Story Summary
Connor Hellebuyck’s future with the Winnipeg Jets remains unresolved, with Craig Button arguing that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff should wait for a return that serves the club’s immediate ambitions rather than accept a deal simply to end the situation. Hellebuyck’s trade request and Jets suspension are confirmed, meaning this is not merely an external-market rumour, but there is no reported completed trade or identified destination.
The Jets have added goaltender Clay Stevenson on waivers from the Washington Capitals, but that move does not settle the larger Hellebuyck question. Winnipeg announced the claim on September 28, with Stevenson arriving after four NHL appearances for Washington in 2025-26.
In Detroit, restricted free-agent defenceman Simon Edvinsson is no longer practising with the Red Wings and no longer has a locker in the dressing room, according to the information available. Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said the organisation would continue its conversations with Edvinsson and his representatives. No agreement, contract term or salary has been announced.
The two situations are different in scale and mechanism, but each concerns a significant player whose status has become a live roster issue as the season begins.
Key Facts
- Connor Hellebuyck requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets during the off-season and was suspended after failing to report to training camp.
- Craig Button said Kevin Cheveldayoff should wait for a deal that delivers a strong return rather than make a trade simply to conclude the process.
- Button framed the potential return as one that should help Winnipeg compete now, rather than focus on prospects or draft picks that may contribute years later.
- The Jets claimed goaltender Clay Stevenson off waivers from the Washington Capitals on September 28.
- Simon Edvinsson is a restricted free-agent defenceman and is not practising with the Detroit Red Wings while contract conversations continue.
- Shawn Horcoff said Detroit would continue discussions with Edvinsson and his representatives.
- A suggested November contract scenario involving a five-year deal at $9 million annually was presented as a hypothetical cap example, not as a reported offer or agreement.
IHM Discussion
Button’s assessment centres on leverage and standards rather than a timetable. His argument is that Cheveldayoff’s responsibility is not to force resolution at the first available opportunity, but to secure a return consistent with the value of a player of Hellebuyck’s stature and with Winnipeg’s stated desire to compete.
That does not establish that a suitable trade is close. It does, however, make clear why the Jets’ position may remain patient even as the season opens. Button specifically connected the handling of Hellebuyck to the message received by core players including Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor. In that framing, the return matters not only as an asset transaction, but as evidence of how the organisation intends to operate around its established group.
Stevenson’s arrival is a concrete move at goaltender, but it should not be presented as confirmation of an impending Hellebuyck trade. The waiver claim adds another goalie to the organisation; it does not disclose Winnipeg’s trade terms, name a club in negotiations or confirm a deadline for a deal.
Edvinsson’s case is a more conventional, though still meaningful, contract impasse. Detroit had previously had the 23-year-old at camp while he remained unsigned, with Horcoff describing a new deal as a priority.
Why It Matters
For Winnipeg, Hellebuyck’s status affects a premium position. Button’s view is that accepting a weaker future-focused package would run against a win-now message to the club’s key players. That is an interpretation of the Jets’ trade posture, not confirmation of what another team has offered.
For Detroit, the immediate issue is access to Edvinsson’s services while he remains unsigned. The Red Wings have not announced a new contract, and the absence from practice means the situation cannot be treated as routine camp business. Detroit’s earlier public comments underlined Edvinsson’s importance to the group, while his current status makes a completed agreement the only clear resolution point.
IHM Market Outlook
His trade request is public, but no completed trade has been announced and no club has been identified as having met Winnipeg’s price. The key reported position is Button’s belief that Cheveldayoff will wait rather than lower that standard.
The only dollar figure raised is part of a hypothetical example about cap accounting if a deal were signed on November 1. It is not evidence of Detroit’s offer, Edvinsson’s asking price or a five-year agreement under discussion. The responsible reading is simply that the sides remain in contact without publicly disclosed financial terms.
Mini Q&A
Has Connor Hellebuyck been traded?
No. Hellebuyck has requested a trade and has been suspended by the Jets, but no completed transaction or destination has been announced.
Is Simon Edvinsson expected to sign for $9 million per season?
There is no announced agreement at that figure. The $9 million over five years example was hypothetical and should not be treated as a reported contract proposal.
Coach Mark Comment
The central hockey lesson in both files is the cost of uncertainty at positions that shape a team’s structure. Winnipeg must manage its goaltending group while Hellebuyck’s status remains unsettled, whereas Detroit cannot fully build continuity on its blue line without clarity on Edvinsson. Neither situation allows for useful assumptions about a player’s next game or final destination; the practical focus is on the players available to each coaching staff now.
IHM Final View
There is confirmed substance behind both stories, but neither warrants a stronger conclusion than the facts allow. Hellebuyck has requested a trade, is suspended by Winnipeg and remains without an announced destination. Edvinsson is not practising as Detroit continues contract discussions, with no signed deal made public.
Button’s comments explain a possible Jets approach: patience until a return matches the club’s competitive aims. The Jets’ claim of Stevenson is official, but it is not proof that a Hellebuyck transaction is imminent. In Detroit, the next meaningful development is an agreement or a further official update on Edvinsson’s status, not a projected cap figure presented as a hypothetical.