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On Wednesday evening, the Winnipeg Jets announced the suspension of netminder Connor Hellebuyck after he did not show up for the start of training camp.
According to the franchise, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is scheduled to speak with reporters on Thursday morning. The duration of the disciplinary action was not disclosed.
A three-time recipient of the Vezina Trophy and the 2025 Hart Trophy recipient as the league’s most valuable player, Hellebuyck made an open request to be traded from the organization on August 27.
Through a message shared on X by his representative, Ray Petkau, the goaltender explained that his initial trade request was made confidentially “a number of months back,” allowing the team ample opportunity to handle the matter “without public fuss or disrespect.”
“Throughout my entire professional career, Winnipeg has been my home, and I will forever appreciate the time I spent here,” Hellebuyck remarked. “I still vividly remember June 23, 2012. On that day, Winnipeg chose to take a leap of faith on a goaltender playing out of Odessa, Texas. Ever since that moment, I dedicated everything I had to showing the Jets that they made the correct choice.”
Prior to the NHL draft in June, Cheveldayoff mentioned he was open to hearing trade proposals regarding Hellebuyck. However, he stopped short of confirming that the netminder had formally sought a way out of the team at that point.
