What happened: Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts that Winnipeg will keep paying Connor Hellebuyck after Friday but bar him from reporting if no trade is completed. The team-ordered suspension expires Friday with his public trade request still unresolved. The same episode also addressed Dylan Larkin and Detroit plus Toronto's search for blueline help.

Why it matters: Paying a starter to stay home would leave Winnipeg without its No. 1 goaltender while still carrying the cost, forcing a short-term roster workaround. It also extends the same Connor Hellebuyck trade standoff that has involved Buffalo and other suitors into the opening weeks of the 2026-27 season.

What to watch: Watch Friday for a trade or for Winnipeg to formalize the stay-away arrangement. Detroit's handling of Larkin is the parallel situation to monitor.