Brady Tkachuk’s move from Ottawa to South Florida, where he joins big brother Matthew on the Panthers, made serious waves over the weekend — and it’s raised some interesting questions, too, about whether we could see other Team USA Olympians move from Canadian markets to contending clubs south of the border.
At the heart of that speculation is Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The 33-year-old has had a pretty remarkable run of success of late — he won back-to-back William M Jennings and Vezina Trophy honours in 2023-24 and 2024-25, as well as the Hart Trophy in 2024-25 while backstopping the Jets to the Presidents’ Trophy. He added an Olympic gold medal to his resume in February as Team USA’s No. 1 netminder in Milan. When the Jets failed to make the post-season, Hellebuyck made it clear he wasn’t pleased with how things unfolded this season, and that’s had speculation simmering ever since.
According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the smoke around Hellebuyck “is real.” She highlights the Panthers as a team to watch here — though, considering the haul they just sent to Florida for Tkachuk, it seems unlikely they can package up a big enough return. Kaplan also points to Vegas and Carolina as potential suitors.
Another NHL insider, Frank Seravalli, also believes Florida remains interested — and it’d be easy to see why Hellebuyck would be interested in joining them, considering the presence of his U.S. teammates, the location, the club’s status as perennial contenders, and the wide-open job availability now that Sergei Bobrovsky’s deal is coming to an end. As Seravalli outlined this week, there’s also a case to be made for the Utah Mammoth, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres as intriguing destinations to keep an eye on.
If Hellebuyck is to be moved, he’ll have final say. He currently has a full no-move clause on the seven-year pact he signed in 2023. That changes to a modified no-trade clause in 2027-28 that allows him to submit a 10-team approved list. Hellebuyck is under contract for five more seasons at an $8.5-million AAV.
What’s the market for Bobrovsky?
More fallout from the Tkachuk deal in Florida: What does it mean for the Panthers’ goalie search? The club is clearly all-in when it comes to their lineup, but the obvious lack of starting goalies is… well, it stands out. Re-signing two-time Stanley Cup champ Sergei Bobrovsky feels like an obvious solution, but all signs currently point to that relationship being over.
During an NHL Network segment on Sunday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said he’s heard it’s “unlikely” Bobrovsky will return to Florida. During the latest edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Friedman pointed out Bobrovsky’s personal connections to a pair of Maple Leafs in Anthony Stolarz (his backup in Florida) and Steven Lorentz (another former Panther, and close pal). That could be an interesting situation to watch.
Panthers GM Bill Zito said Tuesday that there “are no doors closed,” but didn’t really tip his hand beyond that.
Still a gap between Tuch, Sabres
As the clock ticks ahead of free agency opening next week, the situation between Alex Tuch and his hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres, remains uncertain. It’s a player-friendly market right now, considering the relative lack of star power in this year’s UFA class and the rising salary cap, and Tuch might just be sitting back and watching his stock rise.
As Kaplan wrote on Tuesday, the two sides “haven’t bridged the gap” on a new deal. Should that remain the case by the end of the week, the likelihood of Buffalo trading his signing rights — a la Tampa Bay and Darren Raddysh — grows, making Tuch a name to watch on both the free agency and the trade front for the next week.
Blackhawks interested in Knies
Whether or not Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies is actually available has been one of the bigger questions of this off-season, and it appears that question remains top-of-mind moving forward.
According to Kaplan, “Toronto continues to field calls” on the power forward. But does that mean they’re actively shopping him? Look up and down the league, and it’s easy to see why there would be massive interest in him. Knies is just 23 years old and has the size and skill to be a real difference maker in a team’s top six. He’s under contract for five more years at a very reasonable $7.75-million cap hit.
Per Kaplan, the Chicago Blackhawks "have been interested for a while." Kaplan also says Chicago's No. 4 overall pick in this weekend's draft "is absolutely in play."
As Sportsnet’s Luke Fox wrote on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs better be careful with this one.
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