NHL Trade Rumor: Red Wings, Hurricanes eye $59M Winnipeg Jets star

The Winnipeg Jets’ star player Connor Hellebuyck has been dealing with rumors regarding his trade from the team after they signed Stuart Skinner. Amid all the mess, it seems the Detroit Red Wings and the Carolina Hurricanes have emerged as potential landing spots for the star player.CategoryDetailsPlayerConnor HellebuyckCurrent TeamWinnipeg JetsRumored TeamsBuffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden KnightsContract Status5 Years Remaining (UFA in 2031)Salary Cap Hit (New Team)$8.5 Million average annual value (AAV)Trade LikelihoodHigh (Driven by a down season, a full NMC, and Winnipeg signing Stuart Skinner)Latest Insider UpdateBuffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Carolina Hurricanes have emerged as aggressive landing spots, while Florida and Vegas remain potential suitorsPotential ReturnPremium roster players, top-tier prospects, and high draft capital (e.g., Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Jack Quinn)Which teams are interested in Connor Hellebuyck?In the last few weeks, a number of rival teams have ben linked to the Winnipeg Jets’ star player, Connor Hellebuyck.As per NHL insiders, it seems the Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes and the Buffalo Sabres have emerged as potential landing spots for him.What are insiders saying about the trade rumors?A few hours ago, Austin Konenski of the Sportsnaut noted in a recent report, “What about the Detroit Red Wings? Hellebuyck is from Michigan and could be interested in returning home. The Red Wings are busy with Dylan Larkin‘s trade request, but the 33-year-old goalie would be a tremendous upgrade. However, would Detroit include John Gibson in a potential trade after signing Daniil Tarasov with other needs?”Austin Konenski of the Sportsnaut added, “Finally, the Carolina Hurricanes could be the best landing spot for Hellebuyck. The Hurricanes lost Frederik Andersen to the Edmonton Oilers with Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov under contract. Hellebuyck would instantly become the starting goalie with Bussi as one of the NHL’s best backups.”Contract details and salary cap implicationsFor the Winnipeg Jets, trading Connor Hellebuyck instantly clears off a whopping $8.5 million from the team’s books.For the team signing Connor Hellebuyck, they would have to take on his $8.5 million annual salary cap hit if the Winnipeg jets refuse to retain a percentage of it.How will the trade affect the teams?For the Detroit Red Wings, trading for Connor Hellebuyck remains affordable as the team has a whopping $18.7 million in open cap space. Connor Hellebuyck wil be an impactful addition to the team as he could solve the team’s long term goaltending stability.For the Carolina Hurricanes, trading for Connor Hellebuyck remains affordable with the team’s $11.1 million in cap space but he could cost them top prospects or draft picks.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.