Does Buffalo Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have any NHL trade value?

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen struggled in his first start of the 2025-26 season, giving up four goals on just 22 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. It marked a continuation of last year's poor play when he finished with an .887 save percentage in 55 games.

His underwhelming production creates a conundrum from the Sabres, who've watched fill-in starter Alex Lyon thrive in UPL's absence. They also have Colten Ellis, who shined in his NHL debut and would need to clear waivers for an AHL demotion, on the active roster.

It's created trade speculation around Luukkonen, but would any other team be interested in an underperforming goaltender who's under contract through 2028-29 with a $4.75 million AAV? The short answer is probably not. At least not right now.

Buffalo may have little choice beyond keeping three netminders on its roster for the foreseeable future. The hope would be UPL either reestablishes himself as the club's clear starter or at least rebuilds enough value to get moved ahead of March's 2026 NHL trade deadline.

For now, Lyon deserves the starter's crease for as long as he maintains Vezina Trophy-level performance (.922 SV%) between the pipes for the Blue and Gold.

UPL's stumble in his first outing of the campaign (he was sidelined by a pair of preseason injuries) lowlights the latest edition of our Sabres player grades series.

Tage Thompson's resurgence headlines Buffalo Sabres grades from Oct. 25 OT loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs

Sabres player grades

Buffalo Player of the Game: Tage Thompson

Thompson, who entered the year with 50-goal expectations saddled on his shoulders, got off to a slow start with just four points in seven games. He came alive during the home-and-home set with Toronto, however, posting three goals and an assist as Buffalo came away with three of a possible four points.

Perhaps the best sign for the Sabres' season-long outlook is the fact they're points percentage stands at .500 (4-4-1 record) despite Tage and Rasmus Dahlin, their two franchise cornerstones, not yet playing up to their full potential.

If that dynamic duo starts playing at the All-Star level they're obviously capable of and the team's rising stars, led by Zach Benson and Josh Doan, keep producing at their current pace, there's a real chance everything finally comes together for Buffalo, which owns a 14-year playoff drought.

In particular, Thompson needs to pace an offense that currently ranks a modest 17th in goals scored per 60 minutes (2.99) and 16th in expected goals for per 60 minutes (3.16), per Natural Stat Trick. The team finished eighth in the NHL with 269 goals last season.

Sabres quick hits

• Colten Ellis was originally scheduled to start this game before waking up with back tightness Saturday, which led to UPL drawing the start in the back-to-back situation.

• Bowen Byram put together two of his best performances off the season against Toronto, but did receive a heavy hit from the Leafs' Jake McCabe on Saturday.

• The game-to-game impact of Zach Benson — he rarely has a poor outing — is incredibly impressive for a player who only turned 20 in May.

• Beck Malenstyn has started to play better as of late after an awful start to the season.

• What the heck is going on with Dahlin? He was quite clearly Buffalo's worst skater on Saturday night, which is a statement perhaps never made during his eight-year NHL career.

• It'll likely be difficult for UPL to find any type of rhythm as part of a three-goalie rotation but the Sabres have little choice given the aforementioned circumstances.

• The Blue and Gold return to action Tuesday night when they welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets (4-4-0) to the KeyBank Center in downtown Buffalo for a 6:45 p.m. ET puck drop.