Connor Hellebuyck Suspended After Ghosting Jets Training Camp

Connor Hellebuyck is officially suspended by the Winnipeg Jets for ghosting training camp, which is the NHL equivalent of leaving your read receipts on while ignoring your boss.

Elliotte Friedman reported the suspension Tuesday after Hellebuyck blew past his afternoon deadline to report. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is set to face the media tomorrow morning, and you can bet that press conference will have all the relaxed, breezy energy of a hostage video.

Hellebuyck made his trade request public back in August, but the market for a 33-year-old goalie coming off a down year has not exactly been a bidding war. He posted a 23-23-11 record with an .895 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average last season, missing a chunk of time with a knee injury.

It is wild how quickly things change in this league. Just two seasons ago, Hellebuyck was hoisting the Hart Trophy with a league-leading 47 wins and a 2.00 GAA. Now, he is playing a high-stakes game of chicken with a front office that has zero incentive to trade him for pennies on the dollar.

For context, holding out of training camp costs him exactly zero actual dollars right now. NHL paychecks do not start cashing until the regular season begins, making this the most financially responsible temper tantrum in professional sports.

The Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils have all been floated as potential landing spots, which means futures bettors should probably keep an eye on those team goaltending props before the regular season puck drops.

Until a desperate team decides they are one elite, albeit aging, netminder away from a Stanley Cup run, Hellebuyck will be sitting at home. We will see if Cheveldayoff blinks first tomorrow morning, or if this standoff drags deep into October.