The Buffalo Sabres lead the NHL with a .919 save percentage since Dec. 9, which is when they began their unexpected 18-3-1 surge to emerge as a playoff contender, and that strong play between the pipes may have altered the club's stance on its three-goalie rotation.
Jarmo Kekalainen, who took over as general manager after Kevyn Adams was dismissed in mid-December, confirmed during his introductory press conference that carrying three netminders on the active roster wasn't an ideal situation.
Kekalainen no longer appears in a rush to make a decision about how to clear the crease logjam, however, as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis have all played well when called upon.
Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff, who previously noted the Philadelphia Flyers were considering a reunion with Lyon amid the struggles of Samuel Ersson, reported Tuesday there's apparently been a shift in the Sabres goaltender's availability.
"I had speculated about Alex Lyon of the Buffalo Sabres a few weeks back, but there doesn't appear to be a sense that he is available," Di Marco wrote. "Colton Ellis has not played for the Sabres in nearly two weeks and appears to be their third-string goaltender; according to a Flyers source, they aren't interested in his services. With the Sabres soaring up the standings I can't imagine they're in a rush to move off of Lyon."
It makes sense, of course. The 33-year-old journeyman has been Buffalo's most dependable goalie when healthy this season. He's posted a .911 SV% across 23 appearances and pitched a 26-save shutout in his last start, a 5-0 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Jarmo Kekalainen may wait until the summer to answer the Buffalo Sabres' goaltending questions
The Sabres' remarkable turnaround started at a moment when the goalie depth chart was temporarily trimmed because of injuries. First, Ellis was sidelined while in the NHL's concussion protocol and then Lyon was out for a short period because of a lower-body injury.
Now, all three netminders are healthy and it appears Ellis is the odd man out.
The 25-year-old Canadian last started Jan. 15 in a key 5-3 victory over the Atlantic Division rival Montreal Canadiens. UPL has started three of the past five contests and Lyon handled the other two.
Given the success of the Luukkonen-Lyon combo and the crowded nature of the East standings, it may be difficult to get Ellis back in the crease.
The situation illustrates why Kekalainen's initial instinct was the bring an end to the rotation. There aren't enough opportunities, both in terms of practice reps and game starts, to keep all three players in peak form at a position that's so vital to success.
Will the Sabres be able to trust Ellis to start a game if he's been out of the lineup for two-plus weeks and only receiving a small share of the practice work? It's hard to confidently answer yes.
Yet, the 2019 third-round draft pick would have to hit the waiver wire if Buffalo wanted to send him to the AHL's Rochester Americans. That's how the Blue and Gold acquired him in October and there was speculation earlier in the campaign the St. Louis Blues, his former team, would claim him back.
All things considered, Kekalainen may wait until the offseason to restructure the organizational depth chart in net rather than exposing Ellis to waivers.
UPL may have renewed trade value if his recent resurgence continues and Lyon would surely have potential suitors as a proven veteran backup on a team-friendly one-year contract.
The Sabres could opt to trade one of them, leaving Ellis and prospect Devon Levi, whose NHL path was blocked by the signing of Lyon and the arrival of Ellis, to battle for the other roster spot ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
On the other hand, Buffalo has found so much success with the UPL-Lyon tandem that it may want to move forward with that duo, making Ellis and Levi available for trade over the summer. A lot depends on what happens between now and season's end.
The Sabres appear completely focused on ending the franchise's 14-year playoff drought, and that means they're looking to add rather than subtract at the deadline. Trading either Luukkonen or Lyon would come with ample risk given their importance to the team's success.
So, despite Kekalainen's initial hesitancy about the situation, he'll likely kick the can down the road for a while longer with his goalies, and it's hard to blame him based on the results.