After a disappointing playoff run, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen needed to get off to a fast start with the Buffalo Sabres. It not only would have put the playoffs behind him but also quieted the trade rumors from the offseason connecting the Buffalo Sabres and Connor Hellebuyck.
Unfortunately for Luukkonen and the Buffalo Sabres, the starting goalie has not looked good through three games. The latest performance might have been his worst, as he let in four goals in a game in which the Sabres failed to score a goal of their own and lost 4-0 to the Dallas Stars.
For the season, Luukkonen is now 1-2 with 12 goals allowed and a save percentage of only .782. After the game, the Sabres goalie admitted that his performance so far has not been good enough and the team can't expect to win much if he is giving up four goals.
#Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: "I don't care if they score four on the breakaways, you don't win hockey games by letting in four goals. ... I don't care if it's a confidence thing, or if it's a game thing. It's something I need to figure out, to be better."
— Rachel Lenzi 💁🏻♀️😎💥 (@rachelmlenzi) October 9, 2026
Based on the quote, according to Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News, it seems that Luukkonen doesn't have the answer right now. That isn't good news for him or the Sabres, as Lindy Ruff and Jarmo Kekalainen now find themselves in a tough position.
Where do the Buffalo Sabres go from here with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen?
The obvious answer is to call the Winnipeg Jets to see if there is any chance of getting the trade for Connor Hellebuyck finally across the finish line and finalized. However, it is challenging because Luukkonen now has a five-team no-trade clause, and it is believed that Winnipeg is one of the teams on that list.
If that is the case, and Luukkonen doesn't waive his no-trade clause, the Sabres then need to figure out a second trade where they could move their goalie. However, with the way he has started the season, they may not be able to get the value they should for him.
That could make Jarmo Kekalainen hesitant to make a trade right now because the Jets probably can ask for more, knowing the situation the Sabres are in.
The other course of action is that the Sabres do have Colten Ellis and Alex Lyon once he returns from injury. Last season, they were able to rotate the three goalies pretty effectively but that was due in large part to injuries, which really left Buffalo with only two available goalies throughout the season.
If Lyon is able to return in the near future, the coaching staff might have no choice but to go with Ellis and Lyon, with Luukkonen the odd man out for the time being. While it is unknown how Lyon will do, Ellis looked really good in his start against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday after allowing only two goals and posting a save percentage of .900.
In the short term, the Buffalo Sabres have to go with Colten Ellis on Saturday against Utah and hope that Alex Lyon is ready for Monday against the Florida Panthers. They then have a back-to-back with a road game against Montreal on Tuesday, and they could go back to Ellis for that game.
In that scenario, it gives Luukkonen at least a week off to reset and gives Jarmo Kekalainen some time to evaluate the market, for both Connor Hellebuyck and Luukkonen if he has to make an additional trade.
Another poor performance by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen puts the Buffalo Sabres in a tough position, and it is going to take some work to figure out what the best solution is moving forward.
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