Horrible for Winnipeg. There is almost no conceivable scenario where the Jets accept an unneeded LD as a main part of the return for Hellebuyck.

jets would want a top prospect or your first rounder

I would argue that the mid round first rounder is the main piece returning in that trade. I’m not so sure that Hellebuyck is the right goaltender for Buffalo anyway, unless he’s prepared to sign an extension. Even if he was, Buffalo doesn’t really need an expensive veteran blocking Levi or Portillo from making the team in two or three years.

You’re not getting a top 10 first round pick in return for an aging goaltender with only one year left on his deal, unless he immediately signs a two year extension. Even then that’s an overpayment by itself.

they wouldnot trade there only legit goalie unless it’s an overlay

You’re never getting anything that good for him at this point. The Devils paid a price like that for Cory Schneider when he was young, nobody is paying a price like that for a goaltender that isn’t young and capable of playing for several more years as your high end number one. He is declining, Anaheim would get more for John Gibson.

of course they would gibson is on a cheaper side and has term

Actually both goaltenders are the same age, Hellebuyck is a little bit cheaper, but is only signed for two more years. I didn’t realize he had a contract beyond next season. Still, there is no team in the NHL who would pay a top 10 draft choice in return for him. Johnson and the mid round first is actually a better offer than I would probably make. I understand Winnipeg doesn’t really need Johnson, so it doesn’t exactly work. But I wouldn’t trade for Hellebuyck anyway.

It would make more sense for Buffalo to deal 16 and Portillo for Hellebuyck

Yeah, that's understandable. Whichever piece you want to call the main piece though, I can't see it being at all interesting for Winnipeg.

Aging? He is 28. That is young in goalie years.

No, it really isn’t. 25 you can make a case for him still being young. You wouldn’t really say that about another positional player. I’m pretty sure you don’t see many goaltenders playing well into their mid 30s anymore. Sure, you have plenty of older goaltenders still playing, but not as number one caliber guys. Any goaltender over age 33 isn’t likely your number one guy. You’re definitely not giving up a top draft pick unless you’re getting five years of number one caliber play. Still, I don’t see him as a fit for Buffalo. They want Portillo or Levi to make the roster in the next three years, and they already have Luukkonen ready to take one of the spots.

Dude, no offense, but I’m about to be offensive
That’s an All-Time bad take

Levi &/or Portillo haven’t even signed with us yet
So to suggest he’d be “blocking” young & UNPROVEN goalies,
when Hellebuyck has been one of the league’s best for YEARS now is really nuts dude

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t he coming off his worst season as a professional goaltender? I wouldn’t exactly say our defense is better than what Winnipeg put in front of him either. You don’t trade a top 10 first round pick for a guy coming off his worst season. Not to mention while neither goaltender has signed with us yet, the expectation is one or both will next year, At least after the college season is over. Luukkonen is already pretty much penciled into the Sabres lineup for next season. You also don’t give up that kind of asset for Hellebuyck unless he is going to be here more than two years, which means he is signing an extension after that contract goes up.

So, if all of that is true and Levi/Portillo sign with the Sabres toward the end of next season and go to Rochester, you already have two NHL goaltenders with Luukkonen and Connor Hellebuyck in Buffalo. If Devon Levi comes to training camp the following year and really impresses enough to make the team who becomes the odd man out? The veteran goaltender you gave an expensive contract extension to, or Luukkonen who you can’t send back to Rochester at that point? This may be optimistic, but that’s exactly what the franchise is hoping for. Not to mention investing $6+ million in one goaltender for that long may not be that smart with so many contracts expiring in the next couple years.

Like i said…. That’s a really bad take on the situation
None of those young goalies have proven anything
Meanwhile….
Hellebuyck is one of the best goalies in the league

How many goalies that are older than 30 are playing great right now?

Not too many.

Out of the goalies that have played in the playoffs so far, 10 are at least 30, including some of the best goalies in the league AND goalies on top contenders.

Markstrom, Raanta, Kuemper, Smith, Bobrovsky, DeSmith, Fleury, Campbell, Dominque and Quick.

You didn't answer my question. How many are playing great?

Fleury isn't playing great. Raanta isn't playing great. Neither are DeSmith, Campbell, and Dominque is like a third stringer.

Only guys playing great are Kuemper & Markstrom. That's 2. Bob was decent in the regular season but has stunk in the playoffs.

So <4 games is enough to sway the argument?

Last 5 Jennings trophies one or both goalies were 30+
Fleury won the Vezina last year at 36 and has been fantastic on the Wild this year
33 year old Carey Price "carried" the Habs to the finals last year
Raanta won the Jennings this year (with his +30 partner) and has a .928 save percentage in the playoffs

By your narrow window, Andrei Vasilevskiy is washed up since he is 27 and has allowed 14 goals in the playoffs and has an .888 SP

I'm talking overall not just playoffs. Some of the goalies you listed are just backups.

You said 28 is young in goalie years. That's just not true. That's a goalie right at the end of their prime.

You listing a couple goalies just supports my argument. Majority of great goalies right now are in their 20s. Some goalies can play well in their 30s, but it isn't the norm. Data shows that 25-28 are the peak years of a goalie. A decline in goalie performance starts to happen at 29 and continues downward each year.

You are kind of moving the goalposts, no?

First you argued the goalies I listed were having bad playoffs, now you are saying you are not just talking playoffs.

As for your chart, yes the curve trends down as players age. But looking at the regular season stat, by save percentage 14 of the top 32 goalies are over 30. By wins, 16 of the top 32 are 30 or older. So about 40% of the top goalies in the league are over 30.

I would say the likelihood Hellebucyk continues to be a top goalie for the next several years is very high.