A lot of speculation emerged last week suggesting the Winnipeg Jets wanted the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in any Connor Hellebuyck trade. It sounds like that wasn't the club's initial target, though.
Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet delivered a stunning report Wednesday, saying the Jets had a clear target when talks with the Sabres began: rising star Zach Benson.
"The likely scenario here is Buffalo sending NHL netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Jack Quinn, the eighth overall pick of the 2020 draft, to the Jets," Kypreos wrote. "The Jets' original ask was for Zach Benson, but the Sabres haven't been willing to go there."
Of course not.
Benson just turned 21 years old and he already owns three full years of NHL experience. He's a two-way workhorse who posted a career-high 43 points (13 goals and 30 assists) in 65 games this season. He'll emerge as one of the league's most complete wingers if his finishing improves in the near future.
Asking for Benson, who just signed a seven-year, $52.5 million contract extension with Buffalo, for a 33-year-old goalie coming off the worst statistical season of his career is laughable. It's a surprise general manager Jarmo Kekalainen didn't hang up the phone and never call back.
Make no mistake, Hellebuyck has already secured future enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame and it's absolutely possible he bounces back to a near-elite level in 2026-27.
There are few, if any, scenarios where you trade one of the NHL's most promising young wingers for a goalie, though. That's especially true when that netminder posted an .895 save percentage this past season and carries an $8.5 million salary-cap hit until 2031, when he'll be 38.
Hellebuyck could bring some stability to the Sabres' crease, which is currently projected to feature UPL, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis again next season, but projecting goaltender performance on a year-to-year basis is a nearly impossible task. He may never return to his peak impact.
It's also worth pointing out the Jets star has compiled an unsightly .870 SV% in his last 23 playoff appearances across Winnipeg's last three postseason trips. So, Buffalo would be taking on quite a bit of risk if it sends multiple assets in a trade.
One thing's for sure: Benson won't be involved in any potential agreement.
Buffalo Sabres fans would picket the KeyBank Center if Zach Benson was traded
Benson was already well on his way to fan-favorite status in Western New York based on his hardworking style of play and on-ice antics getting under the skin of opponents.
Then he posted nine points (five goals and four helpers) in 13 playoff games this spring.
In January, we discussed how Benson's compete level and willingness to battle in the dirty areas made him a likely postseason standout. He lived up to those expectations and more.
You could count on your fingers (and maybe a few toes) how many players in the entire NHL where it'd make sense for the Sabres to include Benson in the trade. Zero of those superstars are getting moved this summer, and none of them are goalies.
Kekalainen, who's started to earn the confidence of Buffalo sports fans with a strong start to the offseason, would instantly lose most of the fanbase by trading the 5-foot-10 whirling dervish.
The Sabres have finally started to establish a strong foundation. Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson are the headliners, but young players like Benson, Josh Doan and Owen Power are also long-term pieces of what the franchise hopes will become a championship puzzle. Konsta Helenius is off to a strong start in his bid to become the next member of that group.
Does Buffalo still need a few roster upgrades this summer? No doubt. It could use a first-line center, a quest that may have to wait until next offseason, as well as a little more defensive depth and a battle-tested goalie makes sense if the price is right.
The Blue and Gold have other trade assets to use, though. It ranges from NHL players such as Josh Norris and Jack Quinn to top prospects like Radim Mrtka and future first-round draft picks.
Kekalainen shouldn't be using members of his core for the necessary upgrades unless he's receiving a truly generational talent in return, and again the chances of that type of deal are minimal.
The Sabres are finally starting to open their contention window after more than a decade of misery. The worst mistake they can make now is a rash trade or two that threatens to crumble the organizational pillars for a possible short-term boost.
So, one more time for those in the back: Benson isn't going anywhere.
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