Summer-long stalemate drags into fall Suspension on the horizon for Hellebuyck as pre-season set to start By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 6:21 PM CDT Tuesday, Sep. 15, 2026

In this high stakes game of chicken, neither Kevin Cheveldayoff, Connor Hellebuyck nor any of the potential suitors for the Winnipeg Jets franchise netminder appear ready to blink.

That’s why this summer-long stalemate is on the verge of stretching into autumn.

Jets players have been saying what you would expect them to say over the past week, both during informal skates and at Monday’s golf tournament at St. Charles Country Club — which was an official team event.

And the ability to separate the personal relationship with the business side of the game has been prevalent in most conversations.

But the need to block out the noise is a real thing for a Jets team that comes into training camp looking for a bounce-back season and is currently without someone players have regularly referred to as the backbone of the team.

It would be a surprise if he rolls into town for the first on-ice session on Thursday.

Unless he has a sudden change of heart, the expectation is that Hellebuyck won’t be reporting for medicals and physicals on Wednesday and it would be a surprise if he rolls into town for the first on-ice session on Thursday.

At some point, either later in the day on Wednesday or on Thursday, the Jets are likely to respond by suspending Hellebuyck for withholding his services.

Since he’s under contract for five more seasons with an average annual value of US$8.5 million, Hellebuyck can’t just look for another team to play for overseas while he waits for resolution either.

He’s expected to continue his workouts and hope another NHL club steps up with an offer that will bring him a more permanent in-season address.

The next pressure point isn’t likely to arrive until a goalie from another team suffers an injury or an interested party gets off to a slow start.

As for Hellebuyck, he’s having his patience tested as well, though the true test won’t come until he starts missing paycheques in October.

At some point, Hellebuyck could decide that being back between the pipes for the Jets is the best way to enhance his trade value.

But right now, that doesn’t appear to be the case, which is why many observers around the NHL remain intrigued by what will happen next and when the next twist in this plot actually arrives.

So where does that leave the Jets? In a holding pattern.

While there is urgency to sort things out on the Hellebuyck front, given the importance of the upcoming season, making a bad trade has the potential to set the franchise back for an extended period of time.

And that’s a risk the club’s general manager isn’t willing to make at this stage of the proceedings.

Monday’s report from TSN insider Darren Dreger that the offers for Hellebuyck have been “terrible” sends a signal to interested parties around the league that if you want to add an elite-level goalie, you better bring a better trade package.

Whether or not that spurs action remains to be seen.

Trades like this one are complicated, and while a segment of the fan base seems to be sliding into the get-this-over-with category, Cheveldayoff isn’t at that point yet — nor can he afford to be.

What can the Jets do in the meantime?

Stuart Skinner is currently in the catbird seat and his July 1 signing wasn’t an accident. He’s ready to be the No. 1 guy, with his career high for games played coming back in the 2023-24 season with 59 (which included 57 starts).

The netminder made a combined 50 starts for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers last season and has been to the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of his four full NHL campaigns.

The Jets believe his best play is yet to come, but two potential options in the backup role were taken off the board during the past week, with Connor Ingram choosing to retire and Cam Talbot signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.

And before the 2026 draft, Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen was a target for the Jets in the deal that didn’t get over the finish line and since trade protection kicked in on July 1.

Notable veterans who remain available for a deal are Morweena product James Reimer, Petr Mrazek and Matt Murray.

And on the other end of the career spectrum, the Jets have prospects Thomas Milic (the Manitoba Moose MVP last season) and Dom DiVincentiis (who had a strong showing with the Moose during the Calder Cup playoffs) vying for the backup role.

With only four exhibition games this fall, the Jets could roll with Skinner in two of those starts and leave the other action to the aforementioned prospects and any potential players in camp on a Pro Tryout Offer.

The club could also wait to see who is placed on waivers leading into the regular season.

For example, Brandon Bussi was claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers by the Carolina Hurricanes and he was the guy between the pipes when the Stanley Cup was raised in June.

Yes, Freddie Andersen did most of the heavy lifting for the Hurricanes, picking up 13 of the 16 post-season wins, but Bussi made 39 starts during the regular season and chipped in the final three wins after Andersen got hurt.

Another example — and a potential trade move that would make the most sense — is Colten Ellis, who was also claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues last season and got into the first 16 games of his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres (including 14 starts), going 8-4-2 with a 2.90 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.

So, maybe the Jets pivot to Ellis as a complementary piece if they can also acquire a middle-six forward or two (like Jack Quinn and/or Ryan McLeod), defenceman Radim Mrtka and some draft capital.

And while the situations are different, there are parallels to the Pierre-Luc Dubois deal with the Los Angeles Kings that took place at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville.

Moving a two-way centre with size and tenacity brought back Gabriel Vilardi (who has grown into a top-line winger coming off his first 30-goal season), versatile forward Alex Iafallo, a speedy forward in Rasmus Kupari and a second-round pick that became defence prospect Alfons Freij.

The positives that came out of the Dubois trade should bring some comfort for a fanbase hoping their club will be on the right side of the playoff line come April. Until then, Hellebuyck watch continues into the pre-season.

winnipegfreepress.com/kenwiebe