As the season approaches, the rumors connecting the Buffalo Sabres to Connor Hellebuyck persist. It is a move that obviously affects Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, but he might not be the only goalie the Sabres trade if they end up acquiring Connor Hellebuyck.
Recently, Jeff Marek was on Sekeres & Price and speculated that there might be a carousel of trades that happen after Hellebuyck is moved. One of those players might be Alex Lyon, who could end up in New Jersey with the Devils.
"I think if Hellebuyck goes, there might be a little sort of goalie carousel of trades here. I wonder if Alex Lyon ends up with the New Jersey Devils and it's [Jake] Allen and Lyon," Marek said.
Buffalo Sabres could find value in trading Alex Lyon if they add Connor Hellebuyck
Last season, the Buffalo Sabres leaned on their depth at the position and had three goalies rotating through during the regular season. It worked until the playoffs, and the Sabres didn't get enough consistency in net between Lyon and Luukkonen.
That is one of the reasons that Hellebuyck has been such a prolific rumor for the Sabres. If they were to add a player like Hellebuyck, it is under the assumption that he will get a majority of the starts, and in that scenario, the Sabres don't need three goalies.
It makes sense that the Sabres would look to trade both Luukkonen and Lyon in that situation. It would be assumed that Luukkonen would be part of the package going back to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck, as long as the Jets are not one of his five teams on his no-trade list. This would leave them with Colten Ellis as the backup, who showed enough in limited starts that he could fill that role nicely.
By trading Lyon now, the Sabres get some value for a player who is entering the final year of his contract and coming off one of the best regular seasons of his career.
It is also logical to connect Lyon to the New Jersey Devils, as they could use a quality backup to play alongside Allen. In addition to the need, the Devils' general manager, Sunny Mehta, knows Lyon from their time together with the Florida Panthers during the 2022-23 season.
The Jets and Sabres have seemingly been trying to get a trade done for almost the entire offseason. It hasn't happened yet and remains to be seen if it ultimately does but if Hellebuyck is on the Sabres to begin the 2026-27 season, it is likely that Alex Lyon won't be.
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