WINNIPEG - The Jets are preparing for a season without Connor Hellebuyck after the star goaltender refused to report to training camp, triggering an indefinite suspension and disrupting the club’s effort to rebound from a disappointing year. Winnipeg finished seventh in the Central Division and 26th overall last season with a 35-35-12 record. Returning to the playoffs will require contributions from across the roster, while the team works to put the holdout behind it.

The absence has unsettled local fans, but captain Adam Lowry said the team still believes it can improve. “We still have a lot of good pieces,” Lowry said. “(There’s) the belief that a lot of us didn’t live up to our expectations last year. We’re going to find our game again, and we’re going to get back to where we want to be.” He acknowledged that Hellebuyck’s decision had left teammates heartbroken.

Winger Kyle Connor, who is a close friend of Hellebuyck and played with him on the U.S. Olympic team, said a smooth return would require the goalie to recommit fully. “If he just comes back,” Connor said, “that’s going to be a pretty rough situation to walk into, to be honest.” Hellebuyck had questioned the Jets’ ability to compete for a Stanley Cup at his season-ending news conference. He also blamed general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff’s off-season roster moves for the team’s seventh-place finish in the Central Division.

Head coach Scott Arniel described the situation as unfortunate and pointed to Hellebuyck’s history with the club. “He’s one of the best goalies in the league, if not the best,” Arniel said. “He’s been a big part of the core for a long time and had an awful lot of success here.” Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and Hart Trophy winner. His departure from camp leaves Winnipeg to begin the season with a different plan in goal.

Stuart Skinner is set to take over after signing a two-year contract worth US$7.5 million on July 1. He spent parts of five seasons in Edmonton, helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back years, before a mid-season trade sent him to Pittsburgh. The Jets will also rely on a reworked forward group as they reshape the lineup around the players in camp.

The top line is being remade with Mark Scheifele, Connor and Cole Perfetti. Gabriel Vilardi is moving down to support centre Viggo Bjorck, the eighth overall selection in June’s NHL draft, on a second unit that also includes rookie Isak Rosen. Perfetti said the group is adjusting to the changes as camp progresses. “We want to get better in a lot of areas and just clean some stuff up,” he said. “It might not be a Picasso right away but… everyone’s picking up on it pretty quick.”

Lowry has recovered fully from hip surgery that disrupted much of his season. Winnipeg needs him to regain his form on a third line with Morgan Barron and rookie Brad Lambert, a unit expected to take shifts against opponents’ top players. Competition for fourth-line positions pits veterans Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov against rookies Brayden Yager and Danny Zhilken.

The defensive group will also feature changes. Josh Morrissey leads the blue line, while second-year defenceman Elias Solomonnson is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and is expected back in mid-October. Dylan Samberg and Neal Pionk are returning as the second pairing. Free-agent addition Mario Ferraro will strengthen the left side, with either Tyrel Bauer or Jack St. Ivany also in contention.

Vilardi said he told the coaching staff in his exit meeting that the team needed to defend better. “We gave up the blue line way too easy last year,” he said. “When we were at our best two years ago, we were one of the best defensive teams in the NHL.” Winnipeg’s special teams have been overhauled after struggling last season, with quicker decisions and more aggressive play among the themes discussed through camp.

Morrissey said he was encouraged by the adjustments but would not disclose their details. “I’m not going to give away a lot of the secrets, but I like some of the changes we’ve made,” he said. “A goal would be a top-10 team in both categories.” The Jets are aiming to improve their power play and penalty kill as they seek a stronger overall performance.

The team believes it can recover the form that earned it the Presidents’ Trophy just more than a year ago, though the margin for error in the Central Division is extremely thin. The immediate challenge is to focus on the players available and start well despite Hellebuyck’s absence. “We got to focus on the guys that are here and make the best of the situation,” Lowry said. “Right now, we have to focus on what we have in camp, the pieces we have and how we can optimize the lineup however it shakes out and get off to a good start. It’s unfortunate he’s not here, but we’ve got a lot of good players in this organization, a lot of players that want to step up and get us back on the right track.”

The Canadian Press first published this report Sept. 27, 2026.

Based on reporting by Global News Edmonton.