Hellebuyck standoff caused by… Nathan MacKinnon?

Looking for someone to blame in the Connor Hellebuyck fiasco and cast as public enemy No. 1? How about long-time Winnipeg Jets nemesis Nathan MacKinnon?

Allow us to explain as we fire up the time machine and head back to February in Italy.

Oh, what could have been if MacKinnon had been able to score on what appeared to be an open net late in the third period of the men’s gold medal game with Hellebuyck down and seemingly out of position.

Instead, the star forward fired wide, keeping the score deadlocked at 1-1 as the clock ticked down on regulation.

That miss would become the stuff of Canadian hockey nightmares when Jack Hughes sniped in overtime to send Team USA to the top of the podium. And while the New Jersey Devils forward was the scoring hero, nobody stood taller that night in Milan than Hellebuyck, who stopped 41-of-42 shots he faced while getting some puck luck along the way.

The dramatic ending arguably set in motion a chaotic — and catastrophic, from a Winnipeg fanbase point of view — chain of events that has culminated in the Jets starting training camp this week without their star netminder, who has gone on strike.

There continues to be no movement on that front with Hellebuyck back at his off-season home in Michigan, working out privately and waiting for word on a trade he has requested despite having five years remaining on his contract.

It’s hard to fathom how he’s helping his stock by refusing to come to work, something the NHL hasn’t seen from a player under contract since Alexei Yashin, then of the Ottawa Senators, way back in 1999.

The Jets, who haven’t found a team willing to pay what they admit would be a high price, have suspended the three-time Vezina Trophy and one-time Hart Trophy winner.

Is it a bit of a stretch to try to connect the dots and point the finger or blame MacKinnon’s way? Perhaps. But this is a classic example of the butterfly effect, described as a “concept in chaos theory stating that small changes in the starting conditions of a complex system can lead to drastically different outcomes over time.”

“I think we kind of had an inkling that it was going that way.”

In a nutshell, it’s about “ifs and buts.” And this soap opera is loaded with them.

Imagine a world where Hellebuyck and his American teammates are forced to settle for a silver medal. A nice trinket, for sure. But hardly something that would trigger the prolonged victory lap that came with being the golden boys and earning bragging rights for at least the next four years.

Do you think U.S. President Donald Trump would have extended an invitation to the second-place squad to chow down on McDonald’s cheeseburgers with him at the White House?

Not a chance.

Nor would Hellebuyck have been awarded the Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honour in the United States. It’s that distinction which really caused significant backlash north of the border, especially given Trump’s continued threats to make Canada the 51st state paired with the ongoing trade war.

As we have since learned, Hellebuyck, and in particular his wife Andrea, were subjected to online harassment and threats that prompted the Jets’ security team and even police to get involved.

And sources have told the Free Press that certainly played a part in Hellebuyck wanting out. Not just from Winnipeg, but from Canada altogether. It’s widely believed the 33-year-old Michigan native would be unwilling to waive his no-move clause for any other team in this country.

All of which has put the Jets in a major pickle as they try to rebound from a terrible season in which they fell from first overall to 26th, but will now have to do it without the services of one of their most important players.

“It might have been a surprise to you guys, but I think we kind of had an inkling that it was going that way,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said on Friday.

“It’s unfortunate, but we’ve got to focus on the guys that are here and make the best of the situation. Obviously it’s a super important piece from our team.”

It’s also a distraction that is clearly starting to wear on some players.

“I mean, honestly, there’s so many people talking about Hellebuyck and the whole situation. I think there is enough we talked about,” said a clearly irritated Nino Niederreiter.

“So for me, it’s important to talk about the Winnipeg Jets who are here, and we don’t really need to focus on guys who are not here.”

Worth noting: We’re only two days into training camp. And this story, along with questions about it, won’t go away until there is some type of finality.

“It’s important to talk about the Winnipeg Jets who are here, and we don’t really need to focus on guys who are not here.”

Hellebuyck isn’t the only American player to want out of a Canadian market. Olympic teammate Quinn Hughes wasn’t going to re-sign in Vancouver and was ultimately shipped to Minnesota. And Brady Tkachuk requested a trade from Ottawa at the end of last season and was ultimately given a one-way ticket to Florida to play with his brother Matthew.

There are rumblings that Auston Matthews might not be long for Toronto, either.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that Team USA dressing room or to be granted access to their team group chat. One can only imagine the content, especially with fellow gold medallists Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski and even Hughes — Mr. Golden Goal — all potentially looking for new hockey homes, too.

So, back to MacKinnon. If he shoots that puck just a few inches in the other direction, would any of this be happening?

We’ll never know. And that’s the whole point. One tiny change in Italy, one piece of vulcanized rubber bouncing another way, and the butterfly effect starts flapping its wings.

Jets fans have never needed a reason to boo MacKinnon, who has led his Colorado Avalanche to plenty of success against the local squad, including a first-round victory in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

MacKinnon had no trouble solving Hellebuyck that spring, scoring twice and adding seven assists in the Avalanche’s five-game triumph.

Would one more snipe — this time on an even bigger sporting stage — have prevented the current standoff?

winnipegfreepress.com/mikemcintyre