Suggested Trade To See Panthers Get Hellebuyck For Jets In Offseason Blockbuster – Hockey Writers – Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have missed the playoffs after two straight Stanley Cup championships, and will look to get back into contention next season. They have experienced serious injury problems and have not been able to show the same dominance that fans have seen in the past two seasons, but they still have one of the strongest cores in the NHL, and they will try to make it their third Stanley Cup win in four seasons.

One thing the Panthers need to accept is their scoring situation. It looks like Sergei Bobrovsky will hit the open market, barring a last-minute extension, and they’ll be looking for a fresh start.

As challenging as it may be, there is a world where the Panthers could get a chance to land Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets.

After the Jets’ difficult 2025-26 campaign, Hellebuyck had some indirect comments about the state of the team. “What we did was unacceptable, and nobody wants to be a part of that,” Hellebuyck said. He continued: “”It’s difficult, it’s difficult. Can you find the pieces you need? Will the players come? Those are the questions you always have in Winnipeg.”

Hellebuyck went on to say that his focus is on winning, and he doesn’t play this game for money or fame, and with that in mind, the Panthers become a reasonable option, if they are open to being traded.

In a recent article from Joey Ganzi Hockey Writers, he mentioned that the Panthers should look to target Hellebuyck. He wrote: “Assuming a deal is in place, it easily keeps Florida’s championship window open for a long time. With the amount of Stanley Cup-caliber talent on the roster, they should expect more Cups with him on board.”

In this article, we look at a potential trade between the Panthers and Jets that includes Hellebuyck. Remember, this deal is just a hypothetical, and there are no indications that Hellebuyck is willing to waive his trade protections, or that the two teams have had discussions about a trade.

Hellebuyck Goes to Panthers, Jets Land Solid Trade Return

Hellebuyck, 33 years old, played in 57 games last season, winning 23 of them, while posting a 2.86 goals-against average (GAA), .895 save percentage (SV%), and 5.5 goals-against-expectation (GSAX).

The Jets need a center, and Mackie Samoskevich could be someone they could be interested in, he doesn’t fit their immediate need if they want to stay in contention.

In fact, the Panthers acquired Hellebuyck in exchange for Anton Lundell, the 9th pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a 2026 second round pick. The Panthers get their goalie and solve their hole between the pipes, while the Jets come away with a solid player, as well as a top-10 and second-round pick in a stacked draft class.

The Jets will lack leverage in any deal, as Hellebuyck controls where he can be traded. The Jets can wait him out, as he doesn’t technically be trade him, but they risk having someone in the locker room unhappy, which could affect the rest of the team.

Hellebuyck would have to waive his trade protection to accept a trade to the Panthers, but if they’re interested and know there’s an opportunity to join them, there’s a good chance he’d be open to joining them.

With the total number of players locked up for a few more seasons, and a long window for the Panthers to stay in contention for a while, Hellebuyck’s focus on winning may make him want to accept a trade.

If Hellebuyck is available, every team in the NHL should make a call about him. We’ll see if the Jets end up moving him, but if they do, the Panthers make a lot of sense to keep him.

As the 2026-27 season approaches, be sure to stay tuned Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from the NHL and the world of hockey.