The Connor Hellebuyck suspension end date is set for next Friday, according to a Bleacher Report update published Saturday, closing out a disciplinary stretch that began when the goaltender skipped Winnipeg Jets training camp in September. By the time it expires, the suspension will have cost Hellebuyck more than $925,000 in forfeited salary.
The three-time Vezina Trophy winner went public with a trade request on Aug. 27, and his holdout from camp triggered the suspension under a CBA clause that allows teams to discipline players for a reasonable length after missing camp without reporting.
The Main Development
Hellebuyck told the Jets before their Oct. 2 season opener that he intended to report to the team, but Winnipeg kept the suspension in place anyway, citing the same CBA provision. As of Oct. 9, Hellebuyck had already missed out on more than $400,000 in salary, according to Yahoo Sports. That figure has since climbed past $925,000 heading into the suspension’s expected end date.
What It Means For Winnipeg’s Goaltending
Stuart Skinner has handled the starting job in Hellebuyck’s absence, and the Jets have gone 4-1-2 to open the 2026-27 season with him in net. That record gives Winnipeg little urgency to rush a resolution, even as the suspension nears its end. General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has said the front office wants to get a potential trade right rather than settle for a quick deal, a stance that lines up with the team’s willingness to let the suspension run its course.
Context On The Trade Standoff
Hellebuyck owns a full no-move clause this season, meaning any trade requires his approval along with the Jets’. Winnipeg has not received an offer it considers fair, according to Bleacher Report. Pierre LeBrun has reported that Hellebuyck is not interested in joining a Canadian team, which narrows the market.
Reported suitors include the Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers. Hellebuyck was also linked to the Buffalo Sabres earlier in the offseason, but that talk cooled when Buffalo declined to include Zach Benson in a potential package.
Last season was a rough one statistically for Hellebuyck, who posted a career-low .895 save percentage as the Jets finished 35-35-12 and missed the playoffs. That decline adds context to both his trade request and Winnipeg’s reluctance to move him for anything less than full value.
What’s Next
Hellebuyck’s suspension is expected to end Friday, but the sources do not say whether he will report to the Jets once it lifts or what his next step will be. Winnipeg continues to lean on Skinner as its primary starter in the meantime.
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