NHL Rumor Mill – July 13, 2026
Will the Jets trade Connor Hellebuyck this summer, and could they go shopping for second-line depth? What’s the latest on the Predators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST JETS SPECULATION
MIKE MCINTYRE ON SPORTS: Winnipeg Free Press columnist Mike McIntyre firmly believes Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will be traded this summer, putting the odds “somewhere north of 95 per cent.”
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).
McIntyre isn’t sure when the deal will go down or where Hellebuyck will be traded, but he believes the Buffalo Sabres are the most logical landing spot for the 33-year-old netminder. He also suggested the San Jose Sharks as a suitable destination, with the Carolina Hurricanes a distant third.
Hellebuyck has five years left on his contract. That means Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff can afford to be patient in waiting for the right deal for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
One reason McIntyre is certain Hellebuyck will be moved is that the Jets didn’t re-sign backup goalie Eric Comrie, instead signing former Edmonton Oilers starter Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract as a free agent.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Jets and Sabres had a deal in place involving Hellebuyck, but it fell through before the opening round of last month’s NHL Draft weekend. Some observers claim he’s still willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to Buffalo, but working out the return remains the sticking point.
Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was rumored to be part of the return in that June trade scenario, but he has a five-team no-trade list, and the Jets may have been on it.
THE WINNIPEG SUN: Massimo De Luca-Taronno doesn’t share McIntyre’s certainty that Hellebuyck will be traded. He felt that it was “increasingly likely” that the Jets’ franchise goalie would report to training camp this fall. He believes if a truly tempting trade offer were out there, Cheveldayoff would’ve pulled the trigger by now.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a long summer, and deals involving big-name players can happen when we least expect it. For example, Erik Karlsson was traded from the San Jose Sharks to the Pittsburgh Penguins in August 2023.
Nevertheless, the longer the summer goes without any sign of a Hellebuyck trade, the less likely it’ll happen before the start of the regular season.
De Luca-Taronno felt the Jets must bolster their second-line forward depth. He suggested Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn, New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer, Vegas Golden Knights’ forward Brett Howden, and Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright as trade candidates.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quinn was believed to be part of last month’s failed Hellebuyck trade to Buffalo. He could be part of the Jets’ asking price if the two clubs revisit that deal.
Howden’s performance last season makes it unlikely that the Golden Knights will part with him right now. Mercer frequently surfaced in trade rumors over the last two years, but new Devils GM Sunny Mehta could be reluctant to part with him. Wright is available, but the Kraken want a good young player in return.
UPDATE ON THE PREDATORS
THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty recently listed the players most likely to be moved by the Nashville Predators following their recent additions of forward Mavrik Bourque, defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, and winger Alex Kerfoot.
The moves leave the Predators with 26 active players under contract, meaning three must be dealt to get down to the maximum of 23.
Daugherty doubted that Lyubushkin would play a game for the Predators. Acquiring him was a key part of the trade that brought Bourque to Nashville. He could be peddled to a club in need of blueline depth during training camp.
It may be time to find Jonathan Marchessault a new home. The 35-year-old winger’s production has declined since signing with the Predators two years ago. However, it could be difficult to convince a team to take on his $5.5 million average annual value through 2028-29.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored the Montreal Canadiens were interested in signing Marchessault before he opted to join the Predators. Given his age and how his production has sagged, it’s doubtful they’ll revisit that interest.
Joakim Kemell could also be peddled. The 22-year-old forward has offensive potential, but his development with the Predators’ AHL affiliate has stalled.
The Jets are looking for a big ransom for Hellebuyck. The question to ask is he worth it to Buffalo? A trade for him would weaken the Sabres and not make them better.
I would advice against it. I think they are better served to trade for other players and do think trading away Kesselring was a mistake given that they also traded Byram
Buffalo is deep on defense. Traded for LD Zellwegger from Ducks. Got a huge RD (Crevier) from Chicago in Byram trade and drafted another with the 4th pick they got. Drafted RD Mrtka with 9th pick in last years draft. Also signed former 2nd rd pick that just played 2 seasons at Michigan st. Kesselring is 26 and played 34 games last year. Less than half what Crevier played. Buffalo can probably give up one of the young D in a trade for Hellybuck and still be pretty deep.
I have trouble understanding the crazy love for Hellebuyck; Olympics aside, last year amongst goalies with at least 20 starts, he was 33rd in both Sav% (.895) and GAA (2.86). His stats were virtually identical to those of Alex Nedeljkovic (.896 and 2.87), and nobody is mortgaging the farm for him.
The only reason the americans won at the Olympics is Hellebyuck…period the Canadian team was far superior and I will say it again if they had included Sheiffle and Hyman the medal would be gold
Compare Winnipeg D to Buffalos. Jets dealt with injuries. Sometimes goalie stats don’t tell whole story.
Don O Ray
lol he is not the only reason the USA won lol foolishness to even say it lol Helly can’t score goals can he? What ever helps you sleep at night. It also seems you people don’t understand how the game works. Helly had a pretty bad supporting cast the las couple years. They Jets are in shambles
Paul,
Next time you watch a game, put your glasses on. Helly didn’t score goals at the olympics but he stopped the best offence in the world by himself.
Helley was great in the Olympics and deserved the MVP. Voting probably wasn’t that close.
Canada dominated chances in the final.
But, the USA D core did an admirable job keeping home plate as clean as they did against those forwards. Impossible to be perfect in that scenario and under that consistent pressure, but they did it good enough and Helley did the rest. Part of the game.
We’ll get em next time!
WPG and BUF had similar defensive metrics last year. WPG was very good the year before, just average last year. But they went from an average team offensively, to not very good at all when it comes to generating offence. That is their biggest need.
IMO Buffalo will keep improving overall, even though they will miss Byram, so maybe stay average defensively for another year as they mature with some young players on the roster and coming up. Lots of talent inside that organization. They will score enough to contend for their division IMO.
That’s like saying in 2011-12 when Ovi put up 65 points in 79 games that you don’t know why anyone would be willing to give a haul for him.
He’s recently won multiple Vezinas. He’s almost year in and out the top goalie in the league, this year was an off year, not the norm.
Krebs just resigned. Trade for Hellebuyck may happen soon.
Sabres know what they do or don’t have with UPL. Hellebuyck is a solid upgrade.
it seems to me the best time to trade Hellebuyck is at the trade deadline. With the term left on his contract, the only risk is injury.
Mercer allen prospect and a 1st for Hellebuyck??
To Buffalo OR San Jose
Connor Hellebuyck
2027 1st round pick
To Winnipeg
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Konsta Helenius
or
Yaroslav Askarov
Will Smith
I doubt Buffalo parts with Halenius, Ostlund or Kulick
Correct. None of those players is being traded. I would shocked if they were unless it was for McDavid
That’s not going to happen (San Jose)
Goalie returns are less that any other position. . If you got a goalie UPL Mrta and upper round pick ..take it
Sabres give. Pellet, Quinn and Mrtka. Win win
Then Kane comes home for icing on cake
Evander Kane would eat your cake 😉
I would argue that there isn’t any decline in Helly’s play and that the numbers dropped due to the team in front of him being too slow, less committed to play a complete game and less well coached. Arniel got the president’s trophy in 2025, however, that was done on the shoulders of superior defensive coaching from Bowness who’s structures deteriorated as Arniels tenure extended into later in the 2025 season.
Cases in point, helly played well at the four nations and in the Olympics. His contract is fantastic, he is low maintenance and has no history of suggestion that he has caused anything but positive leadership in the room.
Local Winnipeg Free Press writer Mike McIntyre says he believes there is a 95% chance that Hellebyck will be traded during the off-season.
Fans are getting ready for the next tender in Winnipeg.
2.0 good assessment of Winnipeg when bowness was at the helm; it seemed to me that was true when the Avalanche struggled with them back then . They were defensively more sound plus hellebycuk was on his game. Not so much after that!.
IDK Sabres are still somewhat good in net w/o him but might be worth it if hellebycuk up’s his game in a new environment ? Their seemed to be suggestion out there that Colorado was interested. I don’t know if there was anything to that? If that were true I hope something else would come back in the deal.
You are bang on! Hellybuyck is a world class goalie and Buffalo would be smart to take advantage of this opportunity. They are also loaded with young centres and it will take one ( of Helenius, Ostlund or Kulich) plus Quinn and Mrtka to close the deal. Buffalo will not regret this deal and it helps Winnipeg begin the transition to a younger core.
You’re talking three 1st round caliber assets for a goalie. When’s the last time that happened?
You’re right Chrisms, I can’t think of one.
Trying to remember a tender of Helley’s caliber getting traded, only one that comes to mind is Patrick Roy.
Details:
Roy and Mike Keane to Colorado
Rucinsky, Thibault and Kovalenko to Montreal.
Worked out pretty good for the Avs.
It’s interesting to hear what killed the Hellebuyck trade to Buffalo was an unnamed or named player(s) vetoing the trade with their NTC protection because I have also seen reports of the trade failing because the Jets wanted to retain their own 1st round pick (8th) along with that 4th pick Buffalo acquired earlier and a few bodies but Buffalo insisted the Jets to give up their 8th which the Jets weren’t doing.
😃
I’m suggesting Hellebuyck plus a sweetener to fill the Jets need for a C and a goalie of some sort.
The Jets signed Stuart Skinner a week or so ago, he is a goalie that can be a starter and will push anyone in the league for more starts. another goalie of some sort isn’t needed in the return. Also notable that Hellys buddy (and all around good guy/energizer bunny type) Eric Comrie moved on from the Jets to San Jose.
You are bang on! Hellybuyck is a world class goalie and Buffalo would be smart to take advantage of this opportunity. They are also loaded with young centres and it will take one ( of Helenius, Ostlund or Kulich) plus Quinn and Mrtka to close the deal. Buffalo will not regret this deal and it helps Winnipeg begin the transition to a younger core.
2.0,
As you said Comrie was traded away, if Hellebuyck is traded the Jets are left with only one goalie, Stuart Skinner.
A goalie of some sort is needed to be either back-up or platoon.
Habs fans or anyone. David Reinbacker. What’s the situation surrounding this player?
Have the Habs lost faith in him ever becoming a top 6 guy or is he just so valuable that everyone wants him?
Reinbacher was the top D in Laval last year and is pegged to be 2nd pairing RD on the Habs.
He’s been held back by freak injuries and hasn’t played enough games till now, he might earn a spot in this year’s training camp.
My eye test from seeing him in Laval and last year’s training camp says he’s ready.
Probably why Habs haven’t made a move on any of the RD fans keep trotting out.
Thanks for the review habsfan