Two players from the United States team that won Olympic gold in February asked out of their NHL clubs over the summer, and only one of them is on the ice. Dylan Larkin reported to the Detroit Red Wings with his trade request unresolved and has played every game since an upper-body injury cost him the first two. Connor Hellebuyck never reported to Winnipeg Jets training camp, and he has been suspended without pay since the middle of September.
Larkin missed the season opener against the New York Rangers and the home game against Winnipeg with the upper-body injury, then made his debut Oct. 6 against the Ottawa Senators. He has a goal, an assist and a minus-1 rating in three games.
Connor Hellebuyck Has Not Played a Game This Season
Hellebuyck went public with his trade request on Aug. 27, then did not report when the Jets opened training camp and was suspended by the team. Winnipeg has played five games without him. The suspension carries a cost: Global News reported Oct. 9 that Hellebuyck had missed out on more than $400,000 in salary since the Jets opened their season.
Spittin’ Chiclets Noticed the Contrast
The Spittin’ Chiclets Instagram account posted a clip captioned “Has Larkin’s route changed Hellebuyck’s mind?” In it, one of the show’s hosts works through the question from Hellebuyck’s side of it:
“Should I have gone and just played and waited out till I was traded. They still would have known. It’s an interesting conversation right because you’re seeing a guy that did the same thing you did on the same gold medal winning team as you. And on a very similar actually even a better team friendly contract with Hellebuyck who now is sitting at home and it’s a lot easier.”
Larkin and Hellebuyck Signed Nearly Identical Deals
The money behind the two standoffs looks almost the same. Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit and Hellebuyck an $8.5 million cap hit, and both contracts run through the 2030-31 season, which leaves five years on each deal including this one. The difference is that Larkin is being paid and Hellebuyck is not.
Larkin took the route that keeps him playing and keeps him paid, with his request still on the table. Every game Winnipeg plays without its goalie makes that contrast louder.