The Buffalo Sabres continue to carry three goalies on their active roster — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis — and they also have prized prospect Devon Levi in the AHL eagerly awaiting a full-time NHL role in the near future.
In turn, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams will have to make at least one goaltending move, and probably two, before next season to clear out the logjam.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported two NHL teams, including an Atlantic Division rival, are showing baseline interest in Luukkonen: the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens. A timetable for the potential blockbuster trade is uncertain, though.
"This may be something to look at around the draft... and this isn't the first time UPL's name has come up," Pagnotta said. "But with what's going on in Buffalo, with who they've got right now, with Levi coming up, I think there's an appetite to seriously look at moving him again."
Luukkonen, who missed the start of the 2025-26 campaign because of injury, has compiled a 2.51 goals against average and an .899 save percentage across eight games (seven starts) this season.
Trading Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the best way for the Buffalo Sabres to create opportunity between the pipes
Lyon, who was the Sabres' best player for the season's first 10 games, is a journeyman backup who's likely nothing more than a short-term stopgap solution. Putting him on the waiver wire is the goalie move with the lowest risk ratio for Adams.
Yet, in terms of creating space on Buffalo's roster both now and in the future, finding a taker for UPL is the best overall solution.
The 26-year-old Finnish netminder looked like a star on the rise when he posted a 2.57 GAA and .910 SV% during the 2023-24 season. It led the Sabres to immediately reward him with a five-year, $23.75 million contract extension that runs through 2028-29.
It's a deal that hasn't aged gracefully, though. UPL has registered a lackluster .888 SV% in 63 outings since the beginning of last season, and he ranks 72nd among 76 NHL goalies in goals saved above expected (-18.95) over that span (min. 600 minutes), per Natural Stat Trick.
Trading Luukkonen before this season's NHL trade deadline in March would allow the Sabres to get an extended look at Ellis, a promising 25-year-old netminder they claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues right before the start of the campaign.
If they're confident in Ellis, they could then move forward with him and Levi as their goaltending tandem for the foreseeable future. If not, Lyon remains under contract for next season, so there's still a steady veteran presence available.
Buffalo likely wouldn't be able to ask for too much from the Habs, Oilers or any other interested NHL team for UPL given his contract and underwhelming performance over the past two years. It'd be more of a possible buy-low opportunity for Montreal, Edmonton and Co.
Those opposing front offices also understand the Sabres are in a difficult position with the goalie situation, and will be looking to take advantage of that to get a steal. It creates a tough environment for Adams to make a deal, but it's something he'll have to consider anyway.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens (28th in team SV% at .877) and Oilers (30th at .876) are both failing to reach their peak potential because of the struggles in net. Taking a shot on UPL with hope he can rediscover his 2023-24 form makes a lot of sense, especially if the acquisition cost is modest.
The Sabres would probably prefer to send Luukkonen to the Western Conference to lessen the chances the trade comes back to haunt them in the future, but ultimately they just have to take the best offer, even if it comes from a fellow Atlantic team like Montreal.
All told, it's definitely a situation to watch closely between now and the trade deadline.