One of the big questions around the NHL is whether or not Connor Hellebuyck will be playing somewhere else for the 2026-27 season. According to Elliotte Friedman, it looked like it was close to being the Buffalo Sabres for Hellebuyck's team.
Ahead of Round 2, Elliotte Friedman was on ESPN and provided an update on where the trade discussions stood after Friday night:
"Depending on who you speak to, yesterday, there were people who thought that a deal between Winnipeg and Buffalo was close, and Hellebuyck had agreed to go to Buffalo. Now, obviously, it wasn't to the satisfaction of the Winnipeg Jets, who really want to try to hit a home run with this deal, but there was a time yesterday where people thought this was going to occur. Buffalo decided the price was too high."
The rumored asking price by the Winnipeg Jets was the fourth overall pick, an NHL player and a prospect for Hellebuyck. If that ultimately was the asking price, the Sabres were smart to walk away.
Buffalo Sabres might like an upgrade at goalie but aren't desperate
While an upgrade at goalie would be great, they aren't necessarily desperate with how well Ukko-Pekka Luukonnen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis played in the regular season. The trade of Bowen Byram also created enough cap space for them to consider signing Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency if they want an upgrade. They could go that route and get an upgrade without costing them any assets.
The good news is that the Sabres very easily could pick trade discussions back up. The hard part is done, which was Connor Hellebuyck's willingness to waive his no-trade clause to come to Buffalo. While it hasn't been reported that Hellebuyck is demanding a trade, he certainly has that option, and it might force the Jets to lower their contract demands.
Goalies typically haven't drawn big returns in trades, although Sebastian Cossa was traded to the Utah Mammoth for a first-round pick on Friday night. The asking price might be going up for the position, but the Sabres were smart not to go that high.
While they may not have completed the trade, Friedman's reporting shows they have the advantage with Hellebuyck reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause to come to Buffalo. It is smart for the Sabres to remain patient, and it's something that could be revisited.
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