It is irrelevant for Kevin Cheveldayoff as to why Connor Hellebuyck decided not to show up to training camp, noting it was Hellebuyck’s choice and the team will deal with that choice moving forward. Those were the general managers’ comments at a news conference a day after the team announced Hellebuyck has been suspended after failing to report to the first day of training camp on Wednesday. Cheveldayoff said he has been trying to find a trade that works for the Winnipeg Jets and Hellebuyck, but nothing has come to fruition yet. “We’ve been looking for trying to make a trade that works for both sides for a long period of time here now. We’ll continue to do that, and you know, absent of that, I guess we’ll see how things unfold,” Cheveldayoff said Thursday. Rumours started to swirl earlier in the summer that Hellebuyck had requested a trade out of Winnipeg. By the end of August, the three-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender had released a statement through his agent making the trade request public. Cheveldayoff clarified the trade request was made early in the offseason during exit meetings and that originally Hellebuyck had asked to keep the request private. With the suspension now in effect, under the collective bargaining agreement with the NHL, Hellebuyck will not get paid for as long as he remains away from the team and his contract will not count against the Jets’ salary cap. When asked how long this situation could play out, Cheveldayoff said he isn’t focused on the time aspect of this, noting he has been flexible with Hellebuyck and his camp and he is open to all scenarios, however this goes. “I guess for me, my obligation is to the Winnipeg Jets, the Winnipeg Jets players, and the Winnipeg Jets fans. And, you know, I guess for me, I just want to get this right.” Why does Hellebuyck want out of Winnipeg? There has been a lot of speculation surrounding why Hellebuyck has decided to move on from the Jets. Was it because the Jets failed to make the playoffs and struggled throughout the season last year, one season removed from winning the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s top team and now Hellebuyck wants to go to a team that has a chance to win now? Cheveldayoff said that was a humbling experience, but he feels the team still has a strong nucleus and they are focused on getting back into the playoffs and pushing for a Stanley Cup. “There’s a little bit of a chip on the shoulder on a lot of players in that room that, you know, we didn’t achieve the levels that we wanted to last year and they want to prove something to all of you and all the fans.” There has also been plenty of talk about what happened after the Olympics in Milan, Italy, that ultimately saw the U.S. men’s hockey team capture gold against Canada, which featured Hellebuyck backstopping the national team to victory. Hellebuyck drew criticism after the game for attending a White House reception celebrating the victory, where U.S. President Donald Trump awarded Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After that event, there were reports that Hellebuyck and his family received threats online. Cheveldayoff said he was made aware of what happened and while he wasn’t fully aware of the nature of the threats, the team did look at increased security measures. “I do know that we requested additional security, so to speak, people driving by, made the police known. Again, please make sure that the players feel safe around that area.” Why trading Hellebuyck might be difficult right now Cheveldayoff wouldn’t comment on any specific trade talks that have unfolded with other teams around the league but said this situation is unique compared to trying to ship out another player. “I think you need to take a step back and look at this from a little bit of a different lens. We’re talking about a goaltender here, which is different than talking about a centre, different than talking about a defenceman. If you’re a team that has a bona fide number one goaltender and he’s locked up and he’s yours, you’re probably not interested,” said Cheveldayoff. “It’s not disparaging Connor Hellebuyck or anything like that, it’s just the goalie market in general. So the fact of the matter that a team might be on the (trade) list as an available option, (but) has a number one goaltender—well, you know, that’s kind of a moot point.” The GM said no matter how long this process plays out, he knows he can’t let his emotions dictate his decision-making, adding it can’t get personal against Hellebuyck. “You find ways to get around it and we’ll see what way we can find to get around this and, you know, hopefully it’s something that works for both sides.” As for how this could affect the rest of the players in the dressing room, Cheveldayoff said there is a good group of guys in the room and he isn’t concerned about how they will handle this with the season approaching. “Many guys in there will take ownership and say they need to be better (than last year) and that group, that’s what’s driving them right now. We had a training camp meeting last night. We had lots of conversations. Again, we showed the guys the brand new dressing room that is there. There’s lots of positive things here, I think, going forward.” In an email to CTV News, Hellebuyck’s agent Ray Petkau said he had no comment about the current situation with the Jets. However, he said Hellebuyck will speak at an “appropriate time.” The preseason gets underway for Winnipeg on Saturday in Edmonton against the Oilers. The season will kickoff at home on Oct. 2, against the Boston Bruins.
