Kevin Cheveldayoff is listening to offers for Winnipeg Jets star netminder Connor Hellebuyck.
But the team’s general manager wouldn’t tell media on a pre-NHL draft video call Friday morning if the three-time Vezina Trophy winner has asked for a trade.
“Everybody is talking about ways to improve their team or different things like that,” Cheveldayoff said. “Certainly, as an organization we’re gonna listen.
“Everyone saw Helly’s press conference at the end of the year. He was passionate. Certainly in our exit meetings we had some frank conversations as well, but, again, what happens in those meetings certainly stays private.”
The Jets missed the playoffs last season (35-35-12) after capturing the Presidents’ Trophy for having the league’s top record in 2024-25 (56-22-4).
“What we did this year was unacceptable and no one wants to be a part of that,” Hellebuyck said in April. “Where do we go from here and what’s the next step?”
Hellebuyck has a full no-movement clause and five years left on a seven-year contract that carries an annual average value of US$8.5 million.
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He won the 2025 Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player – only the eighth goaltender to win the award – and his third Vezina as top goalie.
This year, he finished 23-23-11 in 57 games with a 2.86 goals against average and an .895 save percentage.
But he did backstop the United States to an Olympic gold medal in a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada at this year’s Games. The Michigan product later received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from U.S. President Donald Trump for his performance in leading the team to its first gold since 1980.
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff speaks to media during their NHL training camp session in Winnipeg, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.
John Woods/The Canadian Press
Rumours have swirled recently that multiple teams are interested in acquiring the 33-year-old goaltender, whom the Jets selected in the 2012 draft (130th overall).
“At the end of the day, we both chose to sign a seven-year extension. He gave up some UFA years,” Cheveldayoff said of Hellebuyck.
“We had the desire to take a player into his high 30s and there’s risk on both sides. So again, as an organization you’re incumbent, it’s incumbent upon me to listen, and then that’s kind of what I’ve done up until this point.”
And what has he heard?
“Well, obviously, what I’ve been hearing hasn’t made me act. I guess the best answer is I’m still listening.”
Winnipeg holds the eighth overall pick heading into Friday night’s NHL draft.
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