NHL Rumor Mill – October 24, 2026
A look at the fallout from the Connor Hellebuyck trade, plus the latest on the Penguins and Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE FALLOUT FROM THE CONNOR HELLEBUYCK TRADE
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun examined how Winnipeg’s trade of Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils could affect the goalie trade market.
LeBrun believes this could sting the Carolina Hurricanes to see Hellebuyck traded to a division rival after pursuing the three-time Vezina Trophy winner for several months. He wondered if Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky will look elsewhere for a goaltending upgrade.
Winnipeg Jets trade goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils (NHL Images).
The Buffalo Sabres also tried for Hellebuyck, especially before the NHL Draft in June. The Utah Mammoth looked into it, but LeBrun doesn’t believe they were seriously interested.
LeBrun wondered if the addition of Hellebuyck would make the Devils more enticing to Quinn Hughes. The Minnesota Wild defenseman is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July and has not indicated his intentions. LeBrun also pondered whether this might spur Wild GM Bill Guerin to push harder to acquire center Dylan Larkin from the Detroit Red Wings.
DAILY FACEOFF: Jeff Marek also wondered if the Devils might make a play for Hughes and if the Wild could entice him to stay by acquiring Larkin.
Marek acknowledged that Hughes would love to play with his brothers Jack and Luke in New Jersey. However, it would take away playing time from Luke and reduce the latter’s role.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Danny Webster doubted the Vegas Golden Knights would’ve had a legitimate chance of acquiring Hellebuyck.
Webster believes they “kicked tires” on the 33-year-old goalie. However, they would’ve had to move Adin Hill in the deal, and the Jets are on his no-trade list. He also noted that the Jets didn’t want to move Hellebuyck to a Western Conference team.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics of Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff chided him for not getting a better return for Hellebuyck. However, he took the best deal, which means whatever the Hurricanes and Sabres proposed couldn’t beat the Devils’ offer.
Rumor has it that, before the 2026 NHL Draft, the Sabres offered up goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, winger Jack Quinn, the 2026 fourth-overall pick, and another asset. However, the Jets refused to part with their first-rounder (eighth overall), and the deal fell through.
If that speculation is true, Cheveldayoff blew an opportunity to get a better deal back then. Nevertheless, whatever the Sabres were offering now wasn’t as good as what they got from the Devils.
As for Quinn Hughes’ fate, it depends on whether the Wild prove themselves as a Stanley Cup contender. If they’re flying high in the standings by the March trade deadline but he’s still unsigned, they could retain him to push for the Cup in the hope that their performance entices him to stay. Landing Larkin could also convince him to stick around.
However, if the Wild decide to move him by the trade deadline, the Devils could have a difficult time winning the bidding war. They already gave up several tradeable assets to get Hellebuyck, and the Wild will set a high price for Hughes.
The Devils could wait for the offseason if Hughes decides to test the market. It’ll only cost them money instead of players, prospects, and draft picks. However, they have $16.8 million in projected cap space for 2027-28 with 16 active roster players under contract.
Hughes will likely seek over $20 million on his next contract, meaning the Devils would have to shed significant salary to free up sufficient room to sign him, but that wouldn’t leave much to fill out the rest of their roster.
LATEST ON THE PENGUINS
TSN: Darren Dreger reported Thursday that Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is listening to offers for some of his veteran players.
Dreger claims Dubas is listening on players like Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust. However, he’s working with a “cash-strict budget, not just the NHL’s salary cap.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like the Penguins’ new ownership has set an internal cap ceiling. In other words, they’re not spending to the cap ceiling for the foreseeable future.
Karlsson is UFA-eligible next summer, so he’ll come off the books on July 1 unless traded before the March 1 deadline, assuming he waives his NMC.
Letang ($6.1 million), Rust ($5.125 million), and Rakell ($5 million) are signed through 2027-28. Letang has an NMC, but he has a 10-team trade list. Rakell has an eight-team no-trade list, while Rust lacks no-trade protection.
The 39-year-old Letang’s declining performance makes him a difficult sell to any of the teams on his list. Rakell and Rust could have some value as this season goes on.
BRENDEN DILLON DENIES RECENT TRADE RUMOR
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Daniel Amoia cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who clarified a rumor he’d heard earlier in the week that Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon rejected a trade last season.
Friedman followed up on the story after Dillon informed him that the rumor wasn’t true. He’d heard two Devils used their NTC, and thought Dillon was one of them.
Amaio noted that Devils blueliner Dougie Hamilton vetoed a trade last season that would’ve sent him to the San Jose Sharks.
Better deal? UPL is terrible and the 8th for 4th swap would have been pointless. Command alone makes this a better deal.
Brock
Is hardly say UPL is horrible. He got a young Sabres team to the 2nd round last year. The Sabres went cold on offence vs Montreal.
Hellebuyck has had several poor playoff performances.
There was a rumour that Metal was part of the Buffalo offer too.
Trading up from 8 to 4 would have been worth it to get rid of a guy that didn’t want to be there. They ended up with the 12th pick from that draft anyways. Would they have picked Command at #8?
Chevy overplayed his hand.
Jets got the 2nd line help they need and the got 2 top 15 centres for this years draft, a luxury theyve never had.
Daws or Stevenson might be a trade since Stevenson wont, I dont know about Daws.
Bjugstad is nothing. he will never be in a Jets uniform. Jets will move him on ir.
Command is a very nice piece if he progresses they way he’s expected too.
the biggest loser in this is Buffalo. they desperately need to revamp their goaltending and adding Hellebuyck would have made them a true contender. i think a dumb move on buffalos part.
If Guerin gets Larkin he better be sure Hughes stays. Trade Hamilton, get Hughes at 17 and they will be fine. I can see Hughes taking less if he gets a better chance to win with his brothers. Worst case, sign a four year deal only
Hamilton has a 10-team trade list; he’s 33 years old with a $9 million AAV, his best years are behind him, and he’s already rejected requests to expand his trade list. You’re not getting Hughes at $17 million. He’s one of the league’s elite defensemen. He’ll want top dollar, regardless of whether he’s playing with his brothers.
Hamilton also has a full NMC to boot!
I know the Penguins are looking at the future but how will this Hoffman ownership allow Dubas to control the team? will they want more hands on ?
When it comes to Rumors, given that team weaknesses in either the offense or defense/goaltending aspects of their game is what usually galvanizes a GM into pursuing trades, here’s how the 32 teams stack up in terms of average goals scored and average goals against per game so far this season, perhaps signifying who we might expect to see cropping up in deals if some of these numbers don’t start to quickly improve.
For comparison purposes, the number in brackets after each team shows their averages for the entire previous season, In San Jose’s case – in reference to the comments above – note that, like many, they are pretty close to more of the same over the long haul. Others, not so much – trending either up or down … some significantly.
Early season stuff, I realize, but at least indicative as to where each team needs to focus, either with what they have (including pending injury returnees), or perhaps through deals:
Average Goals Scored Per Game
4.7 – Edm (3.4)
4.3 – Col (3.7)
4.0 – Sea (2.8)
3.9 – Car (3.6)
3.8 – Bos (3.3), Veg (3.2)
3.7 – Utah (3.3)
3.6 – Tor (3.1)
3.5 – St. L (2.8)
3.4 – Mtl (3.5), Pit (3.6), Tam (3.5)
3.3 – NJ (2.8), Wash (3.2)
3.1 – NYR (2.9)
3.0 – SJ (3.1)
2.9 – NYI (2.8), Minn (3.3), Vanc (2.6)
2.8 – Ott (3.4), Fla (3.1), Det (2.9), Buff(3.5)
2.7 – Ana (3.3)
2.6 – Wpg (2.8), Nash (3.0), Dal (3.4)
2.5 – Clb (3.1), L.A. (2.7)
2.2 – Chic (2.6)
2.1 – Cgy (2.6)
1.7 – Pha (3.1)
Average Goals Against Per Game
1.7 – Dall (2.8)
2.0 – Bos (3.1)
2.1 – NYI (2.9)
2.4 – NYR (3.1)
2.5 – Minn (2.9)
2.7 – Ott (3.0)
2.8 – Car (2.9)
2.9 – Tam (2.8), Wp (3.2)
3.0 – Det (3.2), Veg (3.1)
3.1 – Col (2.5), St. L (3.2), NJ (3.1), Fla (3.4), Pha (3.0)
3.2 – Edm (3.3), Wash (3.0)
3.3 – Nash (3.3), Ana (3.5), Utah (2.9), Tor (3.7)
3.4 – Sea (3.2). SJ (3.6)
3.5 – Pitt (3.3), Mtl (3.1)
3.6 – L.A. (3.0), Clb (3.1)
3.7 – Buff (2.9)
4.0 – Chic (3.4)
4.2 – Cgy (3.2)
6.2 – Vanc (3.9)