Buffalo’s window to build on last season’s breakthrough is open. The question is whether general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will make his biggest move before the standings force his hand.
The Buffalo Sabres are 4-4-3 through their first 11 games of 2026-27, a frustrating start after a 50-win season that put them atop the Atlantic Division. Meanwhile, Connor Hellebuyck — one of the most accomplished available goaltenders — is no longer an option. The Winnipeg Jets traded him to the New Jersey Devils on October 23.
That trade has intensified the pressure on Buffalo’s front office, but missing out on Hellebuyck does not automatically mean the Sabres should chase the next recognizable name. The right question is more specific: what acquisition would materially improve Buffalo’s chance of winning a playoff series?
The goaltending numbers are difficult to ignore
Through October 26, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a .866 save percentage, while Colten Ellis sat at .864. Buffalo’s team save percentage was also .866. Those are troubling early-season results for a club hoping to contend near the top of the East.
The contrast with last year is especially striking. Buffalo’s own preseason assessment noted that its goalies combined for a .907 save percentage in 2025-26, third-best in the NHL. That strength helped make the Sabres a serious regular-season threat. If their goaltending stays near its current level, the skaters will have to outscore mistakes much too often.
Alex Lyon’s eventual return from injury could stabilize the situation, and the early sample remains small. Still, waiting indefinitely for a turnaround is not a plan. Buffalo needs to evaluate whether the problem is individual goalie performance, the quality of chances its team concedes, or both before spending premium assets.
What the Hellebuyck trade says about the market
New Jersey paid a substantial price: Dawson Mercer, Nick Bjugstad, Nico Daws, the rights to prospect Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. That return shows the type of package it can take to land a proven difference-maker.
Buffalo was linked to Hellebuyck in reporting leading up to the move, but the full details of what the Sabres were prepared to offer have not been established publicly. It would be too simplistic to label the outcome proof that Kekalainen refused to spend.
It does, however, leave him with the same roster question he had before the deal — and one fewer elite option to answer it.
Binnington, Gustavsson or a different answer?
St. Louis Blues veteran Jordan Binnington and Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson are two names raised in broader discussions about possible solutions. Neither should be described as an available trade target without confirmation from their clubs or reliable reporting.
For Buffalo, any goaltending trade would need to pass three tests: the incoming player must offer a credible upgrade, the acquisition cost must leave enough depth for a postseason run, and the contract must fit a cap structure that was already tight entering this discussion.
The Devon Levi decision adds another layer. Buffalo sent Levi and a 2028 seventh-round pick to Edmonton on July 1 for a 2028 third-round pick. That deal may have made sense at the time, but it reduced the Sabres’ internal options if the NHL tandem faltered. It makes properly assessing the available market even more important.
Don’t ignore the need for another impact forward
A goalie may be the most obvious fix, but Buffalo also has to think about how opponents will defend its best players in a seven-game series. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin are cornerstone talents. Jack Quinn’s strong opening stretch is encouraging, yet the Sabres could still benefit from another proven offensive creator who makes life harder for opposing matchups.
Adding a high-end forward would not solve an .866 team save percentage on its own. It could, however, raise Buffalo’s offensive ceiling when the goaltending stabilizes. The trick is avoiding an expensive move for scoring help that leaves the crease unresolved.
Should the Sabres act before the deadline?
Kekalainen does not need to force a blockbuster in October. He does need to work the phones now, establish realistic prices and identify which teams might be willing to move a starter or a top-six forward. Salary-cap constraints can be managed through outgoing contracts or retained salary, but those arrangements have real costs; they do not make a deal automatically possible.
If the goaltending remains below standard over the coming weeks, the Sabres should not treat the trade deadline as their first opportunity to respond. Points lost now count just as much as points lost later, and another slow stretch could turn a promising Cup push into a fight for a wild-card spot.
HGDTV’s take: Buffalo should prioritize a credible upgrade in net while remaining opportunistic about adding scoring. The answer is not necessarily the biggest name on the market; it is the move that fixes the team’s clearest weakness without sacrificing the core that made last season possible.
Sabres fans: would you spend premium assets on a goaltender now, trade for a top-six scorer, or give the current group more time?
Reporting context: Adam Proteau, The Hockey News (Oct. 26/27, 2026). Transaction details: New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres. Goaltending statistics through Oct. 26: Hockey-Reference. Analysis and conclusions are original to HockeyGamedayTV.
