The Buffalo Sabres have a really good hockey team.
But imagine if they had Connor Hellebuyck in goal.
It’s not a far-fetched idea. It almost happened.
Over the summer, the rumors and reports existed that Buffalo was trying to trade for Hellebuyck, who wants out from the Winnipeg Jets.
A deal never went through, though, which is a bummer for Buffalo. A Sabres team with Hellebuyck would’ve entered this season feeling like it was a sleeper contender to win the Stanley Cup.
Even without Hellebuyck, Buffalo can be very good.
But as the regular season gets rolling in earnest, and Hellebuyck remains with the Jets, it becomes more clear that the Sabres may have been a better outcome for this situation.
Why Sabres Didn’t Get Connor Hellebuyck
None of this was really about Buffalo, which reportedly was eventually approved by Hellebuyck as a place he’d waive his no-trade clause for.
No, this was about Winnipeg, which The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun laid out in a new article on Wednesday.
Essentially, the Jets simply haven’t been able to bring themselves to actually pull the trigger on a trade of Hellebuyck.
“Listen, I get why for the Jets, this isn’t just about Hellebuyck,” LeBrun writes. “It’s about protecting the brand and sending a message for the future. It’s already hard enough to lure players to Winnipeg. The franchise is naturally sensitive to that part of it all. Jets chairman Mark Chipman is about as good an owner as you’ll ever meet. He loves the Jets and his city so much. But also true is that the team knew a long time ago Hellebuyck wanted out. It could have made a trade with Buffalo at the June draft. Of course it’s a trade the Sabres likely would have won. But at some point, as hard as it is to digest, I think you have to cut your losses. And the tough part about goalie trades is historically, no matter how good the goalie is, it’s hard to get equal value back. Again, easy for me to say.”
Essentially, the NHL insider LeBrun is explaining that the Jets trading away Hellebuyck would almost be waving a white flag. They have to hold their ground, not just to keep their goalie but to keep their pride and their franchise.
The Sabres just ended up on the wrong side of that coin.
Sabres’ Goalies Now
Without Hellebuyck, Buffalo is running it back with the same goalies as last season.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who likely would’ve gone to Winnipeg in a trade, instead remains the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie.
They’re missing Alex Lyon due to injury to begin the season, and so Colten Ellis is getting action as the backup.
None of them are Hellebuyck. Very few are. And at this point, it seems like the Sabres’ chance at Hellebuyck may have come and gone this summer.
Sabres’ Connor Hellebuyck Trade Set Up As Buffalo Win