September has arrived and the NHL news cycle is suddenly starting to feel a lot more like hockey season.
Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request has gone from months of speculation to one of the biggest active storylines in the league, and we are now getting a much clearer picture of where the Winnipeg Jets star could actually land. Meanwhile, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has added another layer of intrigue to Quinn Hughes’ contract situation, Cale Makar is embracing the expectations attached to the richest contract in NHL history, and two Vancouver Canucks forwards are already being identified as names to watch on the trade market.
The biggest development for me is Hellebuyck. Earlier reports suggesting the three-time Vezina Trophy winner wanted out of Winnipeg have now proven accurate: Hellebuyck publicly confirmed his trade request on August 27 after privately informing the Jets months earlier. That changes everything. This isn’t theoretical trade-board material anymore. Winnipeg has an elite goaltender who wants a fresh start, training camp is approaching, and potential buyers now know exactly what situation general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is dealing with.
Latest NHL News: Hellebuyck, Hughes, Makar and Canucks Trade Buzz
Connor Hellebuyck Trade Market Is Becoming the NHL’s Biggest September Story
Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco reported Tuesday that the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils stand out as three destinations worth watching for Hellebuyck. Buffalo was ranked as the most logical landing spot, with Daily Faceoff floating possible pieces including Jack Quinn or prospect Radim Mrtka, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and a protected first-round pick.
Carolina was another fascinating possibility. Di Marco reported that two high-ranking NHL team executives were consulted about a theoretical Hurricanes package built around Alexander Nikishin, a goaltender, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and draft capital. That doesn’t mean a deal is being negotiated, but it gives us a useful sense of just how significant Winnipeg’s asking price could become.
My observation: Buffalo still looks like the cleanest hockey fit. The Sabres have young assets, multiple goaltenders and a roster that appears ready to move from promising team to legitimate contender. But Carolina is the team that makes me nervous if I’m Buffalo. The defending Stanley Cup champions have the cap flexibility and incentive to aggressively pursue another championship, and their roster is already built to maximize an elite goaltender.
There is also a fascinating salary-cap component.
PuckPedia currently lists Buffalo with $5.12 million in projected space, New Jersey with $3.85 million and Carolina with $9.88 million. That makes Carolina the only one of those three capable of absorbing Hellebuyck’s $8.5 million cap hit outright on paper, although its 21-player roster means further calculations would still be necessary.
Quinn Hughes Contract Talks Are Starting to Feel More Important
The other NHL news story that deserves close attention is Quinn Hughes.
Guerin continues to express confidence that Minnesota can sign Hughes, but NHL.com reported that he also acknowledged the obvious reality: the Wild cannot force Hughes to sign an extension. The relationship between management, Hughes and his agent is reportedly good, with Guerin saying there is no tension in negotiations.
Yet one comment stood out.
Speaking about the impact of Makar’s enormous extension on Hughes’ negotiations, Guerin suggested Hughes could be looking for different things in his career and life and acknowledged uncertainty about what the defenceman ultimately wants. Hughes is entering the final year of his contract and could become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
That doesn’t mean Minnesota is shopping Hughes.
It also doesn’t confirm the popular theory that he eventually wants to join brothers Jack and Luke Hughes in New Jersey.
But there is a meaningful difference between “contract talks are ongoing” and “an extension is inevitable.”
My read: Minnesota still has plenty of time, and Guerin went through a similarly uncomfortable waiting game with Kirill Kaprizov. But every week Hughes remains unsigned increases the volume around this story. If the Wild reach opening night without an agreement, the speculation will become considerably harder to contain.
Cale Makar Is Ready for the Pressure of His Historic Contract
Cale Makar also spoke about his record-setting contract Monday, and the numbers are extraordinary.
The Avalanche star signed an eight-year, $163.2 million extension carrying a $20.4 million average annual value, making him the NHL’s highest-paid player. The contract begins in 2027-28 and runs through 2034-35. Sportsnet reported that Makar’s new cap hit is projected to consume roughly 18 percent of Colorado’s salary cap when it begins.
Rather than run from the expectations, Makar said the contract will push him even harder.
The larger NHL implication is what comes next. Makar has reset the superstar market just as players such as Hughes move toward their next contracts. Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews will also become eligible for extensions next summer.
The $20-million NHL player is no longer theoretical. Now every elite-player negotiation has a new number sitting at the top of the board.
Canucks Could Have Two More Major Trade Chips
Vancouver’s rebuild could produce another major storyline as the season progresses.
Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk are both being mentioned as potential trade candidates despite being under long-term contracts. A September 1 report from The Hockey News noted that Boeser carries a $7.25 million cap hit through 2031-32 and a full no-movement clause, while DeBrusk is signed through 2030-31 at $5.5 million with similar trade protection.
Boeser is particularly interesting because legitimate scoring wingers become extremely valuable once contenders begin looking toward the trade deadline.
DeBrusk is more complicated. He scored 23 goals last season, but only a small portion came at even strength, something that could affect how teams assess his value. A strong first half at five-on-five could change that equation quickly.
Heading toward training camp, Hellebuyck remains the NHL story most capable of producing an immediate blockbuster. Hughes could become the more consequential long-term storyline, while Makar’s contract has already changed the financial landscape around every superstar negotiation coming next.
September could get interesting very quickly.
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