Hellebuyck Trade Talks Persist: Buffalo Remains Top Destination for Jets Goalie

Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves on December 1, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, yet the Winnipeg Jets still fell 3-1 to the Stars. The loss was just another game on the schedule, but the elite goaltender’s name kept dominating trade chatter. And for good reason—behind closed doors, Winnipeg and Buffalo are still talking, with the Sabres looking like the strongest candidate to land the franchise cornerstone.

Hellebuyck carries a no-trade clause, which hands him real control over where he plays next. That power has fundamentally shaped how these negotiations work. NHL insider David Pagnotta reports that Hellebuyck wants to join the Buffalo Sabres—a preference that makes sense given Buffalo’s urgency to shore up the goaltending position. The Sabres rank among the top teams pursuing the goaltender.

A deal isn’t guaranteed, though. Earlier rounds of talks hit a snag: Winnipeg wanted the fourth overall pick, but Buffalo had something different in mind. Those differences haven’t disappeared. Yet neither side appears ready to walk away. “Those conversations I think are going to continue, I haven’t heard it’s dead in the water yet,” Pagnotta said.

Mike McIntyre, a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press, sees Buffalo as the natural fit for Hellebuyck—and the wider hockey world agrees. The Sabres can offer geography, a solid market, and organizational stability. For a player with the power to choose, those things matter.

Can the Jets and Sabres close the gap on a deal? That’s the real question now. Both teams seem willing to keep negotiating, but the distance between Winnipeg’s asking price and Buffalo’s offer is substantial enough to sink even the most realistic trade scenarios. The next few weeks will tell whether Hellebuyck ends up in Buffalo or stays put in Winnipeg.