The Minnesota Wild’s offseason hasn’t gone exactly to plan. Although Quinn Hughes’s next contract may be on the horizon and there’s still a chance they could still pull off a trade for Dylan Larkin, Minnesota’s roster is likely what it will be on opening night.
With that in mind, the Wild could use some help from their Central Division counterparts. One of the toughest divisions in hockey got even more difficult, but the Wild may have received some hope when Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck publicly confirmed his trade request on Thursday afternoon.
Many expected that Hellebuyck had requested a trade but it hasn’t come to fruition with training camp approaching. With Hellebuyck officially wanting out, it could clear a path for the Wild to be a division power once again and take a key obstacle out of their way.
Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request could make life a lot easier for the Wild
Hellebuyck hasn’t just been one of the top goaltenders in the Central Division, he’s become one of the best players in the NHL. A fifth-round gem in the 2012 entry draft, Hellebuyck is a four-time All-Star, three-time Vezina Trophy winner and won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player during the 2024-25 season.
On top of that, Hellebuyck has played some of his best hockey against the Wild with a record of 17-10-3, .918 save percentage and 2.54 goals against average in 33 career games. He has also gotten better against Minnesota with age, going 8-1-1 with a 1.90 ERA and .936 save percentage in his last 10 games against the Wild.
Hellebuyck also won his NHL debut against the Wild on November 27, 2015 and picked up a shutout against Minnesota later that year. While he helped lead Winnipeg to the President’s Trophy, given to the team with the most points in the standings, the Jets finished seventh in the division with a 35-35-12 record and 82 points last year.
Hellebuyck was part of the problem, going 23-23-11 with a 2.86 goals against average and .895 save percentage in 57 games. But he also showed flashes of his old self leading the United States to a gold medal during the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, making 41 saves in a 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the gold medal game.
With the Jets at a crossroads, Hellebuyck, who turned 33 last May, decided it’s time for a new chapter. And if that comes with a move to the Buffalo Sabres or another Eastern Conference team, it could be great news for the Wild next season.
Wild’s Central Division chances could receive a big boost with a potential Connor Hellebuyck trade
Entering next season, it’s fair to expect Winnipeg to finish toward the bottom of the division. It’s also reasonable to expect the Wild to battle the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche at the top. But the middle part of the division is something to keep an eye on.
The Utah Mammoth made a pair of big splashes this offseason, acquiring Vincent Trocheck in a trade with the New York Rangers and signing Anders Lee, who the Wild pursued, during free agency. The Nashville Predators are also intriguing after bringing in Ross Colton and Mavrik Borque and it could mean that every game counts as the Wild look to return to the playoffs.
With Hellebuyck putting pressure on the Jets, it may create a sense of urgency to trade him and avoid a locker room distraction before camp. If that happens, the Jets will be in the same class as the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues, who are going through rebuilds and may give Minnesota a few extra games to take advantage of.
Either way, Hellebuyck skating out of the division is a good thing and it gives some much-needed good news in what’s been a quiet summer for the Wild.
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