It’s no secret poor goaltending has been one of the Buffalo Sabres’ major weaknesses over the past 13 years. Once backed by solid talent behind the net from stars such as Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller, the Blue and Gold have struggled to fill those goalies’ shoes in the seasons since they left Buffalo.
Starting netminder Ukkko-Pekka Luukkonen has enjoyed a decent season so far. No. 1 has a .903 SV% and 2.83 GAA, as of this writing. UPL helped Buffalo win six games so far. However, during his recent start against the Montreal Canadiens, he let in four goals, including two from Nick Suzuki less than 30 seconds apart at the end of the second period.
It wasn’t all Luukkonen’s fault. The rest of the team shared the blame, but the shaky performance didn’t give fans a lot of reassurance. Backup goalie Devon Levi was no better, although he rallied during Buffalo’s next matchup versus the St. Louis Blues. Meanwhile, the Sabres claimed third-string goalie James Reimer back off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks. If UPL or Levi are out for any extended period or get in a slump, the team will need a reliable goaltender to fill in. Let’s look at some Reimer alternatives that could be available.
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks’ goalie John Gibson has been a talked about trade target this season. Gibson comes with a solid career .910 SV%, 2.89 GAA and veteran net presence. Unfortunately for the Ducks, an injury sidelined him and he’s only played one game so far this season. The Ducks are rebuilding and looking to make some moves to shake up their roster. The Sabres could trade Reimer back to Anaheim and add an injured Mattias Samuelsson in exchange for Gibson. A Gibson-Reimer or Reimer and Samuelsson trade would really help the Sabres shore up their goaltending department.
Mackenzie Blackwood, San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks’ goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is another potential trade target hockey bloggers have speculated about. Blackwood’s numbers are a decent career .904 SV% and 3.08 GAA. Buffalo could offer a deal for Blackwood and see if San Jose bites. According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun , the Sabres are currently one of the “busier” teams in the trade market. Could a goalie move like a trade for Blackwood be part of it? It may be too much of a hurdle but other teams have reportedly been interested in Blackwood.
Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins
This one is probably a long shot. Pittsburgh Penguins' goalie Tristan Jarry has struggled lately and the Penguins recently sent him down to their AHL affiliate for a stint. While the Pens brought him back, trading for the normally dependable Jarry is still a possibility. After all, Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula does have a soft spot for anyone with a Pennsylvania connection. Trading for Jarry, if Buffalo could pull it off, wouldn’t be the worst move.