Hellebuyck leaves the Winnipeg Jets: NHL star goalie traded

One of the NHL's best goaltenders, Connor Hellebuyck, has left the Winnipeg Jets. The clubs announced the trade on Friday, as the 33-year-old American's suspension for refusing to take the ice expired.

What Winnipeg got

For the star goalie, the Jets received forwards Dawson Mercer, Nick Bjugstad and promising Alexander Kommand, goaltender Nick Daws, plus draft picks in 2027 and 2029.

Hellebuyck had wanted out since the end of last season and said so publicly in August. He was one of the architects of the American victory at this year's Winter Olympics in Milan, and in September he failed to report to the Jets' training camp. The club suspended him.

The contract and the price of rebellion

The goalie has the third year of a seven-year, $59.5 million contract ahead of him, with a base salary of $7.5 million. The 2025 Hart Trophy winner as the league's most valuable player was losing almost $39,000 a day during the suspension, and forfeited $927,835 in total, more than CZK 20 million.

Hellebuyck has spent his entire NHL career in Winnipeg: he debuted in November 2015, getting into the lineup because of an injury to the Czech Ondřej Pavelec. The Michigan native became the club's all-time leader among goaltenders in games played (625), starts (615), wins (345) and shutouts (45). His save percentage of .916 and goals-against average of 2.58 are the best in franchise history among goalies with at least 80 games played.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz