It is not common for teams to carry three goalies on their NHL roster, but that is exactly what the Buffalo Sabres did last season. At times, it was out of necessity as the Sabres would see Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis miss extended periods of time due to injuries.
However, there were points in the season when all three were healthy, and since Ellis would have to go through waivers, they really didn't have any choice other than to keep them on the roster. When doing that, it creates challenges for goalies as it is tough for them to get regular ice time, either in a game or at practice.
Recently, Alex Lyon had a chance to talk with The Hockey News about this past season and shed some light on why it was able to work so well.
"Having three goalies isn't the easiest thing in the world all the time, but we all were very competitive, very supportive at the same time. It's a very fine balance to strike, and I'm going to include Mike Bales, a great goalie coach. So when you have that kind of dynamic, it really works. We had a very healthy way about us this year. When you experience success, it breeds itself."
Buffalo Sabres are preparing to once again have a three-goalie rotation for 2026-27
While the Sabres were heavily rumored to be involved in trade discussions with the Winnipeg Jets for Connor Hellebuyck, a deal was never able to get completed. There certainly is still time for a trade to get done, and it might at some point, but right now, the Sabres have the same three goalies on the roster as last season.
While there are challenges, it was a blessing in disguise last season as all three goalies missed time during the regular season. By having all of them, the performance in net never suffered, and the Sabres finished third in save percentage while facing the eighth most shots and had the 10th best goals against average.
However, one of the reasons the Sabres were considering a trade for Hellebuyck is that the team didn't get the performances it needed in the playoffs. There are plenty of reasons they weren't able to get past the second round, but the performances by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon were one of them.
As it stands right now, Luukkonen should be viewed as the starter and the Sabres probably will give Ellis every chance in training camp to win the backup job. Regardless of how it shakes out to begin the season, all three goalies will factor into the position at points this upcoming season.
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