Key Takeaways
- • NHL analyst Sam Cosentino argues that Winnipeg GM Cheveldayoff should use the Quinn Hughes trade return as a benchmark in any deal for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
- • Cosentino contends that the Jets hold more leverage in negotiations because the team is winning.
- • Additional coverage describes Hellebuyck's trade request as a live issue as Jets training camp opens, with Winnipeg publicly holding its ground on trade offers.
- • Commentators are divided on the right course: one analyst urged the Jets to keep Hellebuyck out of the lineup rather than accept a weak return, while others have floated possible trade partners such as the Montreal Canadiens.
Summary
NHL analyst Sam Cosentino joined the FAN Hockey Show on Sportsnet.ca on October 8, 2026, to assess the state of play in Winnipeg regarding a potential trade of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The segment, which runs about two minutes, focused on how the Jets should evaluate offers. Cosentino recommended that general manager Cheveldayoff use the return the team received in the Quinn Hughes trade as a benchmark for any package sent back for Hellebuyck.
Cosentino also argued that Winnipeg's competitive position improves its bargaining power. Because the team is winning, the Jets have more leverage in negotiations and do not need to accept the first offer on the table, according to his remarks.
Other Sportsnet coverage places the discussion in the context of Hellebuyck's trade request and the start of training camp. Sportsnet has reported that Cheveldayoff is holding firm on trade offers and wants to secure the best possible value if he moves the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. Commentary elsewhere has taken different positions. One NHL analyst urged the Jets to keep Hellebuyck out of the lineup rather than trade him for a weak return, reasoning that Winnipeg would keep control of the player while losing its starting goaltender. Other analysts have suggested the Montreal Canadiens could facilitate a deal in their pursuit of a Jets forward.
The full package and terms of any Hellebuyck trade remain unreported in the material reviewed. The Hughes return referenced by Cosentino is cited as a comparison point, and no specific assets from that deal are detailed in the primary source.
Cosentino also argued that Winnipeg's competitive position improves its bargaining power. Because the team is winning, the Jets have more leverage in negotiations and do not need to accept the first offer on the table, according to his remarks.
Other Sportsnet coverage places the discussion in the context of Hellebuyck's trade request and the start of training camp. Sportsnet has reported that Cheveldayoff is holding firm on trade offers and wants to secure the best possible value if he moves the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. Commentary elsewhere has taken different positions. One NHL analyst urged the Jets to keep Hellebuyck out of the lineup rather than trade him for a weak return, reasoning that Winnipeg would keep control of the player while losing its starting goaltender. Other analysts have suggested the Montreal Canadiens could facilitate a deal in their pursuit of a Jets forward.
The full package and terms of any Hellebuyck trade remain unreported in the material reviewed. The Hughes return referenced by Cosentino is cited as a comparison point, and no specific assets from that deal are detailed in the primary source.
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