After a disastrous end to the 2025-26 season, the Detroit Red Wings should be in for a very busy summer. There is no question that the Red Wings need to add some upgrades to their roster if they hope to snap their now 10-year playoff drought next season.
The Red Wings' biggest objective this summer should be to find an upgrade for their second-line center spot. The Original Six club would also be wise to add another legitimate top-six winger to its roster.
While the Red Wings certainly should be looking to improve their forward group, they are now being viewed as a potential landing spot for one of the NHL's best goaltenders.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson looked at five potential trade destinations for Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The Red Wings were among the teams that Richardson listed as a potential fit for the former MVP-winning netminder.
"General manager Steve Yzerman could start feeling pressured to make a significant move or two that can put this team over the top. Acquiring Hellebuyck could help them get there," Richardson wrote.
The idea of the Red Wings acquiring Hellebuyck is certainly a fascinating one. If they landed him, he would provide them with a new superstar No. 1 goalie, which would certainly have the potential to benefit the Red Wings in a big way.
Hellebuyck is coming off a down year with the Jets, though. In 57 games this season with the Central Division club, he had a 23-23-11 record, an .895 save percentage, and a 2.86 goals-against average. Yet, when noting that three-time Vezina Trophy winner was the league's Hart Memorial Trophy winner just back in 2024-25, he is undoubtedly a major bounce-back candidate for next season.
With this and the Red Wings having the cap space to afford Hellebuyck's $8.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2030-31, he could be a very good goalie for them to add if they want to upgrade between the pipes immediately.
Red Wings trading for Hellebuyck would mean moving on from one of their top goalie prospects
If the Red Wings were to strike a deal for Hellebuyck, one of Sebastian Cossa or Trey Augustine would certainly need to be included in the trade. Both of them have good upside, so it would make sense if the Jets wanted one of them, along with other assets, back the other way for Hellebuyck.
This is where a Hellebuyck trade would come with some real risk for Detroit. The potential for Cossa and Augustine to become very good NHL goalies is there. Therefore, Detroit could very well prefer to keep both of them rather than bringing in the 32-year-old Hellebuyck, even if he is one of the NHL's best goalies right now.
Yet, the idea of bringing in a superstar goalie like Hellebuyck is certainly a fascinating one. Let's see if the Red Wings target him this summer from here.
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