Jets and Sabres near Hellebuyck deal amid wild summer

Connor Hellebuyck carries five years left on his contract at an $8.5 million cap hit as the Winnipeg Jets weigh trade offers from the Buffalo Sabres.

Jets reject multiple offers before circling back to Sabres

The Jets turned down a Carolina Hurricanes package that included Alexander Nikishin and a first-round pick. They also declined a Florida Panthers proposal that omitted Anton Lundell. Both rejections left Winnipeg with fewer immediate options and increased pressure to find a partner before training camp.

Buffalo holds just over $4 million in available cap space after a quiet offseason. The Sabres made two first-round selections at the 2026 draft and can comfortably include a 2027 first-round pick. This flexibility contrasts with teams that exhausted assets earlier in the summer.

League sources confirmed the Jets and Sabres came close at the draft but parted ways over the No. 8 selection, which Winnipeg used on Viggo Bjorck. The gap has narrowed since then because Buffalo still needs a proven starter.

A return centered on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen plus a first-round pick would give Winnipeg a tandem option alongside Stuart Skinner. Adding a prospect such as Konsta Helenius would further balance the exchange while preserving Buffalo’s right-shot defensive depth.

Sabres depth creates unique fit for Hellebuyck

Buffalo’s surplus of young right-handed defensemen, including Maxim Strbak and Adam Kleber, allows them to move Radim Mrtka without weakening their blue line. This surplus stands in contrast to the Jets, who lack comparable organizational depth at the position.

Josh Norris carries trade protection, limiting his availability, yet the Sabres could still move Ryan McLeod or Jack Quinn. Either player would address Winnipeg’s need for center depth without forcing the inclusion of protected assets like Zach Benson.

The Jets would receive a goalie in return to share duties with Skinner. Luukkonen’s $4 million cap hit fits cleanly under their projected ceiling and avoids the higher salaries attached to other available netminders.

Minnesota Wild rumors remain separate from the Hellebuyck talks. The Wild continue extension discussions with Quinn Hughes on a possible three-year deal valued between $16 million and $18 million, but those negotiations do not intersect with Buffalo or Winnipeg plans.

Timeline pressures favor a Sabres agreement

The Jets face shrinking options if they want to move Hellebuyck before the season. Waiting for a new bidder risks holding an unhappy starter into training camp and complicating salary-cap planning.

Buffalo’s two recent first-round picks give them draft capital to sweeten any offer without touching protected prospects like Noah Östlund or Jiri Kulich. This structural advantage accelerates the path to a completed deal.

A completed trade would send Hellebuyck to a market where he already holds personal ties, raising the probability he signs an extension with the acquiring club. The Jets would gain immediate goaltending stability while shedding the largest contract on their books.

Patrick Kane remains a low-probability fallback for the Wild only if talks with Chicago and Buffalo collapse entirely. That scenario stays secondary to the Hellebuyck negotiations dominating the Central and Atlantic divisions.