Winnipeg Jets change their asking price for Connor Hellebuyck
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Winnipeg Jets have been firm on one point throughout the Connor Hellebuyck saga: any trade needs to bring a goaltender back. A fresh development in their crease could change that thinking.
Elliotte Friedman raised the possibility while discussing the standoff.
Winnipeg's made it very clear it wanted a goaltender in return for any deal for Connor Hellebuyck, but if Clay Stevenson comes in and him and Stuart Skinner are good, then will that change the dynamic, could that break the logjam
Why Stevenson Matters
Winnipeg claimed Stevenson off waivers from the Washington Capitals last week, adding a 27-year-old on an $850,000 cap hit with one year left on his contract.
He is not a headline name, but he gives the club a cheap, capable option behind Skinner, who signed a two-year deal worth $3.75 million per season in free agency.
That tandem was built as insurance while Hellebuyck remains on a team-imposed suspension. If it holds up in the early going, the Jets would no longer be forced to chase a starter-caliber netminder from the other side of a trade.
That opens the door to a different shopping list, one centered on picks, prospects, or skaters who can help right away.
It also widens the pool of suitors. Teams that were unwilling or unable to send a goalie to Winnipeg could suddenly become realistic fits, which matters when the Jets have reportedly received little that excites them.
What Happens Next
The sample size will be small, and a couple of strong starts will not erase the risk of going into a season without an elite goalie.
Winnipeg's front office must weigh short-term results against the long-term return for a franchise-altering asset.
Still, Friedman's question hints at a real shift. If Skinner and Stevenson steady the ship, the Jets get leverage and flexibility they did not have a week ago.
Hellebuyck's camp, meanwhile, will be watching closely. A more flexible Winnipeg could finally bring a resolution to a standoff that has hung over the Jets since camp opened.
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