3 Proposed Sabres Trade Packages That Get Connor Hellebuyck To Buffalo
While the Connor Hellebuyck trade drama picks up steam, the Buffalo Sabres continue to be strongly linked to the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. They nearly had a deal back at the time of the Draft, but the Jets declined to give up their #8 pick (who they used to take highly-touted Swedish center Viggo Bjorck).
Since we already know that Hellebuyck had approved a trade to the Sabres, they remain one of the frontrunners, and here, we look at three proposed trade packages that have emerged this summer that would get the game's best goalie to Buffalo.
Option 1:
Jesse Granger of The Athletic has proposed that a package of goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and a selection from the Sabres' "plethora of top-six forwards they could send Winnipeg’s way, including Josh Norris and Ryan McLeod."
Option 2:
Ryan Lambert of The Hockey News has suggested the following:
- Luukkonen
- Jack Quinn ("or someone of similar value")
- Two first-round picks
- "A couple of decent prospects"
Lambert bases this hypothetical offer as similar to the one that the Jets were rumored to be asking for from Buffalo just before the Draft, but with updated replacements. In lieu of the #4 overall pick from this year, he goes with two lower first-rounders, and the "one other prospect" they had asked for would turn now into "a couple of decent prospects."
And as he rightfully notes, "The rebuild has to be over for Buffalo, too, so they shouldn’t care about the loss of picks and prospects."
Option 3:
- Radim Mrtka
- 2 of Jack Quinn, Noah Ostlund, Ryan McLeod, Jiri Kulich
This one comes to us from Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press. He acknowledges that since that the Sabres wouldn't be picking as high as #4 pick again, "current players and prospects would likely be the focus for the Jets."
He goes on to rule out the names of Zach Benson, who was just signed to a seven-year extension and the Sabres have no intention whatsoever of moving, and Konsta Helenius, Buffalo's top prospect.
"Mrtka would bolster the Jets right side on defence, but any deal would need to be augmented with an impactful forward (or two), whether that’s Quinn, Ostlund, Kulich, or someone like Ryan McLeod."
All in all, there are a number of quality pieces here, both in impactful NHL players and very good prospects, to somehow get a deal done. And the fact that Hellebuyck seems willing to go there, still leaves Buffalo as the frontrunner.