The 2026 NHL Draft is here and the Winnipeg Jets enter the night with the 8th overall pick. However, during the pre-draft media availability Friday morning with general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, the focus was on whether the team’s star goaltender could be wearing a new sweater next season. Connor Hellebuyck’s name has been popping up in potential trade conversations in the past couple of weeks and Cheveldayoff was asked if he could shed any more light on the situation as it stands. “It’s that time of year, right? Everyone’s talking about ways to improve their team or different things like that. Certainly, as an organization, we’re going to listen,” said Cheveldayoff, who wouldn’t confirm if Hellebuyck had requested a trade or not. “Everyone saw Helly’s press conference at the end of the year; he was passionate. Certainly, in our exit meetings we had some frank conversations as well.” Hellebucyk spoke frankly at the end of the season, expressing his frustration at the past year and the Jets’ inability to get into the playoffs a year after capturing the President’s Trophy as the league’s top team. He also questioned if the Jets would be able to get the pieces that they need to take the next step and fight for a Stanley Cup. Cheveldayoff was asked if his willingness to listen to trade offers on Hellebuyck means he is more open to the idea of moving the goalie if it means he can improve the Jets in other areas. “I think, again, that would be fair to say in the sense that if you can fill some holes in other areas and do things a little bit differently, then I think you can try to find a way. But if those holes on those needs aren’t met, then, you know, again, that’s part of the game.” Cheveldayoff later followed it by noting the phone calls he has been receiving on Hellebuyck have yet to make him act on a trade. He added a second line centre is a spot that they are hoping to fill this year, whether it be by players already in the system or by external means. Hellebuyck is locked up for five more seasons with a cap hit of $8.5 million a year after he signed an extension in 2024. As for the draft itself, this is the first time Winnipeg has picked in the top 10 since 2020, when they took Cole Perfetti 10th overall. Cheveldayoff said there are a number of players the organization is excited about that they feel they could take with the 8th overall pick. “There’s an opportunity to get someone that can be really impactful for the future of the franchise,” he said. “I think when you’re in a situation like this where you have a high pick, you just want to be fortunate enough to have players in that area that everybody is passionate about and that seems to be the case.” The 2026 NHL Draft will get underway at 6 p.m. from Buffalo, NY.
