It’s natural to watch the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers with envious eyes, wishing you had what they had. It seems to happen every season when GMs around the league take in the Stanley Cup Final and wonder which traits are missing from their own teams.
And maybe that’s why prospective 2023-24 contenders are already sniffing around the trade market, hoping to land a rock-solid No. 1 to carry them deeper next spring. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli listed Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Entering the final season of his contract and without an extension, he has never been a more attainable target.
Still, there’s no denying the safety Hellebuyck brings to any net. He’s a Vezina Trophy winner and the biggest workhorse of his generation. He has started 23 games more than the second-busiest goalie over the past five seasons, during which he’s compiled a .916 save percentage.