The story about how close the Buffalo Sabres were to landing Connor Hellebuyck earlier this year is nothing new. It seems as if every possible angle has emerged, short of the interested parties actually coming out and discussing the behind-the-scenes negotiations.
But there’s an interesting angle that has emerged over the couple of days.
Insider Darren Dreger dropped an interesting tidbit, claiming that the Winnipeg Jets were interested in a Buffalo Sabres center, but that health concerns surrounding this player ultimately derailed the deal.
“They were pretty close; there was a center from the Sabres that could’ve been included in the deal…that the Jets didn’t necessarily love; they had concerns with that player from a health standpoint.”
So, the big question is: Who is this mystery center that Dreger referred to?
The most immediate name that comes to mind is Josh Norris. He’s the sort of guy that the Jets would like to get back, especially since he could be a great piece to complement 100-point man Mark Scheifele.
That was an idea in this French-language piece.
While Norris would be the obvious choice, the choice could have been different: Jiri Kulich.
Kulich was earmarked for the Sabres’ top line last season until health issues pertaining to blood clots essentially cost him the season. The prevailing narrative is that Kulich will be back this season, and ready to tear it up.
And because he’s a question mark, it makes sense that the Jets would have backed off from taking Kulich on as part of a Hellebuyck trade.
Why Kulich Made Sense for Winnipeg Jets
Meanwhile, the prevailing narrative out of Winnipeg has been that the team is not rebuilding. So, the club wants to get something of value from whoever makes a trade for Hellebuyck. That’s why a package consisting of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the fourth-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and Jiri Kulich would have been a good conversation starter.
Now, earlier pieces here on Heavy have highlighted that the Sabres wanted the Jets’ first-round pick, the eighth-overall selection that became Viggo Bjorck, but Buffalo might have been able to overlook that detail if one of Kulich or Norris had not come with health concerns.
At the end of the day, the Jets might have pushed back from the table at the draft and figured that no trade was better than a bad trade.
Sabres May Still Have a Chance at Hellebuyck
Another part of the prevailing wisdom is that the ship has sailed on a Hellebuyck trade to Buffalo. However, the Sabres may still have an outside chance at landing the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
The market has currently priced in the possibility of Hellebuyck landing in Buffalo at 4/1, according to BetOnline Sports & Casino effectively making the Sabres the favorites to land the star goalie.
Unless oddsmakers know something that no one else does, it seems the market is jut playing the most evident angle. And that is the Sabres pulling together enough pieces to make this trade happen.
Whether or not it actually happens, that’s another story. But if it does happen, it seems like the Sabres could be the preferred destination for Connor Hellebuyck.
Sabres Center Helped Derail Hellebuyck Trade, Insider Says