When Connor Hellebuyck officially went public with his trade request out of Winnipeg, NHL front offices immediately went on high alert. While the Toronto Maple Leafs are highly unlikely suitors to land the star, three-time Vezina-winning goaltender, his potential departure would reverberate throughout the league.
Steve Simmons dropped a trade proposal in his latest Sunday column for the Toronto Sun that should deeply terrify the Maple Leafs and their fans. If this blockbuster comes to fruition, a dominant division rival would get significantly more dangerous.
Simmons' Trade Proposal is a Nightmare Scenario for Toronto
In analyzing the Hellebuyck trade request, Simmons said, "If I'm the daring Bill Zito in Florida, I'm trying to find a way to acquire Hellebuyck. Could Zito trade Anton Lundell and Jacob Markstrom to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck and something else from the Jets?" On the surface, it's a proposition both the Jets and Panthers would have to consider seriously.
Hellebuyck, 33, has five more years remaining on his current deal with an $8.5 million AAV. He will be a UFA in 2031. Lundell, 24, has four more years left on his contract with a $5 million AAV. His deal expires in 2030. Markstrom is signed for two more years at $6 million per year. So, the Jets would need to add a lesser piece if the teams were trying to match salaries in any trade.
For Winnipeg, acquiring Lundell would add to their center depth chart of Mark Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi, and Adam Lowry. The three current Jets' centers are all signed until 2031. That group of centers would be the envy of most NHL teams. Lundell would inject some youth, as Sheifele and Lowry are both 33.
As for Florida, after landing Brady Tkachuk, their forward depth is unmatched across the league. Most NHL experts agree their biggest weakness is in goal, after they let Sergei Bobrovsky go to the Maple Leafs and replaced him with Markstrom. Former NHL goaltenders and current TSN analysts, Martin Biron and Jamie McLellan, are not sold on Markstrom's ability.
Lundell plays a third-line role for the Panthers, yet he is more than capable of playing in the top six and hasn't reached his potential. Losing him would hurt, but the Panthers are stacked, and adding Hellebuyck would make them even bigger favorites to win another Stanley Cup.
The Panthers landing Hellebuyck would be a nightmare scenario for the Maple Leafs. Adding the Vezina Trophy winner to their lineup would eliminate the one chink in their armor. The Panthers' depth at forward would help offset the loss of Lundell, while getting Hellebuyck would be a significant upgrade in goal.
Florida would then be loaded for years to come. John Chayka's offseason reshaping of the Leafs' roster might return Toronto to contender status; however, if Florida acquired Hellebuyck, the Atlantic Division gauntlet would be much harder.
The Maple Leafs aren't in the running to acquire Hellebuyck, but they can't afford to ignore his potential destinations. If Simmons' frightening Panthers trade proposal becomes a reality, Toronto's grueling road through the Atlantic Division playoffs will become an absolute nightmare.
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