Former Buffalo Sabres goaltender Martin Biron, who currently works on the team's MSG television broadcasts, believes the Winnipeg Jets may be backing themselves into a corner amid the ongoing trade talks surrounding superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
Biron discussed the hot-button topic Friday morning during an appearance on WGR 550 Radio.
"I do think that Winnipeg is in a bit of a — kind of a tricky situation here," Biron said. "Yeah, obviously Hellebuyck can go back to Winnipeg and play for the Jets this year, but are you so far down the road now that it's like, 'You know, we're gonna get Hellebuyck back but he's not gonna be happy to be here and we should just make the move, right?' I think that Winnipeg maybe overplayed their hand before the draft. They were demanding, wanted a certain return and maybe the Sabres weren't willing to give in. I think now it may soften a little bit."
The longtime Sabres fan favorite added it's "still a possibility" the sides circle back to finalize a blockbuster trade before the 2026-27 season.
By all accounts, Buffalo and Winnipeg were moving close to a Hellebuyck trade ahead of last month's 2026 NHL Draft, but the Sabres wanted a first-round pick swap (moving down from No. 4 to No. 8) while the Jets wanted the top-five selection without giving up their own top-10 choice.
The Blue and Gold ultimately decided to stand pat, selecting defensive prospect Daxon Rudolph with the fourth overall pick. Although there's been a little buzz about some post-draft contact between the clubs, there's no indication a rebuilt trade is imminent.
It's also possible the conversations are now a little tougher because Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was expected to head to Winnipeg in a Hellebuyck trade, had a five-team no-trade clause go into effect on July 1. It's unclear whether the Jets are on that list.
Buffalo has two other goalies, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis, on its NHL roster, but neither one would carry as much trade value as UPL, who posted a .909 save percentage in 35 games last season.
Meanwhile, Hellebuyck is already a lock for future enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but it wouldn't be a risk-free acquisition. The 2026 Olympic gold medalist is 33, coming off the worst season of his career (.895 SV% in 57 games) and carries an $8.5 million salary-cap hit through 2031.
That's why there are questions about whether now's the time for the 2025 Hart Trophy winner and the Jets to go their separate ways, unless Winnipeg is aiming for a quick turnaround to move back toward Stanley Cup contention in the near future.
The Sabres are already on an upward trajectory after reaching the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs, and Hellebuyck could catapult them closer to the league's elite if he can return to form.
All told, Buffalo still seems like the best fit for the All-Star goaltender on paper, but it remains uncertain whether Winnipeg is willing to bring its asking price down enough to finalize a trade.
It feels like Connor Hellebuyck or bust for the Buffalo Sabres' goalie pursuit
Talk about the Sabres seeking an upgrade between the pipes reached a fever pitch following the team's elimination from the postseason, which saw both Luukkonen and Lyon struggle to deliver any consistency in Round 2 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Buffalo was linked to a few different netminders leading into the offseason, including Sergei Bobrovsky, who signed with the Atlantic Division rival Toronto Maple Leafs.
As potential targets were coming off the board, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was expressing confidence in the organization's current trio.
"We've gotten good goaltending this year, too. It's an easy position to scrutinize and criticize," Kekalainen said on the 32 Thoughts podcast in June. "UPL had a .910 save percentage this year. Alex Lyon won a lot of games for us. Even Colten Ellis played some excellent hockey this year. So, I don't think goaltending by any means is a weakness of our team. I think it's a strength of our team."
While it's possible those comments were posturing given the talks with the Jets, there's also an element of truth to them. The Sabres received mostly strong play in the crease last season. Things just fell apart at the worst possible time in the playoffs.
So, it's not a terrible idea to merely run back the same three-goalie rotation rather than make a desperation move that may not actually improve the roster.
Hellebuyck is the one exception if the Jets' demands eventually become more reasonable. He'd give the Blue and Gold an unquestioned, battle-tested starter between the pipes, and the franchise enjoyed its most success in recent decades when that was the case with Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller.
That said, the price has to make sense and giving up Zach Benson (a truly outrageous ask) or the No. 4 draft pick without a swap was a bridge too far in the prior negotiations.
We'll see if the Sabres and Jets circle back before training camp gets underway in September.
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