Oilers’ 3 Best Trade Packages for Connor Hellebuyck – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

Connor Hellebuyck officially requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets via a statement released by his agent on Thursday, Aug. 27. The longtime Jets goaltender is going into just the third season of a seven-year deal worth $8.5 million per season and is looking for a change. While a team like the Edmonton Oilers seems like an unlikely destination, it doesn’t hurt to think about the possibilities.

Hellebuyck is among the best goalies in the league, if not the top one. He has talked about his main goal being to win a Stanley Cup and how he could get there. The Oilers are still well within their contending window. I put together three different trade offers the Oilers could use if they would ever consider a move for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.

This isn’t saying Edmonton should or even would think about it, but it doesn’t hurt to scheme something up just in case.

Offer 1: Isaac Howard, Picks

To use recent precedent, we look at the blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Logan Stankoven and a slew of draft picks. Hellebuyck is of similar elite status to Rantanen, probably even more so, while Howard and Stankoven are a bit more of a stretch, but both are still young centrepieces in a trade return.

The Oilers don’t have an extreme wealth of draft capital, but sometimes it takes a gamble to land a star and become a bigger contender. This would give the Jets a young forward with a lot of potential to join their group up front along with a boatload of picks to secure a bright future. I believe this is the top option if Edmonton made a move.

WPG receives: Isaac Howard, 2027 second-round pick, 2028 first-round pick*, 2029 first-round pick*, 2029 third-round pick

*Conditional picks

EDM receives: Connor Hellebuyck

Offer 2: Devon Levi, Viljami Marjala, Picks

It wouldn’t be ideal to move a goaltender you just acquired and one of your top prospects, but it’s another tempting option. Devon Levi is still very young and coming from a crowded goalie room with the Buffalo Sabres, he’ll join another one in Edmonton. If the Jets were to take him on, he would join a tandem with former Oiler Stuart Skinner and likely see the most playing time of his career.

Vijami Marjala is just 23 years old and could see NHL ice time this season after 60 points in 72 games last season in the American Hockey League (AHL). It would be the biggest blow of this particular deal to let him go; however, it would likely be the piece that pushes it over the top for a Winnipeg team that would love to keep stocking their forward corps. It also allows the Oilers to hold onto a couple extra picks for future deals.

WPG receives: Devon Levi, Vijami Marjala, 2028 first-round pick, 2028 third-round pick

EDM receives: Connor Hellebuyck, 2027 sixth-round pick

Offer 3: Beau Akey, Connor Clattenburg, Picks

The final approach once again includes sending young Oilers the other way. Beau Akey plays a well-balanced game, and his intelligence is evident already at 21 years old. The Jets’ blue line is slowly aging and could always use a backup plan in the minors for the coming years, and Akey is full of potential.

Connor Clattenburg plays an old-school style of hockey. His offense has flashes, but it’s his board play and aggressiveness that shine the brightest. We’ll see how sustainable that will be in today’s NHL, but for now he’s showing a lot of improvement and will surely be ready for the next level full-time soon.

WPG receives: Beau Akey, Connor Clattenburg, 2028 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick

EDM receives: Connor Hellebuyck

We’ll see how the Winnipeg goaltender’s market shapes up in the coming weeks or months and if the Oilers are involved in any way. Hellebuyck is reportedly pretty open with regard to where he wants to go next, so anything is possible right now. The team has assets to use; it’s a question of whether the Jets want to gamble.