The Utah Mammoth has undeniably been after Connor Hellebuyck... But should they actually trade for him or stay away?
Here's one reason for Utah to trade for Hellebuyck, and one reason they shouldn't.
Utah could use a goalie who could carry a team
The two goalies that Utah is likely to roll out coming into the 2026-27 season is Karel Vejmelka and Sebastian Cossa.
Vejmelka was 38-20-3 in the 2025-26 season, and it felt like Utah would just win when he started. However, his other stats didn't stand out. Neither do his career numbers. There is a reason to be believe that Vejmelka can regress.
Of course, he could actually be just as good, if not better. However, Utah remains curious about how good Vejmelka can be this next season. Cossa, 23, has one career start. Is quite the prospect, but there is no way to predict how a rookie goalie will perform.
In a nightmare scenario, Vejmelka regresses, and Cossa struggles to adjust to the NHL. That's one reason Utah might trade for the former Hart Trophy winner, Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck has the It factor. He has the ability to not just be good but carry a team.
Hellebuyck struggled in the 2025-26 season, but in the Winter Olympics, Hellebuyck was nothing short of amazing. Combined with a great defense and Hellebuyck, Team USA defeated Team Canada 2-1 in the Gold Medal game. Hellebuyck performed so well that he earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom. In other words, Hellebuyck can change Utah.
Utah may have to give up too much
The Winnipeg Jets know who they have on their hands. A superstar goalie. He is 33, but again, he proved he can still be amazing.
Utah wouldn't want to give up picks and prospects, at least a lot of them, for Hellebuyck. Utah has plenty of prospects and picks. But that isn't a bad thing. It's a problem. But that is a good problem to have.
Sure, it looks like Utah is trying to get someone else and turn themselves into a contender (well, they already are, just not as good as the Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche), but Utah clearly showed their intent to keep their prospects in Utah in the early offseason. The Mammoth added Vincent Trocheck, but they didn't give up much at all.
So, unless the Jets are willing to give Hellebuyck for a reasonable price or a discount to avoid an ugly situation, Utah probably shouldn't trade for him.
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