What happened: Elliotte Friedman said the Florida Panthers were "hot" for Connor Hellebuyck before their trade for Brady Tkachuk made a deal harder to construct. Hellebuyck's agent, Ray Petkau, has publicly confirmed the goaltender's trade request from the Winnipeg Jets, who already turned down offers from the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes. The New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks have also shown interest.
Why it matters: Friedman said part of what Florida sent to Ottawa for Tkachuk was assets that could have made sense in a Hellebuyck package, narrowing Florida's options. The Panthers also have no first-round picks in the next three drafts and would need to clear cap space for Hellebuyck's $8.5 million AAV, on top of navigating Jacob Markstrom's 20-team no-trade list.
By the numbers: Hellebuyck carries a $8.5 million AAV and has won three Vezina Trophies and one Hart Trophy.
What to watch: Training camp opens Sept. 16, and the Jets have shown no sign of reversing course on Hellebuyck's request as the deadline for a resolution tightens.