The Sabres aren’t acting like a team ready to give up on its goalie group.
GM Jarmo Kekäläinen made that clear on WGR 550 when the conversation turned to Buffalo’s current situation in net and, specifically, how Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has handled being mentioned in trade chatter. Kekäläinen didn’t flinch.
“We believe in our goaltending. They had really good numbers last year and they were good for us; all three of them.
Alex Lyon ‘s been hurt and is close to coming back and we’ll see where he’s at when he does. Colten Ellis played some excellent games for us last year.
He hasn’t been quite as good as he was last year, but we believe he’ll get there again. He’ll be a big part of our team, but (UPL) is a really good goaltender that has a lot to give to the Buffalo Sabres and, he’ll be a big part of our future.”
That vote of confidence comes with the Sabres already leaning on a goalie trio that eats up 6.8% of the cap, at a $7.1MM total payroll. It worked beautifully last season.
Buffalo rolled to 50 wins and 109 points, won the Atlantic Division for the first time in franchise history, and finally snapped a 14-year playoff drought. The three goalies were a big part of that run, combining for a 26.0 goals saved above expected, a .907 save percentage, and a 2.69 goals against average.
This season has looked a lot rougher. Through nine games, Buffalo sits at 4-3-2 and holds the second wild card spot. The numbers in net have gone the wrong way, with Luukkonen and Ellis - and Lyon sidelined by an upper-body injury - posting a combined -7.1 goals saved above expected, an .861 save percentage, and a 3.48 goals against average.
That’s why the trade talk never really went away.
The speculation the hosts raised dates back to summer rumors about the Sabres potentially pursuing Connor Hellebuyck as a true No. 1.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had already reported that Hellebuyck was willing to move his no-movement clause in order to land in Buffalo during the week of the 2026 NHL Draft. In that scenario, the Sabres were reportedly looking at pairing Hellebuyck with Ellis as the backup.
But Winnipeg’s ask was steep. The Jets wanted the fourth-overall pick and also hoped to keep the eighth-overall pick in the deal.
Buffalo, for its part, wasn’t interested in making that kind of move without draft capital coming back inside the top 10. Winnipeg had strong interest in Viggo Björck before eventually selecting him eighth, and the Jets weren’t expected to take him at fourth with so much top-end talent available there.
Friedman also believes Luukkonen has Winnipeg on his modified no-trade list for the 2026-27 season, which only complicates the whole picture further.
The appeal of Hellebuyck is obvious. He’s a four-time all-star, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, and the 2024-25 league MVP.
He carries an $8.5MM cap hit and is set to earn $59.5MM by the time he’s 38 in 2031. That kind of goalie would change the conversation in Buffalo immediately.
It would also come at a serious price, especially if Luukkonen won’t waive to go to Winnipeg.
Hellebuyck’s own situation remains unresolved after he failed to report to Jets training camp and continued waiting on a move after requesting a trade. The regular season is already underway, but his suspension is expected to end this Friday, October 23rd. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that three teams are still in the mix, and if Winnipeg cannot move him by Friday, the Jets will continue to pay him while trying to keep him away from the team.
Buffalo may well be one of those teams. Whether the Sabres can actually make the math work is another matter.
With Lyon still unavailable and the current goaltending results lagging behind last season’s standard, the Sabres have reason to look for an upgrade. If that upgrade turns out to be Hellebuyck, it would be a major add for a team trying to stay in the hunt in a stacked Atlantic.
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