The last thing the Toronto Maple Leafs need is for a division rival to pull off a blockbuster trade. In this case, we’re talking about the Buffalo Sabres.
A persistent rumor has been going around that the Sabres have been targeting Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck. For a while, in fact, the rumor mill had posited that the Leafs could have been players for the Vezina Trophy winner.
However, signing Sergei Bobrovsky changed all that.
The prevailing chatter has Hellebuyck going to the Sabres. In fact, another rumor stated that the gold-medal winning goalie was willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Sabres.
That says a lot about how close this deal has come to completion.
If it does, it could just add to the complexity brewing within the Atlantic Division. It’s another sign of the dangerous arms race building. While the Maple Leafs upped the ante this offseason, they’re not the only club going all in.
That’s why seeing a player like Hellebuyck in the division is no bueno. It will make an already good club even better. Yes, the Maple Leafs don’t figure to be pushovers next season. But the prospect of having to potentially face Hellebuyck in the playoffs isn’t exactly encouraging.
As for the likelihood of Hellebuyck leaving Winnipeg, Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press estimates it could be as much as 95%. And yes, the Sabres are considered the frontrunners. Still, there could be a chance that 5% could make this deal fall through.
Jets reportedly have high asking price for Hellebuyck
The biggest reason for a Hellebuyck trade falling through has been the asking price. According to Nick Kypreos, the Jets wanted Zach Benson as part of the return for Hellebuyck.
“I had heard Winnipeg asked for Zach Benson, but that’s not happening.”
The Sabres just signed Benson to a seven-year, $52.5 million deal. So, it doesn’t seem like Benson is hitting the road anytime soon.
That could be good news for the Maple Leafs. The Sabres may be unwilling to meet the Jets’ price, effectively killing the deal between Buffalo and Winnipeg. While that situation does not preclude Hellebuyck from getting traded, Buffalo might not be the destination.
McIntyre also floated the San Jose Sharks as a possibility. If that’s the case, that’s all right. Keeping Hellebuyck in the Western Conference is not bad. In the meantime, Maple Leafs fans should keep an eye open as there could still be a late-summer blockbuster in the works. There are several moving pieces grinding through the rumor mill, and Hellebuyck could be one of them.
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