Add Connor Hellebuyck to the list of Team USA gold medalists potentially looking for a trade. Quinn Hughes was moved before the Olympics, Dylan Larkin has requested a move from the Detroit Red Wings, and Brady Tkachuk could be out of Ottawa. Now, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Hellebuyck could be available in a trade, and the Florida Panthers would be interested if Sergei Bobrovsky leaves in free agency.
“If Florida can’t re-sign [Bobrovsky], I wonder about Connor Hellebuyck as a potential trade target if Winnipeg is actually willing to move on that front. Hellebuyck’s end-of-season comments to the media in Winnipeg certainly gave the impression that he would be open to change, and TSN colleague Darren Dreger reported Wednesday that the Jets are listening on him and that a potential return might revolve around Winnipeg getting a second-line center plus other assets,” LeBrun reported.
LeBrun does mention that the Panthers want Bobrovsky back, even though he is 38 years old. He was the goalie for both of their Stanley Cup Final victories in 2024 and 2025.
But if the Panthers can land Hellebuyck, it would be a league-altering trade. The Michigan native was the first goalie in over 20 years to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2025. He stole the gold medal game from Canada, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom along the way.
The salary cap situation is fairly easy for the Panthers to manage. Hellebuyck makes less than what Bobrovsky made on his previous contract, so they would be able to fit him in. The Jets should be demanding Anton Lundell or Mackie Samoskevich in return, two of Florida’s young NHL-caliber forwards.
If the Panthers do trade for Hellebuyck, they would immediately become Stanley Cup favorites. But can they overcome the injuries that plagued them last year to get back to the dance?
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