Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 23, 2026
Why hasn’t Connor Hellebuyck been traded yet? Will we see more eight-year contract signings before the Sept. 15 deadline? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
SPORTSNET: The status of trade talks for Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck topped Emily Sadler’s recent list of lingering offseason questions.
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).
Sadler pointed out that a Hellebuyck trade seemed imminent two months ago. Since then, the chatter regarding the 33-year-old netminder has grown quiet. However, she noted that her colleague, Elliotte Friedman, recently suggested that it could pick up around training camp next month.
Hellebuyck’s teammate, defenseman Josh Morrissey, hopes that the three-time Vezina Trophy winner will stay put. “You can’t believe everything you might see or hear out there,” he said.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets captain Adam Lowry also hopes Hellebuyck stays. “Until something happens, he’s a Jet, he’s a good friend, and we’re excited to get him back”, Lowry said.
DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton recently discussed why Hellebuyck hasn’t been traded yet.
Hutton doubted that there’s any “buyer beware” attached to Hellebuyck. He thinks the Jets should move him at some point because of his age, pointing out that he won’t have much value left if they wait two or three years.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets were reportedly working on a trade before the draft in late June that would’ve sent Hellebuyck to the Buffalo Sabres, but the deal fell through. There’s been no indication that the two sides have revisited those discussions, and nary a peep from the vacationing insiders (such as Friedman) that they’re having any trade talks with other clubs.
That doesn’t mean a trade won’t happen once the calendar flips to September when training camps approach. It seems like the Jets prefer to hang onto Hellebucyk, hoping he’ll backstop them to a bounce-back performance following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, but that could change if a rival club steps up with an acceptable offer, whatever that might be.
TSN: With the maximum term for re-signing players to eight-year contracts dropping to seven years for deals signed after Sept. 15, some observers wonder if we’ll see any further eight-year deals signed before then.
The last eight-year contract signed was Ville Koivunen’s recent deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins for an average annual value of $4 million. It could be the last one ever signed.
Cutter Gauthier of the Anaheim Ducks is the top player still unsigned among this summer’s restricted free agents. Others include Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Simon Edvinsson of the Detroit Red Wings, and Alexander Nikishin of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Gauthier and Fantilli could be considered the most worthy of inking eight-year contracts, but they could follow the recent trend of short-term deals for higher average annual salaries.
Next summer’s unrestricted free-agent class includes defensemen Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild. Both are in their late-twenties and prime candidates for eight-year contract extensions before Sept 15. While Makar may be open to that deal, Hughes reportedly prefers a three-year extension.
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is the top forward in that UFA class, but at 33, he’s unlikely to get an eight-year extension offer.
Others include Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat, Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson, Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha, and Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrincat’s status remains in limbo until the Wings find a new general manager, who might not be hired until sometime in September. Batherson reportedly wants an eight-year deal, but the Senators seem cool to that possibility. The Bruins are believed to be interested in re-signing Zacha, but nothing suggests the two sides are close.
Robertson recently signed a one-year contract. Given how contentious those negotiations were, which included his rejection of a trade to the Seattle Kraken because he wouldn’t sign an eight-year deal with them, it’s unlikely he’ll be inking an eight-year contract with the Stars before Sept. 15.
I know everyone has an opinion, but I HATE the idea of expansion. Teams already cannot field a 3rd line center, watering down the product will not help. It is a pure money grab by owners who only the fans will pay with diminished quality of games.
Redmonsters im with you 100% on this. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Batherson turns 29 next April, which means that, were he to get an 8-year extension he’d be turning 30 the season it kicks in, and when it expires he’d be pushing 38. Analysis shows that, from ages 27 to 29, most NHL forwards experience a regression of around 10% in production can be expected, and from 30 to 34 that regression will accelerate along with some loss of speed. But from 34 to 35, average players see a severe drop-off, with many calling it a day.
Over 470 career gp he has established 82-game averages of 26g 38a 64pts and this past season saw him achieve a career-high 33g 38a 71 points in 79gp … so, a light up-tick. That ranked him tied for 47th in the league in points, tied for 28th in goals and tied for 72nd in assists. While that clearly classifies him as near the top of any list of average forwards, I seriously doubt he is going to suddenly blossom into a regular point-per-game asset. As he enters his 30s.
He does deserve a healthy bump up from his current $4,975,000 AAV to somewhere close to $8 mil … but when it comes to term they’d be playing with cap fire if they handed out anything more than 5 years.
Sounds like the same decision Buffalo had to make either Tuch
It is … and I really don’t see Staios giving in on 8 years at anything over $8.5 AAV. He is a solid RW … but nowhere near a ppg one, and the last thing a GM wants to do these days is saddle himself with an albatross contract – regardless of where the cap might be in 3 or 4 years.
That’s just more of an eventual “painted- yourself-into-a-corner” quagmire.
Is Robertson eligible to sign a new contract before january 2027?
No
Champs, because he signed a 1-year $12 million AAV deal this July, the NHL rule says he must now wait UNTIL January 1,2027 to actually sign an extension.
So he cannot sign an 8 year contract
That’s correct … because he chose to sign a 1-year deal, anything he signs after January 1 can only be for 7 year max.
Winnipeg is a year removed from winning presidents trophy. Having a down year landed them one of my favorite players in draft, V Bjorck. Added Ferraro in free agency. Would be a mistake to trade Hellybuck. This is a good team.
Do you think the roster is fast enough to roll with the elite teams in the west? Like acceleration burst speed. The roster seems a tad slow. Especially after Nikolai Ehlers bounced from the squad.
Nav, you are right to a degree regarding their team speed. According to some analysts the Jets, although having plenty of so-called “straight-line speed” as well as enough players possessing satisfactory “high-tempo spurts” what they lack is the “multi-gear pace” and high-burst frequency required to consistently keep pace with the likes of Colorado and Edmonton.
This places the overall roster among the bottom half of the league when it comes to bursts exceeding 29 to 35 km/h. But this is also where coaching comes in with game plans against those opponents designed to off-set any such disadvantage. They certainly did just that only two seasons ago.
I really think they could be THE surprise team of the Western Conference this season.
Nic Ehlers.
I think the trade window for Hellebuyck has passed. Looks like the ask was greater than other teams wanted to pay. Camps open in less than a month.
I’d like Boston to take stab at Gauthier. What a player that kid is and what a player he’s going to be.
That could totally work. He’s the type of player that would mesh in nicely with the Bruins.
Mp. Boston does not have enough quality D men to include Mcavoy in a trade! They might have a shot at Larkin if he expands his list. Players they should try to move for a significant trade,Zacha,Lohrei,Middlestadt and Poitras!
Mp. Boston does not have enough quality D men to include Mcavoy in a trade! They might have a shot at Larkin if he expands his list. Players they should try to move for a significant trade,Zacha,Lohrei,Middlestadt and Poitras!
I suggested this to my friends who likes the ducks,
Cutter
for
Charlie Mac
Boston gets a player to roll with Pasta and Ducks get the no1 RD they need to move forward.
Mcavoy isn’t getting moved out and the Bruins are 5 mill from the cap.so not only would it take multiple picks prospects they’d also have to take back a decent salaried player/players in return.
Zacha Middlestadt Minten Khuzzy Lohrei and a couple 1st rd picks type deal. Or Boston would have to make a 2nd move to fee up more than 10 mill. Cutter wants 15 and the Bruins would need wiggle room for trades and injuries. He’s a guy I’d reshape my roster for outside of Pasta Mac and Sway. Anyone else is up for grabs imo
For Gauthier I’d trade Charlie. What a forward line you would have reminiscent of Patrice Brad, Krecji Looch , Nathan.etc
Your Gmail is ranked 23rd best and that ranking seems high so no Gauthier.
8 OR 7 year deals are mostly a thing of the past.
With the rapid rise of the cap ceiling, good players are more than happy to sign shorter deals knowing the next deal will have more $$ available for a similar length deal the just signed.
7 year deals are not a thing of the past lol it’s the new limit. Remember when it comes to signing the player doesn’t have to accept a deal. Which most guys seeking long term probably wouldn’t take less years unless there’s more money
Winnipeg lost Nic Ehlers. Until they can replace his speed and skill, no dice.
Nikolaj Ehlers
David, I’m not so ready to write off the Jets after looking at the stats and analysis of the past season.
Yeah, that was a Helluva overall performance collapse resulting in that 34-point drop … but even with all the things that went south, they were a .500 team (35-35-12), and one of just 4 teams in the entire league to have 3 30-goal scorers in Connor, Scheifele (who is also a top of the line popint-per-game C) and Vilardi. They also have a top of the heap D in Morrissey, and a multiple Vezina winner in Hellebuyck (who I doubt is going anywhere any time soon).
It was their secondary scoring that essentially did them in as, after the 3 mentioned above, no other F managed more than 13 goals. And a large part of the reason for that is being attributed to what is seen as Arniel’s badly managed ice-time distribution, clearly affecting a large portion of the their F complement, but especially guys like Niederreiter and Iafallo. More attention to that aspect could see significant turnarounds for those two, not to mention Perfetti, along with newcomers Rosén and 8th overall pick Viggo Björck, expected to slot in as the 2nd line C, with special attention given to the pp. Which functioned – if you can call it that – at a pathetic 18.5% efficiency.
And, yes, Hellebuyck’s ice-time has to be better managed, particularly with 2 more games on the schedule. If he’s limited to 50 to 55 starts, the veteran Skinner should be able to handle the other 29 to 34 b/o of a D that does have the afore-mentioned Morrissey along with Pionk, Samberg, Demelo and Ferraro.
In short, the players are there for a turnaround – probably not to the level of the season before last, but certainly enough of one to be in the playoff hunt, even with primary Divisional competition like Colorado and Dallas. But above all else, Arniel needs to be a better coach.
Early assessment by sources such as HockeyStats.com, in fact, give them no worse than a 61% chance to get back into the mix.
See here for total early odds
https://hockeystats.com/roster-builder
Elf Ehlers
8 year terms were only effective to spread dollars. With money apparently flush no need . You would be better off with two 4’s cash wise.
I read yesterday should have written down the names of the sites but didn’t. Don’t worry it wasn’t Eklund, but two sites were reporting that the bruins had interest in Carolina D Alexander Nikishin Now that would be an amazing add.
Colorado should just sign Makar now. 8×20. It’ll be a bargain in four years.