Connor Hellebuyck is one of the biggest topics being discussed this offseason. The Vezina and Olympic gold medal winner is reportedly on the trade block. Any contending team would love the chance to pry the star netminder from the Winnipeg Jets. The Buffalo Sabres are one of those teams. They need to do what it takes to bring him to Western New York.
The Sabres are coming off their first playoff appearance in 14 years this past season. Not only that, but they made a deep push into the second round before being eliminated in overtime vs the Montreal Canadiens. Fast forward to today, and Buffalo hasn’t done enough to take advantage of that run. They’ve lost key contributors like Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, which is why adding Hellebuyck should be priority number one.
Hellebuyck and Buffalo Are a Perfect Match
Buffalo needs to add some star power to make the most of their core. While the goaltending of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon was a big part of the team’s success, it was also a big reason for the struggles they had. Both goaltenders were pulled for one another at different times during the postseason. They need an upgrade in net in order to become true contenders.
Bringing Hellebuyck to the Sabres would be just that and more. When he is on his game, he can steal plenty of games. With a young forward core along with the young talent on the backend, Hellebuyck’s job would become much easier. Ultimately, he’s one of the missing pieces this team needs to take the next step of contention.
The Cost Is Worth It
There’s a lot of speculation as to what it would cost for any team to convince Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to move his star backstopper. It’s believed that the Sabres and Jets were almost done with a Hellebuyck trade at the draft, but Winnipeg wasn’t willing to give up the #8th overall pick. With that in mind, Buffalo’s GM Jarmo Kekäläinen needs to keep pushing and get a deal done that’s acceptable for Winnipeg.
So what would an acceptable deal look like? Another part of the reported trade that the Jets wanted was Jack Quinn. If that’s the case, the Sabres should stomach that and make him a part of a deal. Buffalo would likely add Noah Ostlund, a 2027 and 2028 first-round pick, as well. It’s a massive package for a goaltender nearly in his mid-30’s, but it’s a risk that Kekäläinen should take to make a statement.
There are certainly question marks and risks in Buffalo pushing for Hellebuyck. However, for the team to get better, you have to take some risks. Connor Hellebuyck is a risk worth taking.
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