Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck trades just got a lot more complicated

The NHL offseason was defined by star players leveraging their no-movement clauses to force their way out of town, and some sagas are still ongoing into the regular season. The league's top executive is however signaling that the practice may have crossed a line, and the fallout could directly affect two of the biggest trade situations still unresolved.

Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the growing trend during a Thursday appearance on Sportsnet radio, making clear that the league is keeping a close eye on how players are wielding their contractual protections.

"As I look what happened, or is happening now, I don't think that's a good thing," Bettman said. "I don't think it's good for the player, I don't think it's good for the club, and I don't think it's good for fans watching and their connection to the game."

The commissioner's comments come in the wake of a turbulent summer. Brady Tkachuk, the former Ottawa Senators captain, engineered a trade to the Florida Panthers in June despite carrying full trade protection. That move set a precedent that others have since followed.

Connor Hellebuyck and Dylan Larkin are the two most prominent names still caught in the middle of this evolving landscape. The Winnipeg Jets goalie and the Detroit Red Wings star forward have both requested trades in recent months, each holding NMCs with multiple years remaining on their deals.

Larkin's situation is particularly constrained. He initially provided Detroit with a list of just four teams he would accept a deal to, severely limiting the Red Wings' ability to find a suitable return. He has since added a few teams to the list, but still a trade has not materialized. Hellebuyck, by contrast, is reportedly more open about potential destinations, which could give Winnipeg more leverage in negotiations, though for now he remains suspended for not showing up to training camp with the Jets kicking off their season on Thursday.

Bettman framed the original purpose of no-trade clauses as a tool for players committing long term to a city, perhaps at a discount, to ensure stability. The idea that those same clauses could be used to handpick a preferred destination or force a team's hand was never part of the design, he argued.

"This notion now, where A) you can select where you want to go to, and B) you can demand a trade, that was never the original intention," Bettman said.

He went further, warning that discussions with the NHL Players' Association could be on the horizon if the trend continues. "If this becomes a problem, it's something we're going to have to discuss with the players' association," he added.

Notably, the league's new collective bargaining agreement took effect in September without any changes to trade clause rules. Any player meeting unrestricted free agency eligibility requirements can still negotiate full or modified no-trade protection.

Bettman's comments inject fresh uncertainty into both the Hellebuyck and Larkin situations. If the league moves to tighten how NMCs function, it could reshape the leverage dynamics for teams trying to trade stars who no longer want to stay, and for the players trying to control where they end up next.