It was a turbulent off-season for the Winnipeg Jets, and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had a lot to address.
Cheveldayoff met with media as training camp opened on Thursday to discuss Connor Hellebuyck's trade request, the netminder's suspension after missing training camp, along with his ongoing search for a trade partner.
When asked about how he believes the Jets and Hellebuyck got to this point, Cheveldayoff couldn't point to one specific instance.
"There's probably lots of'why's', and unfortunately this situation is what it is," he said."We've been dealing with it for a period of time now, just looking to find a resolution that works for both sides, but certainly for the players and fans of the Winnipeg Jets.
"I have to deal with the situation that's in front of me. Connor's made the choices, and we'll just deal with them moving forward."
According to Cheveldayoff, the three-time Vezina Trophy winner originally expressed his interest in a trade at the Jets' exit meetings at the conclusion of the season, but both sides agreed to keep things quiet.
Hellebuyck came public with his request on Aug. 27 through a statement posted on his agent, Ray Petkau's X account.
In regards to Hellebuyck's suspension, which was announced on Sept. 16, Cheveldayoff cited the contractual obligations the netminder has under the NHL's collective bargaining agreement.
"It's a procedural thing. We've been trying to look for something that works for both sides for a long period of time here now and we'll continue to do that, absent of that, we'll see how things unfold."
Cheveldayoff also addressed the team's search for a trade package that works best for his organization, noting the complications that have come with finding a partner that is willing to pay the high asking price for a goaltender of Hellebuyck's caliber.
"What we have to understand here is that we're talking about moving Connor Hellebuyck," Cheveldayoff said."We're talking about moving a player that has been very very important to this franchise and is a very good player in the National Hockey League.
"We expect that a level of return would be commensurate to that, so that's really been the premise. There has been nothing that has allowed us to say'this works for both parties, both teams'."
Additionally, Cheveldayoff acknowledged the difficulties that have come with trying to meet Hellebuyck's ideal trade destination while also finding a suitor in need of a No. 1 goaltender that also have the assets to acquire him.
"We're talking about a goaltender here, which is different than talking about a center, different than talking about a defenseman. If you're a team that has a bona fide No. 1 goaltender and he's locked up and he's yours, you're probably not interested.
"A team might be on the list as an available option, you know, has a No. 1 goaltender, well that's kind of a moot point. I think that's why in this league when goalie trades potentially happen or don't happen, there's underlying reasons potentially why."
As far as a timeline for when a potential deal could come to fruition, Cheveldayoff didn't get into specifics, and is prioritizing finding a deal that makes sense for his team.
"This isn't necessarily a time thing," he said. "My obligation is to the Winnipeg Jets, the Winnipeg Jets players, and the Winnipeg Jets fans.
For me, I just want to get this right.
Cheveldayoff also expressed his desire to keep the Jets competitive, adding another layer of difficulty when looking for a package that can keep the team pushing towards Stanley Cup contention.
While the team has explored the idea of acquiring assets to help them in the next few years, that isn't the direction Cheveldayoff believes is best for the rest of his committed players.
Cheveldayoff said. "Future assets that are going to be picked how many years into the future, that's not the message that I'm sending to Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, Dylan Samberg, the people that are committing to this organization.
"We think we have a good nucleus of players. We stumbled last year and we're humbled by that."
While all signs have pointed to Hellebuyck heading elsewhere ahead of the 2026-27 season, Cheveldayoff expressed that there is always a home in Winnipeg for Hellebuyck if things change.
"No doors are closed. He's a player that's under contract for five years.
At the end of the day, that'll be his choice.
"Connor Hellebuyck is part of our family until he's not part of our family."