Elliotte Friedman thinks Connor Hellebuyck is preparing to return for the Jets

Connor Hellebuyck is preparing to come back, according to Elliotte Friedman. The Jets could have used that news yesterday.

Friedman made the comments Thursday on the radio with Vingan and Daunic. Then came the line that should make Winnipeg fans uneasy: “I just don't know when.”

He also said there's “a lot going on under the surface” with the Jets. Nobody in this business tosses that phrase around casually.

So what exactly is brewing?

Here's what's visible. Every decision in Winnipeg's crease this season belongs to Stuart Skinner or Clay Stevenson, and neither one has slammed the door.

Skinner owns a .906 save percentage across 6 appearances. Stevenson sits at .872 over 4, which is backup-on-a-bad-week territory.

Thursday night in Chicago told the story in miniature. The starter faced 28 shots, allowed 4, and the Jets dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Blackhawks.

Carolina brings a six-game win streak into Winnipeg

Spencer Knight was the better goalie at the other end, turning aside 31 of 34. Neal Pionk's three-point night over 25:30 of ice went to waste.

Winnipeg sits at 4-1-2 with 21 goals for and 21 against. Dead even.

Kyle Connor has 8 goals through 7 games, and 4 of them came on the power play. Take him out of the equation and that ledger tilts the wrong way fast.

Waiting on Hellebuyck feels like staring at a delayed flight on the departures board.

Everyone knows the plane exists. Nobody will post a time.

And it's an expensive wait. His $8,500,000 cap hit ranks fourth among NHL goaltenders.

The blue line is thin too. Josh Morrissey is expected out until at least Oct. 22 with a wrist injury.

Up front, Vladislav Namestnikov is listed day-to-day and isn't expected back until at least Oct. 17.

That date matters, because Saturday afternoon brings the Hurricanes to town for the first meeting of the season between these clubs.

Carolina is 4-0-0 on the road with a +12 goal differential. The last time a hot visitor walked into Winnipeg, Anaheim left with a 5-1 win on Oct. 9.

Scott Arniel has to ride Skinner here. Handing the hottest team in the league's standings to the backup would be a bad bet, plain and simple.

If the timeline keeps sliding, the pressure lands on Kevin Cheveldayoff's desk next.

And if Friedman is right about what's happening beneath the surface, Hellebuyck's return date might not be the only Winnipeg question nobody can answer yet.

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