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Buffalo Sabres: Pros and Cons of trading for Connor Hellebuyck

By Sion Fawkes

Apr 11, 2023; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) follows the play against the Minnesota Wild during the second period at at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2023; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) follows the play against the Minnesota Wild during the second period at at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Connor Hellebuyck to the Buffalo Sabres debate has taken over the hockey world. So should general manager Kevyn Adams go for it?

Connor Hellebuyck is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, there is no doubt about it. But is he worth trading for? I’ll say this much: You can definitely expect general manager Kevyn Adams to at least inquire the Winnipeg Jets about Hellebuyck’s services, and depending on what Adams hears, he will either pursue the trade, or he won’t.

But is the trade really worth pursuing at all? While one camp leans heavily toward ‘Yes,’ and the other camp leans toward ‘No,’ let’s give a complete overview of why this would be a great idea, and why it wouldn’t be.

Will the Buffalo Sabres trade for Hellebuyck?
Mar 28, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) reaches out for a shot on goal during the second period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports /

Should the Buffalo Sabres trade for Connor Hellebuyck?

Pros

For one, Hellebuyck is barely three seasons removed from winning the Vezina Trophy, and his GAA and save percentage this past season remain similar to what they were when he won the honor. That said, he still has a few good seasons left in him, even as he approaches age 30.

For another, could you imagine the wealth of knowledge Devon Levi will get? Even if Hellebuyck is a one-year rental, no one on the Buffalo Sabres will benefit more than Levi.

Levi may have looked good in his seven-game sample, but what will he look like with a full slate of games, even if he were just a 1A? Honestly, I think he’ll be fine, but we really don’t know if he’ll hit a rookie wall after the All-Star break, or what, so we can’t make any assumptions. If the Sabres trade for Hellebuyck, then the latter’s immediately the 1A while Levi steps in as the 1B, and now we’re looking at a potential Linus Ullmark-Jeremy Swayman situation.

Finally, regardless of how bad the Blue and Gold’s defensive rotation could look, I’m convinced a Hellebuyck-Levi combo would, on most nights, handle the carnage that the goaltenders were forced to deal with last season with, at best, mixed results. With all of the above in mind, acquiring Hellebuyck might seem like a good idea. But….

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