The Buffalo Sabres already had some questions in net heading into the season, and now the Alex Lyon injury as well as the injury to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could make things even more interesting. If Lyon is going to miss a significant amount of time, Buffalo may have to take another look at the goalie market, and that could bring Connor Hellebuyck back into the conversation.
The Sabres and Winnipeg Jets actually talked about a Hellebuyck trade before the 2026 NHL Draft, but the two sides couldn't get a deal done. Buffalo no longer has the draft pick that was part of those discussions, so if the Sabres wanted to go back down that road, they would have to find another way to make the offer more appealing to Winnipeg.
At the same time, Buffalo would need to find a way to make the deal work in terms of roster spots. The trade likely doesn't happen without trading one or both Luukkonen and Lyon. Which means the Sabres would need to find a new home for at least Luukkonen in order to acquire Hellebuyck, and that makes this situation even trickier.
Hellebuyck makes a lot of sense for the Sabres
Buffalo already showed that it was willing to discuss a major move for him before the draft, so the interest is clearly there. The injuries to both Luukkonen and Lyon could give the Sabres another reason to revisit the situation, especially if both goalies are out for week-to-week and they don't feel comfortable with their options.
There are two problems with this, but it is doable. The first one is, they would need to find a trade for Luukkonen when he is healthy. The second one, by far the biggest hurdle, and that is getting Hellebuyck, would still require a pretty big trade. Buffalo can't simply go back to Winnipeg with the same offer it had before the draft because that pick is no longer available. If the Sabres decide they really want Hellebuyck, they would have to find another asset or two to make the package worth Winnipeg's while.
There is also a pretty big difference between needing a temporary replacement for Lyon and Luukkonen deciding to trade for Hellebuyck. If they are only going to miss a short period of time, Buffalo probably isn't going to give up a major package for another starting goalie. They can fill the void while they recover, and then things will be back to status quo.
If they are, out long-term though, the Sabres may have to decide whether they are going to pull the trigger on a blocker-buster trade or not. That's when the previous Hellebuyck discussions could become relevant again, especially with Buffalo already trying to take the next step with its young core.
It still doesn't mean a trade is coming, but the timing of the goaltending injuries is interesting. Buffalo already had a conversation with Winnipeg about Hellebuyck, and with him being suspended by the Jets organization, a trade could happen sooner rather than later.
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