For all the time the Buffalo Sabres were in the Connor Hellebuyck trade, the organization knew it was out of the running long before the trade happened.
During an appearance on NHL Network following Friday’s bombshell deal, insider Elliotte Friedman discussed some of the fallout.
In that discussion, Friedman noted that one of the pieces once believed to be a part of the trade, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, had issued forbearance on the fact that the Sabres were pretty much out of the running.
“Earlier this week Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen told reporters…that he was told by his general manager to forget the rumours, so with 20/20 hindsight now, it’s pretty clear that Buffalo knew they were gonna be out.”
As Friedman noted, in hindsight, the comments make sense. The Sabres and Winnipeg Jets purportedly had a deal in place leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft, but eventually backed off. That situation bought Luukkonen enough time to amend his no-trade list to include Winnipeg.
Now, it seems the Sabres were well aware that they didn’t really have a chance at the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, despite being the odds-on favorites for such a long time.
Buffalo fans will no doubt come away with a sense of “what could have been” following Friday’s Hellebuyck trade.
Luukkonen Was Key Piece in Hellebuyck Trade for Sabres
The official narrative for so long was the fact that the Jets wanted a goalie to replace Hellebuyck. That changed when the organization signed Stuart Skinner in the offseason. While Skinner wasn’t exactly a Hellebuyck replacement, he’s played like one so far this season.
However, the Jets clearly needed a backup after losing last year’s number-two guy, Eric Comrie, to free agency. The Sabres had that potential replacement in Luukkonen.
That situation prompted the Jets to claim Clay Stevenson off waivers from the Washington Capitals. The move has largely worked out, allowing Winnipeg to back off the pressure for another goalie.
While in the end the Jets got Nico Daws from New Jersey, the team’s current goalie situation made it less pressing to add a potential starting netminder in the Hellebuyck trade.
Buffalo Still Had the Best Offer for Hellebuyck
At the end of the day, the Sabres had the best offer on the table. Part of the return was the fourth-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Luukkonen, and Jack Quinn. Those three pieces look a heck of a lot better than what they ultimately got from the Devils the Hellebuyck trade.
The holdup, as some sources have claimed, was that the Sabres wanted to swap the fourth-overall pick for the ninth selection. The Jets wanted both the fourth and ninth picks. That situation led to a stall in negotiations, leading to an entire summer and early fall of uncertainty.
It’s too bad for Sabres fans that there was some unwillingness to capitulate on a couple of points. Years from now, fans will look back at that fourth-overall pick in 2026 and question if Daxon Rudolph was really worth missing out on Hellebuyck.
If Rudolph becomes a star, no one will really lament the choice. But if he doesn’t, there will be plenty of scrutiny, particularly if the Sabres can’t top last season’s accomplishments.
Sabres Knew They Were Out of Hellebuyck Trade, Friedman Says