The Buffalo Sabres had one of their best games of the season Monday, beating the Florida Panthers 5-3. Buffalo had offensive contributions up and down the lineup – something that hasn’t happened with enough regularity - but we have to be honest when we say the Sabres have a problem area, and that’s in net.
Before you do a spit-take, let’s look at the two Sabres goalies coach Lindy Ruff has used this season, starting with veteran Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In four games this season, Luukkonen has posted a .812 save percentage and a 3.67 GAA. He helped Buffalo to a win Monday night, but his save percentage has been an accurate depiction of the Sabres’ season. He didn’t get much help from his Buffalo teammates many nights, but his job is to give his team a chance to win, and more often than not, Luukkonen hasn’t got the job done.
Then there’s Colten Ellis, who was yanked from Monday’s game after allowing two goals on nine shots. The 26-year-old posted some strong numbers in limited action last season, putting up a .903 SP and 2.90 GAA in 14 appearances. But in three games this season, Ellis has not impressed, posting a .900 SP once, and an .867 SP or worse in the other two games. And getting the hook Monday should send a shot across Ellis’ bow. Ellis has an .864 SP and 3.19 GAA, and those numbers will enrage fans if Buffalo continues to get sub-par results from him.
This is why there were rumors the Sabres were interested in acquiring star netminder Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets. Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen may have found the price-tag for Hellebuyck too rich for his liking, but if Luukkonen and Ellis continue to struggle, it may be a must-do move for the Sabres to outbid every other team and acquire a legitimate needle-mover.
As we know, without adequate goaltending, you have nothing. And seeing his goalies fail to deliver what they’ve been asked to do must give Kekalainen the inclination to shake the trees and see what’s out there. But there are very few teams with the goalie depth to give up a goalie-of-consequence to the Sabres.
That’s why a deal for a goalie of Hellebuyck’s stature is so important for Buffalo. If goaltending is what sinks the Sabres’ season, people will be calling for Kekalainen’s head. So he must be pro-active and he must be aggressive. Because if Hellebuyck is traded to a Buffalo rival, it will kill Sabres fans.
This is the case for the Sabres to push for Hellebuyck. Maybe Kekalainen finds a reclamation project that gives Buffalo a fresh look between the pipes. Stranger things have happened. But the better route is picking up a proven, known quantity like Hellebuyck. He could be one of the final pieces of Buffalo’s puzzle. They just need to convince Hellebuyck that the Sabres have all the other puzzle pieces needed to win a Stanley Cup championship.
Hellebuyck ultimately has the final say about where he will play next. His no-trade clause allows for that. But the Sabres’ struggles could see them stepping up to shake things up and bring in a true difference-maker like Hellebuuyck. And if Kekalainen can do that, Buffalo fans and Sabres players are going to be thrilled