth among the other teams that "took a peek" at the 33-year-old goalie during the offseason, while the Florida Panthers also made an offer before pivoting to Jacob Markstrom between the pipes.
As it stands, Hellebuyck remains suspended by the Jets after failing to report for training camp with puck set to drop on the new season.
Buffalo Sabres shouldn't totally rule out a Connor Hellebuyck trade
Although Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen considered a blockbuster deal for Hellebuyck, he never appeared desperate to make such a move, especially given Winnipeg's initial asking price.
Buffalo's rotation was actually highly effective throughout the 2025-26 regular season, posting the NHL's third-best cumulative save percentage, but UPL and Lyon faltered during the postseason run, which is why the goaltending conversation returned to the forefront.
While it appears the Sabres have fallen into the background of the Hellebuyck discussions, it's something Kekalainen should keep on his radar if the Canes don't get a trade done in the near future.
The Blue and Gold dealt with injuries to both Luukkonen and Lyon during the preseason. They avoided IR to open the campaign, but it's unclear whether they'll be ready for a full workload out of the gate. Ellis could end up getting some additional starts early.
If that triumvirate can't replicate that success, however, a Hellebuyck trade could become more pressing if he's still available.
The Sabres are facing an extremely small margin for error in their effort to make a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Atlantic Division is loaded with championship hopefuls, and at least 14 of the Eastern Conference's 16 teams have serious postseason aspirations.
Buffalo can't expect to put together one of the best runs in NHL history again. It's going to take a more sustained effort over the next seven months to survive the Eastern gauntlet.
A lot of the team's success will depend on getting strong play between the pipes. If it's not coming from UPL, Lyon and Ellis, Kekalainen must be prepared to act.
That's what Jets counterpart Kevin Cheveldayoff is betting on: at least one team either getting a critical injury at the position or getting poor play from its goalies during the season's early weeks, which would help raise the Hellebuyck return package to what he considers an acceptable level.
It's possible Buffalo ends up being that club, and the 2025 Hart Trophy will undoubtedly be the best option to rectify any problems that arise when it comes to stopping pucks.
That's contingent on the Canes, or another club, not making the move first, of course.
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