Connor Hellebuyck’s name is still hanging over the Buffalo Sabres, and the possibility of a deal is far from dead.
On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman said the Jets and Sabres are still in contact and that Buffalo remains in the picture if trade talks pick back up.
“I still think Winnipeg and Buffalo are talking. I don’t think that’s over yet,” Friedman said. “There felt like there was a lot of noise leading into the first round of the draft on Friday that, at some point that night, he could be moved.”
Friedman also said Hellebuyck was prepared to approve a move to Buffalo before the draft.
“I had heard on Friday he was willing to waive to go to Buffalo,” Friedman said. “I don’t know if that was ever formally submitted, but I’m 100% convinced he was willing to waive to go to Buffalo.”
Around the league, some players narrow their trade lists to just a few teams. Friedman said this situation was not nearly that tight.
“I think whatever list he gave, or whatever indication he gave, it wasn’t as restrictive as some of the other ones,” Friedman said.
The fit with Buffalo is easy to see, and Friedman tied it to where the Sabres are headed rather than any particular market appeal.
“I heard there were a few options, and the fact that he was willing to go to Buffalo indicated to me it was exactly as we’d talked about,” Friedman said. “He wanted a team he thought would be a consistent contender over the next three years.”
Buffalo’s recent rise gives that idea some real weight. The Sabres won the Atlantic Division after ending a 14-season playoff drought, and a core built around Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson has pushed the team into the conversation as one of the league’s fastest-rising groups.
For Winnipeg, there is still no urgency to force the issue. Hellebuyck remains one of the NHL’s elite goalies even after a rough 2025-26 season, and his Olympic gold-medal run for Team USA showed what he can still do behind a tighter defensive setup.
The price is the other major hurdle. Reports have indicated the Jets are still asking for a first-round pick along with premium assets, a steep ask for any team, even one chasing a top-tier goalie.
If Buffalo thinks its window is opening, that kind of cost becomes easier to swallow. And based on Friedman’s comments, Hellebuyck would not stand in the way. The decision now sits with the front offices.
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