Connor Hellebuyck‘s trade request from the Winnipeg Jets has already put the organization in a tough spot. And according to former NHL goaltender Martin Biron, it could get a lot messier before it’s resolved.
The situation turned messy last week when Hellebuyck went public with his demand to be traded, leaving Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to navigate a difficult situation. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner is under contract through 2030-31 on a seven-year, $59.5 million deal. He holds a full no-movement clause, giving him significant control over where he could ultimately land.
Strong claim on Connor Hellebuyck
Since going public, the request hasn’t led anywhere. And with other teams potentially smelling blood in the water, it may only get harder for Cheveldayoff to land the return he’s looking for.
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It’s that dynamic that has Biron, who spent 16 seasons in the NHL as a goaltender with the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Rangers before retiring in 2014, worried things could take a drastic turn.
“I really feel that Connor Hellebuyck is gonna say ‘Ok that’s fine, suspend me whatever. I’m willing to sit out a year I’ve made good money I’ve put it away… just gonna take time with my family,'” Biron said during a segment on TSN’s Overdrive, where he now works as an analyst.
If it came to that, Hellebuyck would be walking away from millions in salary. For now, all sides appear to be at a standstill. How Cheveldayoff handles the coming weeks could determine whether it ever gets to that point.
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