Jets’ coach Arniel stickhandles around Hellebuyck’s status

WINNIPEG — Scott Arniel took the podium Saturday afternoon to break down a hockey match, only to provide his two cents on a growing and unpredictable game of chicken involving his NHL club.

The Winnipeg Jets head coach spoke less than three minutes following a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Canada Life Centre — a game entirely overshadowed by the latest chapter in franchise goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s ongoing trade holdout.

“I really don’t care right now on that scenario,” started a visibly frustrated Arniel. “My focus is we’ve got St. Louis coming up. I’ve got to do some review against Carolina, there are some areas I want to fix.”

Just minutes before puck drop, it was reported that Hellebuyck notified the Jets on Oct. 2 — before Winnipeg’s first regular-season game — that he planned to end his absence.

Rather than welcoming the star netminder back into the fold immediately, the Jets opted to leverage the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement. According to reports, the club used Article 15.13, subsection (c)(v) to suspend Hellebuyck for three weeks for failure to report to training camp.

The suspension is set to expire on Friday, Oct. 23, just two days before Winnipeg hosts the Montreal Canadiens in the annual Heritage Classic outdoor game at Princess Auto Stadium.

“That part, that falls down on Chevy,” noted Arniel, noting whatever happens next will be handled by general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. “I know there is stuff that happens. I’m going to face that one when it happens.”

Cheveldayoff was not made available for comment.

“I don’t know what next week is going to look like and at the end of the day, for me, I’ve got 23 guys and all they care about is winning hockey games,” added Arniel. “My preparation, my thoughts are on that. I’m not worried about who is here and who is not here.”

Inside the locker room, players seemed caught off guard by the news.

Forward Kyle Connor, Hellebuyck’s close friend and U.S. Olympic teammate, preferred to stick to hockey. Connor had been among the most vocal about the situation during training camp, saying that if Hellebuyck wanted to return, he would first have to recommit to the group.

“I’m not gonna really comment on that,” Connor said Saturday, following the Jets loss. “Maybe we talk later down the road, not right after the game. So, we’ll save that stuff for later.”

Captain Adam Lowry was slightly more forthcoming, though much like Connor, it wasn’t clear how much he or the rest of the team knew about Hellebuyck’s pending return.

Hellebuyck hasn’t been with the Jets since last April, when he used his end-of-season media availability to question Cheveldayoff’s roster decisions and direction of the franchise. While the summer was filled with trade speculation, it wasn’t until late-August that Hellebuyck broke his silence and demanded to be dealt.

“It’s going to be one where we have a conversation with Chevy, we have a conversation with Arnie and we see the next steps,” Lowry said.

“Obviously, it’s within his rights. At this moment, I think we’ll leave it there. I think once we all find out more, we’ll be able to comment more. But I think it’s unfair to speculate one way or the other how it’s going to shake out. There’s still a lot of time, I guess, between now and then. So, we’ll see.”

While concrete details regarding what happens on Oct. 23 remain scarce, several reports surfaced this past week hinting at a potential reunion. There’s a still a chance the 33-year-old Michigan native doesn’t report on Friday.

Given the overwhelming sense from the past week that Hellebuyck was no longer welcome in Winnipeg, Lowry was asked to confirm if that sentiment was shared inside the room.

“He’s a good friend of mine. Do I love the decision, do I love the way it’s dragged on? No. But we’ll handle the situation when it comes,” Lowry said. “Obviously, we’re disappointed, he’s one of the best goalies in the world.

“If he does show up, there’s going to be conversations. There’s going to have to be one of those water-under-the-bridge things. We keep moving forward. We’re a team, regardless of who’s in the room.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2026.

Jeff Hamilton, The Canadian Press