NHL Rumours: Makar’s Record-Breaking Deal, Hellebuyck Destinations & More – The Hockey Writers – NHL Rumors

In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we start off by looking at Cale Makar’s record-breaking extension and what it could mean for Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild, too. Next, after going public with his trade request, what teams make the most sense for Connor Hellebuyck?

Finally, the Pittsburgh Penguins are in a strong position to execute a full tear-down, but they could still look to add to the roster.

Makar’s New Deal Sets Bar for Hughes

After seeing Kirill Kaprizov, Leo Carlsson, and Macklin Celebrini all sign record-setting contracts in the last 11 months, with Makar and Hughes both eligible for extensions, the probability of that being broken again was pretty high.

Makar’s new deal, paying him $163.2 million across eight years, is the highest total contract in NHL history, and is the first player to hit the $20 million mark for his average annual value.

Signing for the maximum length of eight years shows that Makar has significant loyalty to the Colorado Avalanche. In a world where star players are signing for shorter term to maximize their earnings, Makar was willing to go long-term.

What does this mean for Hughes now? Odds are, he is still going to look for a three-year deal that lines up with Jack Hughes’ contract, and they could find a new destination together. The Wild will try to push for a longer deal, but they also know that they could try to entice Jack to join the team when the time comes.

In terms of the salary, $17 million was the ballpark for both Hughes and Makar, and with the Avalanche superstar, the term likely brought the cost up, too. (from NHL rumblings: Could Cale Makar get $20 million? Plus, latest on Kucherov, Carlson, more., The Athletic, June 29, 2026)

If Hughes is going to sign for three years, it will likely come in under Makar’s number, but could be close.

Hellebuyck Trade Destinations After Public Trade Request

While it wasn’t confirmed until he went public, it was pretty clear that Hellebuyck had made his trade request and that the Winnipeg Jets were being put in a tough spot.

One thing that plays to their advantage is Hellebuyck’s contract. Not only does he make a reasonable $8.5 million until 2031, but his full no-movement clause (NMC) is reduced down to a 21-team no-trade list next offseason.

While it may end up hurting his value, the Jets could opt to keep him and play with some freedom next offseason.

Hellebuyck reportedly has not given a very short list of teams and is willing to waive his NMC for a variety of teams, according to Chris Johnston.

There were rumours around the draft that the Buffalo Sabres were closing in on a deal. Hellebuyck reportedly would have waived his NMC, but the Sabres weren’t willing to give up as much as Winnipeg was asking for.

The Athletic’s Jesse Granger wrote about potential destinations and included the Sabres, capping off his breakdown by stating, “The Sabres also have a plethora of top-six forwards they could send Winnipeg’s way, including Josh Norris and Ryan McLeod, giving this potential trade a real chance,” in addition to a goaltender. (from Connor Hellebuyck trade fits: 8 teams that could make a deal with the Jets, The Athletic, Aug. 29, 2026)

Granger also listed the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes, who both just made the Stanley Cup Final and could benefit from an upgrade in the crease.

The Utah Mammoth and New Jersey Devils were included as well, who are both teams trying to become perennial playoff contenders with question marks in net.

There are a ton of teams who should be interested in Hellebuyck’s services, but with his NMC and the Jets’ high asking price, it may be difficult to predict his landing spot correctly.

Penguins Rebuild to be Dictated By 2026-27

When Kyle Dubas took over the Penguins, the expectation was that the team was heading toward a rebuild. In his time with the team, they have certainly gotten younger.

Still, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin remain, along with wingers Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and defensemen Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. The core of the team is well into their 30s, with 40-year-old Malkin signing a new deal this offseason, too.

The Athletic’s Josh Yohe wrote on this and stated, “The Penguins have gotten younger since Dubas took over, with notable names such as [Ben] Kindel, Egor Chinakhov and Elmer Söderblom making clear impacts last season.” (from State of the Penguins: Annual assessment of Pittsburgh’s roster, questions, outlook, The Athletic, Aug. 28, 2026)

Those veterans are coming to the end of their contracts, with Crosby, Malkin, and Karlsson all set to become unrestricted free agents next offseason if they are not extended, and Rust, Rakell, and Letang are due the following offseason.

In a separate article, Yohe stated, “…if they don’t look like they’re a playoff team and I were Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and others, I’d be very aware of all the trade buzz around the league.” (from Will Sidney Crosby win another Stanley Cup with the Penguins?, The Athletic, Aug. 25, 2026)

There will be tough decisions to be made throughout the next year for Dubas. If the Penguins struggle to start the year right, the Penguins have a ton of assets they could move as deadline rentals.