Reports leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft over the weekend suggested the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets were at the 1-yard line in trade talks surrounding All-Star goalie Connor Hellebuyck. It appears that may not have been the case.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported Wednesday the depth of discussions between Buffalo and Winnipeg were seemingly exaggerated, and it doesn't sound like the New Jersey Devils, another possible suitor, are making an aggressive push, either.
"I don't buy the New Jersey hype. It's not a contract that fits the profile of new GM Sunny Mehta," Friedman wrote. "Hellebuyck would waive to Buffalo, but a couple of sources have said since last weekend that a trade wasn't as close as we thought. Some of the rumored Sabres returns have new no-trade protection. Winnipeg would love to bring him back, but I think it's unlikely."
Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who almost surely would have been in any trade with the Jets, now owns a five-team no-trade clause. Additionally, center Josh Norris, whose name also popped up in the rumor mill, had a 10-team no-trade list go into effect.
The Hellebuyck connection made sense for the Sabres because inconsistent play between the pipes from UPL and Alex Lyon is one of the main reasons the Blue and Gold were knocked out in the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens.
Yet, it was never a cut-and-dry situation.
Hellebuyck is 33 and just posted the worst numbers of his career (.895 save percentage in 57 games) as part of a frustrating campaign for Winnipeg. He's also under contract through the 2030-31 season with an $8.5 million salary-cap hit, creating a heavy burden if he doesn't bounce back in 2025-26.
The Sabres also received strong play from their three netminders (Luukkonen, Lyon and Colten Ellis) during the regular season. That trio combined for a .907 SV%, which ranked third in the NHL behind the Colorado Avalanche (.914) and Minnesota Wild (.908).
So, while the postseason failures are fresh in fans' minds, Buffalo general manager Jarmo Kekalainen hinted during a recent appearance on the 32 Thoughts podcast that he doesn't view the goaltending situation as a pressing issue that must be addressed.
"We've gotten good goaltending this year, too. It's an easy position to scrutinize and criticize," Kekalainen said. "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."
Sure, it could be posturing amid high-stakes negotiations with the Jets, but that doesn't sound like a GM ready to sell the farm for a potential upgrade in the crease.
Buffalo Sabres may circle back on Connor Hellebuyck later in the 2026 NHL offseason
Although it doesn't sound like the Sabres and Jets are actively trying to finalize a trade as NHL free agency gets underway Wednesday, it wouldn't be a shock if the clubs circle back on the idea once the summer dust settles a little bit.
Buffalo has a few other needs to address. Most notably, it's hunt for a true No. 1 center continues, though it doesn't sound like a deal for someone like Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues), Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings) or Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks) is imminent.
If that type of blockbuster opportunity doesn't materialize, the Sabres should seek out a short-term, top-six scoring upgrade to help replace Alex Tuch, who was sent to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade deal after it became clear a contract extension wasn't possible. The Patrick Kane homecoming speculation has started ramping up once again as he hits UFA status.
Beyond that, it's possible the Blue and Gold also try to find another defenseman to compete with the likes of Olen Zellweger (currently an RFA), Louis Crevier and Conor Timmins for a spot on the second pair alongside Owen Power.
Finding a veteran defensive-minded defender to fill that role, thus allowing Zellweger and Crevier to team up on the bottom pair, is probably the best option for Buffalo. Such a move would make Timmins expendable with Zach Metsa capable of filling the No. 7 reserve role.
If Kekalainen can finish that business before Hellebuyck is traded elsewhere, he may get back on the phone with Jets counterpart Kevin Cheveldayoff to see if there's renewed hope of a solution.
Otherwise, it sounds like the Sabres are confident in the trio of UPL, Lyon and Ellis as the club attempts to emerge as a Stanley Cup contender in the loaded Eastern Conference, which includes an Atlantic Division that may go seven teams deep in 2026-27.
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