Carolina hasn’t let go of its interest in Connor Hellebuyck. NHL insider David Pagnotta, speaking on the Hello Hockey podcast, said the Hurricanes remain firmly in on the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, describing Carolina as “always poking around” on the Winnipeg goaltender and adding that it wouldn’t surprise him if they kept at it. Coming from someone who tracks the goalie market closely, that carries weight.
The offer already on the table
Pagnotta’s update follows a more concrete report from a few weeks back. Frank Seravalli said the Hurricanes had already submitted a formal trade offer to the Jets for Hellebuyck, a package believed to center on defenseman Alexander Nikishin and a first-round pick. Nikishin, a 24-year-old pending restricted free agent, played a bottom-pairing role on Carolina’s championship team last season.
That proposal drew attention, though not the flattering kind. Nikishin has upside but saw limited minutes during the Hurricanes’ playoff run, and Carolina’s first-rounder would land near the bottom of the round given how good the team is. For a goaltender with Hellebuyck’s résumé, plenty around the league viewed the package as light. The 33-year-old Michigan native is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and an Olympic gold medalist, and Winnipeg would want to feel it’s getting real, difference-making value in return.
The fact that Carolina already made a formal push and keeps circling, per Pagnotta, tells you how serious the interest is. The Hurricanes went 53-22-7 for 113 points and finished second overall, and Rod Brind’Amour’s group has spent years looking for a genuine answer in goal. The front office under Eric Tulsky has the cap flexibility to swing a big move, and Carolina still holds four first-round picks across the next three drafts to sweeten an offer if it comes to that.
Winnipeg’s dilemma and a crowded market
Winnipeg’s side is trickier. Hellebuyck carries an $8.5 million cap hit and is coming off a season that dipped well below his standard. He went 18-23-8 with a .895 save percentage over 57 appearances while the Jets slid to 35-35-12 and 26th overall, closing on a four-game skid that ended with a 1-6 loss to San Jose. That is not the goalie Winnipeg signed, and it leaves general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff with a hard call: move a cornerstone now, or risk selling low after a rough year. He’s stayed quiet in public, which only adds to the guessing.
Carolina isn’t alone in line, either. Reports have tied the Panthers, Utah, Detroit, Buffalo and San Jose to Hellebuyck as teams that have shown interest or could put together an offer. More bidders could push the price up, though goaltenders rarely fetch huge returns on the trade market; the last time one brought back a first-round pick was Ryan Miller in 2018. For now, the next move sits with Cheveldayoff.
