Enjoying our trade coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to catch breaking rumors first.
The biggest NHL News story of Thursday, September 17, is no longer simply about where Connor Hellebuyck might be traded. The Winnipeg Jets now have to deal with their franchise goaltender refusing to report to training camp.
Winnipeg suspended Hellebuyck after he failed to report, escalating a situation that has been building throughout the offseason. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner publicly confirmed his trade request on August 27, but Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff revealed Thursday that the request actually dates back to Winnipeg’s exit meetings following the 2025-26 season.
That detail matters.
This is no longer a case where a player has become unhappy late in the summer and is trying to force management’s hand. Winnipeg has apparently had months to explore the market, yet Hellebuyck remains a Jet as training camp begins.
Cheveldayoff made it clear Thursday that he isn’t interested in making a panic trade simply because the situation has become uncomfortable, saying he wants to “get this right.” He also left open the possibility of Hellebuyck eventually playing again for Winnipeg while continuing to search for a trade resolution.
Connor Hellebuyck Suspension Pushes Jets Trade Rumors Into a New Phase
From my perspective, the suspension creates an interesting battle of leverage.
Hellebuyck’s absence increases the pressure on Winnipeg to find a solution, but it doesn’t automatically mean Cheveldayoff has to accept a discounted offer. Hellebuyck remains one of the most decorated active goaltenders in hockey and carries an $8.5 million annual cap hit.
Sportsnet reported, citing PuckPedia, that while Hellebuyck is suspended he will not receive his salary and his contract will not count against Winnipeg’s salary cap. That removes at least one immediate financial reason for the Jets to rush.
With the NHL’s 2026-27 salary-cap ceiling set at $104 million, Hellebuyck’s $8.5 million cap hit represents roughly 8.17 percent of an acquiring team’s cap. A hypothetical 25-percent retained trade would lower the acquiring team’s charge to $6.375 million, while 50-percent retention would reduce it to $4.25 million. The question is whether Winnipeg would have any appetite for retaining significant money on a long-term contract simply to increase the return. The $104 million cap ceiling is official; the retention examples here are NHLTradeRumor.com scenario calculations, not reports of offers currently on the table.
NHLTradeRumor.com Hellebuyck Trade Value Index
Cap impact and trade-market analysis • September 17, 2026
8.17% of $104M cap
6.13% of cap
4.09% of cap
NHLTradeRumor.com proprietary estimate. Elite goaltending pedigree keeps Hellebuyck’s value extremely high, while his public trade request, camp absence and contract structure create additional negotiating pressure on Winnipeg. This score is editorial analysis, not a reported NHL valuation.
Carolina, Buffalo, Utah and New Jersey have all been linked to Hellebuyck in media reports, although there was no confirmed trade with any of those clubs as of Thursday afternoon.
NHLTradeRumor.com observation: Hellebuyck’s raw hockey value remains enormous, but Winnipeg’s negotiating position is more complicated today than it was in June. Every day he remains away from camp gives interested teams another reason to test whether the Jets’ asking price has softened.
Training Camp Injuries Become Major NHL News
Hellebuyck isn’t the only significant story developing as camps open.
Mathew Barzal is expected to remain off the ice for roughly two weeks after aggravating a previous injury. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said Barzal still has a chance to play in the September 30 season opener against Toronto, but there is no guarantee. Barzal led New York with 72 points last season.
Toronto also received concerning news on Max Domi. The veteran forward failed his physical and remains out indefinitely after offseason surgery. The positive development for the Maple Leafs is that defenseman Chris Tanev has been fully cleared following core muscle surgery.
In Carolina, restricted free-agent defenseman Alexander Nikishin remains unsigned and was absent from the Hurricanes’ first on-ice training-camp session. Nikishin produced 33 points in 81 games as a rookie last season and then helped Carolina win the Stanley Cup. His unresolved contract situation will be another storyline worth monitoring closely.
Montreal is dealing with its own injury issue. Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is expected to miss approximately four to five weeks after undergoing minor adductor surgery.
Drew Doughty Takes Over as Los Angeles Kings Captain
Another major leadership change became official as Drew Doughty was named the 15th captain in Los Angeles Kings history, replacing longtime teammate Anze Kopitar following Kopitar’s retirement.
Doughty has spent his entire 18-season NHL career in Los Angeles and had served as an alternate captain since 2015-16. Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin and Mikey Anderson will serve as alternate captains.
It is a logical transition for a franchise entering a new era. Doughty already owns the Kings’ franchise records among defensemen for games played, goals, assists and points, and his two Stanley Cup championships give Los Angeles an experienced voice as the club moves forward without Kopitar.
The bigger picture from today’s NHL News is that training camp immediately delivered consequences. Hellebuyck’s trade request has become a suspension. Several important players are already dealing with injuries. Carolina has an unsigned young defenseman missing camp. And Los Angeles has officially handed leadership of its room to Doughty.
The offseason speculation period is essentially over. Decisions, and the consequences of those decisions, are beginning to arrive.
Get the Latest NHL News
Stay on top of the latest NHL news, injuries, roster moves, contract updates, trade rumors and breaking stories from around the league with NHLTradeRumor.com. We cover the biggest developments involving all 32 teams so you can quickly catch up on the stories shaping the NHL season. While you’re here, join our NHL Fantasy Hockey Pool to test your GM skills against other hockey fans and compete for ultimate bragging rights. Looking for what NHL games are on TV today? Check our NHL TV schedules for game times, broadcast channels and where to watch. Bookmark NHLTradeRumor.com and sign up for our newsletter below so you never miss the latest NHL news, rumors and fantasy hockey updates.
Let him sit. The Jets can look for a trade for maybe Nikishin using Hellebuyck’s money to sign him and let Hellebuyck sit out for the year or until they get what they want for him. Time to wave no trade clauses and how players try to use them ask for a trade then no trade protection allowed. If you choose to not show you get sent home without pay and cannot play the whole year