Colten Ellis is one of the more interesting pieces in the Buffalo Sabres’ goalie picture as training camp approaches.
Buffalo still does not have a true No. 1 in place. Last season, the Sabres cycled through three goalies, and the Alex Lyon-Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen tandem slipped in the postseason. For now, the same three names are back in the mix, even as Connor Hellebuyck trade rumors continue to hang around.
Ellis is the youngest of that group at 25, and he made his case last season with 16 starts in the year that ended the playoff drought. He finished with an 8-4-2 record and handled backup duty well when Lyon or Luukkonen was getting the bulk of the work.
His numbers were solid, too: a .903 save percentage last season. That kind of production gives Buffalo something to think about, especially with Ellis and Alex Lyon both pending free agents after the 2026-27 season.
If Ellis takes another step this year, the Sabres could eventually view him as a more affordable option than Lyon when next offseason arrives. And if he grows into part of the starting rotation - or pushes even deeper into the long-term plan - his value only goes up from there.
Buffalo has seen this movie before. The organization has had backup goalies flash enough promise to look like answers, only for shaky roster construction, a weak defense and inconsistent play to derail the idea. Ellis has the speed and age working in his favor, and he has shown he can react quickly when the defense breaks down.
What happens next is still unclear. Depending on how the Hellebuyck pursuit plays out, the Sabres could even try to pass Ellis through waivers and send him to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. There is also the possibility of getting more tape on him for Lindy Ruff to evaluate.
For now, Buffalo still has to sort out its three-goalie setup and decide who the primary starter will be moving forward. With Luukkonen in trade rumors, Lyon and Ellis nearing free agency, and the Hellebuyck speculation still alive, plenty remains unsettled.
That uncertainty gives Ellis a real opening. It may be the chance for him to grab the spotlight in Buffalo’s crease.
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Former Sabres Defenseman Is Back In Trade Rumors Again
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For Sabres fans, the angle is familiar even if the destination is not. Jokiharju was once part of Buffalos defense mix, and his name being linked to movement again naturally invites a second look, but the Sabres may not be in position to join the bidding. Buffalos recent Zach Metsa extension points toward a group that already feels more settled on defense, which could leave the former Sabres blueliner in the kind of market where one teams surplus becomes another teams opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Are Setting A Brutal Standard For These Sabres
The Sabres are coming off a season that should have raised expectations in Buffalo. They finished first in the Atlantic Division in 2025-26 and got through the first round of the playoffs, only to run into Montreal in the second round and come up short. Now the Canadiens are back with few roster changes for 2026-27, which leaves Buffalo staring at a familiar benchmark and a division rival that looks built to keep asking the same questions.
For the Sabres, the path to getting past Montreal starts with areas that have to improve, especially in goal. The gap is not just about chasing the Canadiens in the standings or trying to match them shift for shift, but proving Buffalo can handle a team that has already shown it can stand in the way when the games matter most. If that matchup ends the same way again, the pressure to shake up the roster is going to get a lot harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Face A Reality Check With Key Regression Candidates
Peyton Krebs, Jason Zucker and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen all come with a little more uncertainty than the Sabres would prefer heading into 2026-27, especially after each flashed enough last season to make the picture look a bit brighter than it may really be. Krebs value was tied to unusual usage, Zucker is at the stage of his career where managing his workload matters as much as producing, and Luukkonen still has to show the kind of consistency Buffalo has chased from him for a while now.
For the Sabres, the concern is not whether those players can help, but whether last year already represented the high end of what they can reasonably expect. Krebs may have to settle into a much lighter role, Zuckers impact could shrink with age, and Luukkonen is under added scrutiny as the team keeps searching for stability in net after its offseason pursuit of Connor Hellebuyck. [Read more 🡒]