Sabres eye Hellebuyck but face steep asking price after 2026 draft

Martin Biron rated the Buffalo Sabres’ interest in Connor Hellebuyck as very high yet placed the odds of completing a trade lower after the 2026 draft.

Interest level amid eastern conference shifts

Martin Biron stated on TSN 1050 OverDrive that the Sabres view Hellebuyck as the piece that puts them over the top.

Biron contrasted Florida’s addition of Brady Tkachuk and Toronto’s improvements against Buffalo’s position after Montreal secured the first overall pick.

Ottawa lost its captain yet remained competitive while Carolina captured the Cup and Tampa Bay stayed strong, leaving the Sabres four points or more behind projected playoff teams.

Hellebuyck enters as a three-time Vezina trophy winner and Hart trophy recipient, a statistical profile Biron said elevates any contender’s ceiling.

The Sabres held the fourth overall pick at the 2026 draft and could have moved Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who carried no no-trade clause, before selections occurred.

Biron noted that timing made a pre-draft swap more probable than the current window.

Winnipeg’s demanded return package

Winnipeg seeks a second-line center in exchange for Hellebuyck according to Biron’s assessment.

Possible names include Ryan McLeod, Josh Norris, Noah Ostlund or Konsta Helenius, each representing between 18 and 24 years of age and between 45 and 65 points in recent seasons.

Jarmo Kekalainen and Buffalo must decide which of those assets can depart without eroding forward depth for the next three seasons.

Surrendering one established center would leave the Sabres with three young pivots instead of four, directly affecting second-line production measured at 1.8 goals per game during 2025-26.

Luukkonen’s lack of a no-trade clause no longer applies after the draft, narrowing trade flexibility on the Buffalo side.

Forward outlook for contention window

A completed Hellebuyck acquisition would raise Buffalo’s projected save percentage from .901 to .918 based on the goalie’s prior five-year average.

That upgrade would compress the gap to division leaders who posted .922 team save percentages in 2025-26.

Retaining at least two of the four listed centers preserves cap flexibility estimated at $7.2 million for 2027 free agency.

Biron welcomed the addition of the veteran netminder yet warned the deal remains complicated given Winnipeg’s specific ask.

The Sabres therefore face a binary choice between immediate goaltending stability and long-term center depth.