The Winnipeg Jets announced on Wednesday evening that the club had suspended goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for failing to report to training camp.
Hellebuyck publicly requested a trade out of Winnipeg earlier this off-season, but claims he informed the Jets of his desire to be moved months before. Great. He also signed his name to a valid NHL contract in October of 2023, that pays him US$59.5 million. He's under contract through 2031 -- five more seasons -- at a salary cap hit of $8.5 million.
“Winnipeg has been my home for my entire NHL career, and I will always be grateful for my time there,” Hellebuyck said in a written statement. “I have never forgotten June 23, 2012. That’s the day Winnipeg took a chance on a goalie playing in Odessa, Texas. I gave everything I had from that moment to prove that the Jets made the right decision.
“Several months ago, I privately requested a trade. I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options."
Hellebuyck was the major reason that the Jets won the President's Trophy in 2025 (emblematic of the best team record in the NHL). For his brilliance, he was awarded the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP as well as his third Vezina Trophy as top goalie.
But last year, he was not very good. In fact, he played only one great game in 2025-26, but it was not for the Winnipeg Jets. It was for the United States in the gold medal game at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
Last season with the Jets, Hellebuyck was a below-average starting goaltender with a record of 23-23-11 in 57 games. He had a shaky 2.86 goals-against average with a disappointing .895 save percentage. But he did help the United States win gold at the Olympics making 41 saves in a 2-1 win over Canada in the gold-medal game. After that he partied with FBI Director Kash Patel and was later awarded a medal by President Donald Trump at the White House. Soon, his complete transformation to MAGA hero seemed to change his entire outlook on playing professional hockey in Canada.
And just like his new idol, Trump, his signature on a valid contract became meaningless.
Once brilliant, Hellebuyck was suddenly a 33-year-old goaltender with a league-wide reputation for tanking in the post-season. He often appeared on the downward side of his career during the 2025-26 campaign. Granted, in 625 career games with the Jets, Hellebuyck has a 345-208-55 record with a 2.58 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and 45 shutouts. He also won the Vezina Trophy in 2020 and 2024.
However, last season, he couldn't get his save percentage above .900 and the Jets missed the playoffs.
To be fair, a minimally-invasive knee operation in November of 2025, cost him three weeks of season and he was not the same consistent goaltender when he returned. He'll be 34 by the end of the 2026-27 season and teams around the league aren't all that interested in giving the Jets anything decent in return for aging goalie with a save percentage below .900.
He's decided to miss training camp to force a trade, but he might be sitting for quite awhile.
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will address the media on Thursday morning.
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