The Connor Hellebuyck trade saga ended Friday when the Winnipeg Jets sent the three-time Vezina Trophy winner to the New Jersey Devils for four players and two draft picks. The move brings the star goaltender to T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 30 when the Devils face the Golden Knights, creating an immediate storyline for a game that was already on the schedule.
According to multiple league sources, the Knights did explore acquiring Hellebuyck but faced two significant obstacles. Any deal would have required Vegas to move either Adin Hill or Carter Hart to fill Winnipeg's need for an experienced starting goaltender. Hill would have made the most financial sense given his $6.25 million cap hit compared to Hellebuyck's $8.5 million, but sources say Hill has Winnipeg on his 10-team no-trade list.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon believes in the Hill-Hart tandem, with both goaltenders off to strong starts this season despite recent rough outings. The second barrier was simpler: the Jets did not want to trade Hellebuyck to another Western Conference team, particularly not to a division rival or a team that has eliminated them from the playoffs twice before.
The Devils offered the right combination of prospects and, as an Eastern Conference team ready to contend, presented a more palatable trade partner for Winnipeg. The situation mirrors the Dylan Larkin rumors in that the Knights are often linked to top players, but the circumstances don't always align in their favor.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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