- Elliotte Friedman says the Sabres-Jets Connor Hellebuyck trade hung up on draft-pick compensation
- Buffalo wanted the No. 8 pick back if it shipped Winnipeg the No. 4, and the Jets wanted both
- Read below for what Friedman said and why the deal is not fully dead
The Connor Hellebuyck trade to Buffalo came down to a couple of draft picks.
Elliotte Friedman broke down the sticking point on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast. The Sabres and Jets built a framework around Buffalo’s fourth-overall pick, but they could not agree on what else went in the deal.
Friedman explained where it fell apart.
“Buffalo was like, ‘No, if we’re giving you the fourth overall pick, we have to get the eighth overall pick back.’ I think Winnipeg wanted both of those picks, and that’s why it didn’t happen.”
Buffalo drafted defenseman Daxon Rudolph fourth overall on Friday, so that exact card is already off the table. The two sides never bridged the gap on the picks before the round started.
The Sabres broadcast crew is already teasing the question:
Hellebuyck would be a massive upgrade in Buffalo’s net. He is the reigning Hart and Vezina winner and the best goalie the Sabres could realistically chase.
He is locked in long term, too. Hellebuyck signed a seven-year extension worth $8.5 million per season that runs through 2031:
Friedman does not think the book is closed. He believes Winnipeg and Buffalo are still talking, even if the pre-draft version is dead. Swapping future picks gets trickier now that the draft is over.
Hellebuyck was reportedly willing to waive his no-movement clause to land in Buffalo, which is why our earlier report had the two sides still working the phones. The player wants it. The price is the holdup.
The Vezina winner is still a Jet, and Buffalo’s search for a starter runs straight through Winnipeg’s asking price.
