Oilers Linked To Sabres Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen By Jeff Marek

Saturday, May 23, 2026 ,


 

With the Buffalo Sabres out of playoff contention, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will have to reassess the state of his team. 

Running hot near the end of the season, the Sabres had an aura of invincibility that faded once they met the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

UPL played six-games in the playoffs for the Sabres, and put in his best effort against his competitors but finished the postseason with 3.18 goals-against average, and an .876 save percentage. 

Alex Lyon and UPL split goaltending duties, while their third goalie, Colton Ellis, a waiver claim, didn't get a chance to play at all. 

With his lackluster play in the postseason, his future in Buffalo appears to be in question, as Jeff Marek on Daily Faceoff live linked the Edmonton Oilers to the Finnish goaltender. 


The Edmonton Oilers goaltending situation has been desperate since trading for Tristan Jarry with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jarry would fail to be the netminder the Oilers needed, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of many as he underperformed at the end of the regular season. 

Jarry only played 19-games for the Oilers after his trade, but it was apparent there were changes that needed to be made, with a record of 9-6-2, 3.86 GAA, and a .858 save percentage. 

The only question is, if GM Stan Bowman makes another hockey trade for UPL, is this another example of his hubris, or will he make major changes to his blueline to accompany a new goaltender?

UPL was selected 54th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Sabres, and we've seen a framework of what a trade could look like by Heavy.com.

Though the question is, how realistic would it be?

here’s what this Oilers-Sabres trade idea could look like:

Oilers get:

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G

Sabres get:

Stuart Skinner, G

2026 second-round pick

Beau Akey, D

Is there any merit that the Sabres could get prospect Beau Akey in return from the Oilers for UPL? Possibly. 

With a crowded net in Buffalo, we could see a hockey trade once free agency kicks into gear. 


David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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