The Buffalo Sabres came up empty on Connor Hellebuyck, but that does not mean the search should stop there.
With Jarmo Kekalainen still looking for a breakthrough deal early in his run as general manager, Buffalo has already learned how hard it can be to finish the job. Last season’s push for Robert Thomas never got across the line, and a trade for Colton Parayko was reached before Parayko’s no-trade clause killed it. That history hasn’t changed the reality facing the Sabres now: they should be active, and there are still targets that could fit.
Robert Thomas remains the name that checks the biggest box. Buffalo has already shown interest in the St.
Louis Blues center, and for good reason. Thomas would give the Sabres the top-line center they need and let Tage Thompson slide to the wing.
He is only 27, has four years left on his contract after this one, and has averaged more than a point per game over the last three seasons. He has six points in 10 games this season.
St. Louis is 5-5-1, not buried, but also not looking like a team built for a Stanley Cup run right now.
If the Blues ever decide to make future pieces available, Buffalo should be ready to pounce.
If the Sabres want help for the present instead of a longer-term piece, Ryan O'Reilly fits that lane. Buffalo traded him after the 2017-18 season, and he went on to win a Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy with the Blues before spending the last three seasons with the Nashville Predators.
At 35, he is still producing, with 74 points in 81 games last season and seven points in nine games this season. He also brings real value in the faceoff circle, where he owns a career win percentage of 55.6%.
O'Reilly is in the final year of his contract, so this would be a rental, but the veteran presence would matter in the room.
Jake DeBrusk is the wing option worth watching if Buffalo does not want to add another center. The Vancouver Canucks are sitting last in the NHL in points with five through 12 games, and that kind of start can push a team toward selling.
DeBrusk has been a reliable scorer, putting up 20-goal seasons and topping 40 points in each of the last five years between Vancouver and the Boston Bruins. He may profile best in a middle-six role, but the power play is where he could really help Buffalo.
Over the last two seasons, he has scored 33 goals, and that kind of finishing touch is something the Sabres could use.
Then there is the goalie angle, which may not be the top priority right now but is still in the conversation after the Hellebuyck miss. Alex Lyon is expected back soon, so Buffalo may not feel pressure to force anything immediately.
Still, Filip Gustavsson is a name they could circle depending on how the netminders perform over the coming weeks and months. Gustavsson is on injured reserve after offseason hip surgery, but he is expected back around early November.
When healthy, he has delivered strong results over the last two seasons with a save percentage above .900 and a goals-against average around 2.6. The Sabres can wait and see, but if the position keeps wobbling, Gustavsson could become a target.
In Other News...
Sabres Trade Chatter Just Put Their Goalie Plan In Focus
Trade chatter has been swirling around the league again, and the Sabres have not been immune to it. While the Red Wings are reportedly sticking with Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson despite continued calls from teams looking for young centers, and Washington has opened the door for Ivan Miroshnichenko to explore a move, Buffalo has had its own noise to sort through with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and the goaltending picture.
Luukkonen said the message from GM Jarmo Kekalainen was simple: stop worrying about the rumors and keep his attention on his game. Kekalainen also made it clear on WGR Radio that Luukkonen is part of Buffalo's future, a notable vote of confidence at a time when the Sabres are still trying to steady things in net and define what comes next in goal. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Already Face Heat Over Their Risky Goalie Bet
Buffalo had a chance to chase one of the leagues most proven goaltenders, but the Sabres did not push hard enough to land Connor Hellebuyck when rumors tied them to the Jets star. Instead, the front office is leaning into its current group, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Colten Ellis and injured Alex Lyon forming the backbone of the crease picture for now. It is the kind of decision that can look prudent in July and far riskier if the season starts to wobble.
Lindy Ruff is still showing confidence in Luukkonen, saying the Sabres will keep giving him starts as he works to clean up his game. For a team that has spent years trying to stabilize its most important position, the choice to stand pat is already drawing scrutiny, especially with a proven option having been there for the taking. The message from Buffalo is clear enough: they believe internal improvement is the path forward, even if the outside noise suggests they may be gambling more than they should. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Were In The Hellebuyck Hunt Until One Sticking Point Emerged
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Sabres were part of the group of teams that poked around on Connor Hellebuyck before the deal market moved on. Florida, Utah and Carolina were also in the mix, which underscores just how much interest there was in the goaltender and how many different paths clubs explored before talks started to run into trouble.
In Buffalos case, the push never got past the key sticking points that can sink a blockbuster long before it gets serious. Friedman said negotiations with multiple teams hit different walls, from package disagreements to draft-pick swaps, timing and contractual complications, and in Buffalos situation the Jets were also looking for forwards they simply could not land to their satisfaction. [Read more 🡒]