In what has felt like the quietest August in recent memory, we finally have some news at the tail end of the month. And they’re both big-ticket stories.

Ray Petkau, Connor Hellebuyck’s agent, released an official statement from his client on social media, making his trade request public. The statement reads:

“Winnipeg has been my home for my entire NHL career, and I will always be grateful for my time there.

“I have never forgotten June 23, 2012. That’s the day Winnipeg took a chance on a goalie playing in Odessa, TX. I gave everything I had from that moment to prove that the Jets made the right decision.

“Several months ago, I privately requested a trade. I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options.

“With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not change, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.

“I appreciate everything Winnipeg Jets fans have meant to me throughout my career and hope a resolution can be reached soon.”

Hellebuyck, 33, is regarded as the best goaltender across the National Hockey League. While last season wasn’t his best, the Jets didn’t perform well in front of him either, missing the postseason for the second time in the last nine seasons. Hellebuyck finished with a 23-23-11 record, a 2.86 goals against average and a .895 save percentage, with four shutouts. All that said, Hellebuyck backstopped Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing with a perfect 5-0 record, a 1.18 goals against average and a .956 save percentage, including a 41-save performance in the Gold Medal overtime victory over Canada.

However, the Texas native is just one season removed from capturing back-to-back Vezina Trophies as the NHL’s top goaltender. Hellebuyck’s best season was in 2024-25, when he finished with a 47-12-3 record, a 2.01 goals against average, a .925 save percentage, and eight shutouts.

Earlier in the offseason, reports came out that Hellebuyck could potentially want out of Winnipeg. While a trade request was never made public, we now know the player made one. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Jets and Buffalo Sabres had talks about a Hellebuyck trade. Friedman also believed that Hellebuyck was willing to waive his no-movement clause to approve the move to Buffalo. However, talks stalled, and the trade never went through.

Hellebuyck has five years remaining on his contract that carries an $8.5 million AAV. He holds all of the cards on where he wants to go with that full NMC. However, let’s do a little thought exercise. Obviously, every team in the NHL should be lining up for his services. But who actually makes sense as a potential destination for Hellebuyck at this point of the offseason?

Buffalo is still a strong option. They would need to trade some salary out to make the move work. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is making $4.75 million annually, but has a five-team no-trade list. The Carolina Hurricanes are another potential destination. Coming off their Stanley Cup victory, the Hurricanes could bolster their crease to possibly repeat by adding Hellebuyck. How about the Florida Panthers? They somehow always find a way to add big in the offseason, but with less than $35K in cap space, they would need to play some cap gymnastics in order to make that work. Could the Philadelphia Flyers be an option that intrigues Hellebuyck? Young team that just made the playoffs. They have the cap space to fit Hellebuyck in. However, with Joseph Woll and recently extended Dan Vladar, that might be tricky. And lastly, what about the San Jose Sharks? At age 33, he doesn’t really fit their timeline. But not many players are turning down the chance to play with Macklin Celebrini right now. Yaroslav Askarov as a piece going the other way might make sense for what would now be a goaltender-less Jets squad.

With NHL training camp less than a month away, Hellebuyck is hoping this public announcement will expedite the process. Winnipeg has struggled to keep its star talent since it relocated, and it appears to be on the verge of losing its franchise piece and best goaltender in history.

On Thursday morning, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared on X that he’s hearing that Calek Makar and the Colorado Avalanche are closing in on an extension.

Without knowing the details of the contract, one can assume the two-time Norris Trophy winner, who has been nominated for the award in six straight seasons, will come in at a significant figure.

Makar, 27, is entering the final year of his six-year, $9 million AAV contract he signed back in 2021. The Calgary, Alberta native is regarded as the best defenceman in the league, and his stats follow that. He is coming off a 20-goal, 79-point campaign last year, following back-to-back seasons with 90+ points.

Earlier this offseason, after the Chicago Blackhawks acquired him, they made Bowen Byram the highest-paid defenceman on an annual basis, coming in at $12.5 million, which kicks in next season. It’s safe to assume that he will come in significantly higher than that when the contract is officially announced.