Connor Hellebuyck's exit could benefit the Chicago Blackhawks for years

The cat is officially out of the bag. Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck went public with his trade request, something many across the NHL universe knew for months as the Olympic gold medalist was almost dealt at the 2026 NHL Draft.

As arguably the best goalie in the Central Division, when Hellebuyck departs, possibly to Eastern Conference destinations like Buffalo or Carolina, his absence will severely hurt the Jets' chances to contend. Ultimately, without acquiring another Vezina Trophy-caliber goalie in return, Hellebuyck leaving the Central Division only helps the Chicago Blackhawks in the long run, who have won only eight games in 32 meetings.

A look at Central Division elite goalies

Surprisingly, two of the NHL's top American-born goalies call the Central Division home as Hellebuyck skates with the Jets and Jake Oettinger plays for the Dallas Stars. Together, they have helped their teams remain among the division's top teams while leading their clubs on deep playoff runs.

Despite not having a Vezina Trophy winner since Ed Belfour in 1993, the Blackhawks remain one of only three Central Division teams to win the Stanley Cup since 2010, joining the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues.

A further dive into recent Vezina Trophy winners: four of the last five Western Conference winners dating back to 2006 have come from the Central, with Hellebuyck winning in 2020, 2024, and 2025, and Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators winning in 2018. Only future Hall of Famer Marc-André Fleury won the Vezina and didn’t play in the division at the time of his win in 2021, with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Outside of Oettinger, the only two other big names in the Central include Jordan Binnington (St. Louis) and Juuse Saros (Nashville). Interestingly, only Binnington, another netminder featured heavily in the rumor mill, has led his team to a Stanley Cup, which he did in 2019. Meanwhile, Saros is one of the league’s workhorses on a team that is stuck in the middle of not being a Stanley Cup contender and not being a draft lottery team either.

From Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota) to Karel Vejmelka (Utah) and Spencer Knight (Chicago) to Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood (Colorado), the Central Division goalie hierarchy begins with Hellebuyck, and it undergoes a significant shuffling when he departs.

Blackhawks fans won’t miss playing Hellebuyck all the time

If Hellebuyck leaves the Western Conference altogether, the Blackhawks won't see the former Hart Trophy winner as much, which would be a blessing.

Since the 33-year-old made his NHL debut just months after Chicago won their last Stanley Cup in 2015, the two have gone down separate paths in the past decade. The Blackhawks have bottomed out and filled a roster of former Hall of Famers with top draft picks, while Hellebuyck guided the Jets to a Presidents' Trophy and a trip to the Western Conference Final in 2018.

In 625 games, Hellebuyck has compiled a 345-208-55 record and has played the Blackhawks and Stars the most, 32 times, more than any other opponent. Given the Stars are usually one of the league’s top teams, he’s only earned a 14-12-6 record against them. However, Hellebuyck is 23-8-1 against Chicago, the most wins against any team in the league.

So, wherever he ends up, most likely outside of the Central, the Blackhawks won’t have to face one of this generation’s very best every couple of weeks. Instead, it could be once or twice a season, giving Chicago a chance to reverse their recent misfortunes against the Jets.

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