NHL Betting Odds: Six teams that could trade for Vezina Trophy-favourite Connor Hellebuyck

Are Connor Hellebuyck’s days as a Winnipeg Jet done?

That’s certainly the star goaltender’s hope after he dropped a bombshell last week with a public trade request. Unlike other recent trade requests from star players, Hellebuyck has indicated he is willing to open his no-movement clause for several teams, so a deal before the beginning of the season is a real possibility.

The list of suitors for a goalie of Hellebuyck’s calibre will be long. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner (+400 favourite to win this season) is under contract for five more seasons and he is still in his prime at 33-years-old.

Here are the teams that could be in the hunt to trade for Hellebuyck.

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Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo is the clear front-runner to land Hellebuyck. The Sabres and Jets were reportedly close to a deal at the draft in June and Hellebuyck has expressed a willingness to play in Buffalo.

This trade also just makes sense. The Sabres took a big step forward by making it to Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs last year and adding Hellebuyck to Buffalo’s already strong defensive core could put the team over the top as a top contender in the Eastern Conference.

The Sabres also have the cap space and trade capital to make a deal for Hellebuyck work, especially if they include Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

San Jose Sharks

San Jose is the other major contender for Hellebuyck. They have a young roster that is close to breaking through and Macklin Celebrini seems poised to singlehandedly drag this team to the postseason.

The Sharks had one of the worst team save percentages in the NHL last season, so adding Hellebuyck to the fold could be the difference between making the playoffs and missing out.

The main concern with San Jose is the team’s timeline. Hellebuyck is firmly in his prime and win-now mode, while the Sharks are likely still a couple years away from being a legit threat.

Carolina Hurricanes

How could you not consider the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes the Stanley Cup favourites next year if they added an elite goaltender to their roster?

However, as much as Hellebuyck would bolster Carolina’s defence, trading for him would be a move out of left field. The Hurricanes pride themselves on building their roster through depth and value contracts. Adding Hellebuyck would immediately make him the second-highest paid player on a team that has already proven it can win a Stanley Cup by committee with Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi getting the job done last year.

Still, Andersen left in free agency and there’s a question mark on Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov’s ability to sustain elite play through a full NHL season.

And with the salary cap continuing to rise, Carolina might look at the cost-certainty of adding Hellebuyck, who is signed for the next five seasons, as a smart play.

Vegas Golden Knights

You can’t discuss a major trade target in the NHL without including the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas is an aggressive and creative team when it comes to trades and the goaltending tandem of Carter Hart and Aidan Hill wasn’t good enough to get it done last year.

The Golden Knights are also a great fit for Hellebuyck stylistically. They play a very structured defensive system that would really benefit an elite goaltender like Hellebuyck.

However, Vegas’ aggressive nature also means they are generally tight against the cap. Any deal would likely need to include Hill and his $6.25 million cap hit, but Hill doesn’t have much value as he is coming off the worst statistical season of his career.

The Golden Knights also don’t have a first-round pick in next year’s draft to offer, so while you can never count them out, it’s tough to see how they make a deal for Hellebuyck work.

New Jersey Devils

New Jersey has a shiny new analytics-driven GM in former Florida AGM Sunny Mehta, who is likely looking to make a big splash after trading Jacob Markstrom to the Panthers this off-season.

The Markstrom trade left a pretty big hole in the Devils’ net. Jake Allen and Nico Daws are the cheapest goalie tandem in the NHL at a combined cap hit of just $2.9 million, but neither option is a true No. 1 netminder at this point.

New Jersey has been plagued with injury issues over the last few years, so adding Hellebuyck would go a long way in stabilizing a roster that could be a top contender in the East if their health holds up.

Utah Mammoth

I like the Utah Mammoth as an under-the-radar option for Hellebuyck. Like Buffalo, the Mammoth finally broke through to the playoffs last year, pushing Vegas to six games. Hellebuyck could put this team over the top as a true threat.

Utah has several young stars-in-the-making on the roster and plenty of future assets that Winnipeg might find attractive. The main drawback I see would be the Jets’ willingness to trade Hellebuyck within the division. I think this deal only works if Winnipeg is going the rebuild route and not planning to be competitive in the near future.