The idea of trading for Connor Hellebuyck is enough to make Colorado Avalanche fans drool with anticipation.
A team with two of the best players in the world could add a third. What would the Avs look like with the NHL’s best center (Yes, Nathan MacKinnon is the NHL’s best center), the league’s top defenseman, and the best goalie?
That’s a nightmarish team that no one would want to face.
But it’s also worth taking a bit of a contrarian view on the idea of Hellebuyck landing in Colorado. And that view points towards acquiring Hellebuyck being a bad idea in the long term.
Hellebuyck is under contract until 2031. Assuming that he would run out his deal in Colorado, what would that do to the Avalanche’s goalie pipeline?
One of the prospects I’ve written about recently is Ilya Nabokov. Assuming that Nabokov really turns into a bona fide NHL goaltender, what would his path to the NHL be like with Hellebuyck in the crease?
Now, this entire conversation would be moot if Nabokov were naught more than a backup goalie. The same could be said about Trent Miner and Nikita Novosyolov.
But what if Nabokov becomes a true number-one guy? Wouldn’t Hellebuyck block his path to the NHL? Would Nabokov just sit as a backup until 2031, when Hellebuyck’s deal is over?
That’s why Hellebuyck could do more harm than good in the long run.
Hellebuyck would be a great short-term move
There is no question that Connor Hellebuyck would be a fantastic short-term addition. Having the Colorado Avalanche play in front of the world’s best goalie is the stuff that would make opposing coaches head for the aspirin bottle.
Adding Hellebuyck would give something the Avalanche haven’t really had all of these years: A true, number-one netminder.
That said, Hellebuyck is a no-brainer short-term move. He’ll pay off immediately, making the Avs strong in the next two to three seasons.
Nevertheless, it’s worth keeping in mind that Hellebuyck is 33 years old. He’s not getting any younger, and there’s no telling how much longer he can continue being an elite goalie. Assuming that he can keep it up for another two or three seasons, the Avalanche would need to figure out their goaltending situation then.
Let’s also assume that Nabokov is ready to take over at some point in 2028 or 2029. What do the Avalanche do about Hellebuyck then, especially if the gold-medal winner faces a noticeable decline?
Trading Hellebuyck at that point would hardly be an easy proposition.
Meanwhile, the organization might be tempted to trade one of its young goalies to acquire other pieces, given Hellebuyck’s presence.
Again, this entire conversation would be senseless if we’re just overhyping Nabokov. If the organization feels that the goalies in the pipeline won’t ever really be starting-caliber guys, then going for Hellebuyck wouldn’t be the best path forward.
Let’s see what happens. We know that Hellebuyck is on the market. But as for the Avalanche having a realistic chance, that’s another story. But if there’s a realistic path, the Avalanche have to take it. There’s no doubt about it.
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