Suggested Trade Sees Panthers Acquire Jets’ Hellebuyck in Offseason Blockbuster

The Florida Panthers missed the playoffs after two straight Stanley Cup championships, and will be looking to get back into contention next season. They ran into some serious injury issues and weren’t able to show the same dominance that fans saw in the previous two seasons, but they still have one of the strongest cores in the NHL, and will try and make it their third Stanley Cup victory in four seasons.

One thing the Panthers need to acknowledge is their goaltending situation. It seems likely that Sergei Bobrovsky is going to hit the open market, barring a last-minute extension, and they will be looking for a new starter.

While it could be a stretch, there is a world where the Panthers could have a chance at landing Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck.

Following the Jets’ rough 2025-26 campaign, Hellebuyck had some blunt comments about the status of the team. “What we did was unacceptable, and no one wants to be a part of that,” Hellebuyck said. He continued: “”It’s hard, it’s hard. Can you get the pieces you need? Will the players come? Those are always questions that you have in Winnipeg.”

Hellebuyck would go on to mention that his main focus is on winning, and that he doesn’t play the game for money or for fame, and with that in mind, the Panthers become a sensible option, if he is open to being traded.

In a recent article from The Hockey Writers’ Joey Ganzi, he mentioned that the Panthers should be looking to target Hellebuyck. He wrote: “Assuming a deal is put in place, it easily keeps Florida’s championship window open for an extended period of time. With the amount of Stanley Cup-caliber talent on the roster, they should expect multiple cups with him on board.”

In this article, we take a look at a potential trade between the Panthers and Jets involving Hellebuyck. Keep in mind, this deal is simply hypothetical, and there are no indications that Hellebuyck is willing to waive his trade protection, or that the two teams have had any conversations regarding a trade.

Hellebuyck Goes to Panthers, Jets Land Solid Trade Return

Hellebuyck, who is 33 years old, played 57 games last season, winning 23 of them, while posting a 2.86 goals-against-average (GAA), a .895 save percentage (SV%), and a 5.5 goals saved above expected (GSAX).

The Jets need a centre, and while Mackie Samoskevich could be someone that they would likely have interest in, he doesn’t fit their immediate need if they want to try and remain in contention.

Realistically, the Panthers acquire Hellebuyck in exchange for Anton Lundell, the 9th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a 2026 second-round pick. The Panthers get their goaltender and solve their hole between the pipes, while the Jets come out with a solid player, as well as a top-10 pick and a second-round pick in a stacked draft class.

The Jets would lack leverage in any deal, since Hellebuyck controls where he can be traded. The Jets could wait him out, as they don’t technically have to trade him, but they run the risk of having someone in the locker room who is unhappy, which could affect the rest of the team.

Hellebuyck would have to waive his trade protection to accept a trade to the Panthers, but if they were interested and he knew there was an opportunity to join them, chances are, he’d be open to joining them.

With a strong core of players locked up for a few more seasons, and a long window for the Panthers to continue to remain in contention for a while, Hellebuyck’s focus on winning could sway him to want to accept a trade.

If Hellebuyck is available, every team in the NHL should be calling about him. We will see if the Jets end up moving him, but if they do, the Panthers make a lot of sense to land him.

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