Could Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets be headed for an awkward reunion at training camp?As unlikely as that might sound, Hellebuyck is under contract for five more seasons, with his full no-movement clause opening up to a 10-team approved trade list next summer. Stuart Skinner probably didn’t sign in Winnipeg with the thought of becoming Hellebuyck’s backup, but the Jets still haven’t finalized a trade. The bidding war they hoped for did not materialize.Rival clubs may need to see their goaltending fail before stepping up with an offer that satisfies Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Meanwhile, it’s time to start thinking of two versions of Winnipeg’s 2026-27 opening night roster — one with Hellebuyck and one without him.Which version of the Jets’ future do you believe in the most?NHL free agency: Early winners and losersShayna Goldman and Madison EadesForwards (with Hellebuyck)It’s September and no one has stepped up to satisfy Cheveldayoff’s asking price for Hellebuyck. The 33-year-old gold medalist is still a Jet, meaning that Winnipeg has the NHL’s best goaltending tandem at a $12.25 million cap hit. It’s an unlikely long-term solution, but the absence of a trade return has opened up opportunities on the Jets’ second line:LWCRWKyle ConnorMark ScheifeleGabriel VilardiCole PerfettiViggo BjörckBrad LambertNino NiederreiterAdam LowryAlex IafalloCole KoepkeMorgan BarronIsak RosénVladislav NamestnikovDepth optionsInjuredTop prospectsWalker DuehrBrayden YagerNoah GregorDanny ZhilkinParker FordColby BarlowNikita ChibrikovKevin HeLucas WahlinKieron WaltonJacob JulienRoster locks: Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Gabriel Vilardi, Cole Perfetti, Adam Lowry, Nino Niederreiter, Alex Iafallo, Vladislav Namestnikov, Morgan Barron, Brad Lambert, Cole Koepke, Isak RosénVying for spots: Viggo Björck, Noah Gregor, Walker Duehr, Danny Zhilkin, Parker Ford, Nikita Chibrikov, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow, Fabian Wagner, Jacob Julien, Kevin He, Kieron Walton, Lucas WahlinThe story: The Jets have not acquired a second-line centre via a Hellebuyck trade, meaning they must find one within the organization.There are several in-house options, each requiring a tweak to our projected lines — Vilardi, Barron, Lowry, or Perfetti — but we’ve gone back to Winnipeg’s most frequent historical approach. Connor, Scheifele and Vilardi are the most likely first line, Lowry plays a shutdown role and the Jets look to Perfetti and the next best group of players to produce offence on a secondary scoring line.The difficult decisions: This scenario creates a real (and ideally spectacular) battle for jobs on Winnipeg’s second line. Perfetti appears to be a lock in that role. He’s not a likely shutdown line player, nor have the Jets tried Connor-Scheifele-Perfetti at any point. If the Jets are serious about getting faster or creating opportunities for youth, then Björck, Lambert, Yager and Barron are all competing for the other two jobs.Lambert and Barron are the fastest skaters, while Cheveldayoff named Yager as a potential second-line centre solution in his pre-draft media availability. We’ve still picked Björck as the Jets’ season-opening 2C in this scenario. If Björck succeeds, he’ll be the first Jets player since Ville Heinola (2019) to make the team right after being drafted and the first since Patrik Laine (2016) to stay on the roster. If Björck isn’t ready, he can play in the SHL until Djurgården’s season ends and join the Jets for the stretch run. (There’s also a case for Björck to start in the SHL regardless of what level he’s at.)It is strange to feel more confident about Lambert securing his spot on the second line while believing Björck is the better bet to be successful if he makes the team. Lambert occasionally started getting to inside ice against NHL players last season, but his eight points in 31 NHL games (and 106 points in 174 AHL games) do not convey certain success in a top-six role.Difficult decisions included assigning Yager to the AHL and exposing Chibrikov and Zhilkin to waivers. The Jets are more likely to bet on improved health for Niederreiter and Namestnikov than to clear a path for more prospects. If they started the season with Björck, Lambert and Rosén in the lineup, the Jets could accurately claim they were giving more opportunities to young players.Forwards (without Hellebuyck)If the Jets do trade Hellebuyck, they would ideally acquire a proven second-line centre or, failing that, a right wing. The good news is that most of Winnipeg’s likely trade partners have top-six forwards to offer.We’ll lean into a potential trade with the Buffalo Sabres: Hellebuyck for Josh Norris, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, prospect Radim Mrtka and Buffalo’s 2027 first-round pick. There are other possibilities, with the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights among teams who appear to need goaltending help, but Buffalo is the most natural fit in terms of trade assets — not to mention trade talks with Winnipeg that got close before the draft and continued afterward.For our purposes, Norris becomes Winnipeg’s second-line centre, Luukkonen forms a tandem with Skinner, and the 6-foot-6 Mrtka plays a big role for the AHL Manitoba Moose. If you want to get more creative in the comments, perhaps creating a three-team proposal that involves Carolina, the Seattle Kraken, Alexander Nikishin, Shane Wright and whatever other assets you feel would be necessary, that’s up to you.LWCRWKyle ConnorMark ScheifeleAlex IafalloCole PerfettiJosh NorrisGabriel VilardiNino NiederreiterAdam LowryBrad LambertCole KoepkeMorgan BarronIsak RosénVladislav NamestnikovDepth optionsInjuredTop prospectsWalker DuehrViggo BjörckNoah GregorBrayden YagerParker FordDanny ZhilkinNikita ChibrikovColby BarlowLucas WahlinKevin HeKieron WaltonJacob JulienRoster locks: Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Gabriel Vilardi, Josh Norris, Cole Perfetti, Adam Lowry, Nino Niederreiter, Alex Iafallo, Vladislav Namestnikov, Morgan Barron, Brad Lambert, Cole Koepke, Isak RosénVying for spots: Viggo Björck, Noah Gregor, Walker Duehr, Danny Zhilkin, Parker Ford, Nikita Chibrikov, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow, Fabian Wagner, Jacob Julien, Kevin He, Kieron Walton, Lucas WahlinThe story: The Jets’ playoff hopes rest on a Skinner/Luukkonen tandem in goal and a second-line centre with a track record of NHL success. If it’s Norris, then Winnipeg is faster and younger than it was last season, although at the mercy of Norris’ health; he’s averaged 47 games per season since making the NHL full-time in 2020.The difficult decisions: The arrival of any established NHL player takes a job away from someone further down the lineup.We’re willing to consider Winnipeg using Namestnikov as the 13th forward, but that’s not an indication that Winnipeg will move him or another veteran to make room for younger players. (There’s also the possibility that Namestnikov, Niederreiter, Lowry, Perfetti and Winnipeg’s other injured forwards from last season have more game in them than their stats show.) What’s clear is that some players will continue to get buried unless the Jets change their approach to lineup construction.The Jets have talked more about prioritizing speed and new approaches this summer than they usually do, but past offseason promises have not always led to new looks during training camp. There doesn’t appear to be enough room in this scenario for Barron to play up the lineup or for Lambert and Rosén to each get big minutes, even if they earn them.Other tough decisions involve deployment. Lambert is not an ideal stylistic fit for shutdown duty, so it may be worth reuniting Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi and giving the third-line job back to Iafallo. Lowry and Niederreiter need to have big seasons, lest the old-fashioned but formerly effective shutdown line idea fall apart once again. From a different angle, these familiar questions could be seen as an opportunity for Winnipeg to try something new.DefenceLDRDJosh MorrisseyDylan DeMeloDylan SambergNeal PionkMario FerraroJack St. IvanyHaydn FleuryDepth optionsInjuredTop prospectsHenry ThrunElias SalomonssonGarrett BrownTyrel BauerSascha BoumedienneIsaak PhillipsAlfons FreijRoster locks: Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Dylan Samberg, Neal Pionk, Mario Ferraro, Elias Salomonsson, Haydn FleuryVying for spots: Jack St. Ivany, Tyrel Bauer, Henry Thrun, Garrett Brown, Alfons Freij, Isaak PhillipsThe story: Winnipeg’s left side is an organizational strength, its right side needs help and September 30 will be five months to the day since Salomonsson had shoulder surgery. We have Salomonsson starting the season on IR, given his initial timeline of five to six months, and expect some fans to be disappointed we haven’t given him a top-four role.The difficult decisions: Will Winnipeg go back to its most familiar defence pairs or try something new?It would be reasonable to start 2026-27 concerned with Winnipeg’s dependence on Pionk and DeMelo as top-four defencemen. Neither player produced meaningful offence, nor did the Jets dominate the scoreboard like they used to do with Morrissey-DeMelo or Samberg-Pionk on the ice.The Jets’ depleted forward group plays a role in that, but it’s clear the team needs an upgrade on defence, ideally in the form of the top-pairing right-shot defenceman that all teams covet.In the short term, Winnipeg needs to decide on a third pair while Salomonsson is hurt. Ferraro is capable of playing either side and is a good bet to succeed whether partnered with Salomonsson, St. Ivany or Fleury. We’ve picked St. Ivany, the 6-foot-4 right shot acquired in the David Gustafsson trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the Jets may run Fleury and Ferraro until Salomonsson returns.Bauer made big strides last season, establishing himself as a viable second-pairing defenceman in Manitoba. It’s a long way from that spot to the NHL, but the Jets’ roster is so devoid of fighters and hitters that I’d expect Winnipeg to take a long look at Bauer in training camp.The Jets’ 2026-27 opening night lineupThere are several reasons why this projection could be wrong, but I’m going to pick a lane.I expect the Jets to continue shopping Hellebuyck. I also expect that Skinner will be Winnipeg’s starter before his two-year contract is up. While Elliotte Friedman said, “I think it’s going to be hard to convince Hellebuyck to stay,” on “32 Thoughts,” I still can’t shake the impression that teams may need to see their goaltending fail before increasing their offers.LWCRWKyle ConnorMark ScheifeleGabriel VilardiCole PerfettiViggo BjörckBrad LambertNino NiederreiterAdam LowryAlex IafalloCole KoepkeMorgan BarronIsak RosénVladislav NamestnikovLDRDJosh MorrisseyDylan DeMeloDylan SambergNeal PionkMario FerraroJack St. IvanyHaydn FleuryElias Salomonsson*GConnor HellebuyckStuart SkinnerThe prospect of being wrong is exciting. There is more room for error this season than any I can remember. Winnipeg could blow up these projections with a single trade call, and even if they don’t, there’s more pressure than usual to pick and play the team’s best players regardless of contract status.Perhaps most important? Making the playoffs is a realistic outcome in either scenario, even if Stanley Cup contention seems like a distant bell.