Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen Declined To Comment About Rumored Interest In

Kekäläinen Won't Address Hellebuyck Rumors, Backs Sabres' Goalie Trio at Camp Opener

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen declined to address speculation linking the team to Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck as the Sabres opened training camp Wednesday at LECOM HarborCenter, instead expressing confidence in the club's returning three-goalie group.

Addressing reporters alongside head coach Lindy Ruff, Kekäläinen was direct about his refusal to engage with the Hellebuyck rumors that have persisted since the offseason. "I have never told anybody in the media about any of the talks with other general managers, so I don't know where it comes from," he said. "But that's the world we live in. There's going to be rumors."

The comments come amid ongoing speculation about Hellebuyck's future in Winnipeg. According to reports cited by Buffalo Hockey Beat, Kekalainen pursued at least one blockbuster deal early in the offseason by making a significant offer to the Winnipeg Jets for disgruntled goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who won the Hart and Vezina trophies in 2024-25 . Kekäläinen's reticence on the matter is consistent with the NHL's tampering rules, which restrict executives from publicly discussing interest in players under contract with other teams.

Confidence in Existing Trio

Rather than commenting on external targets, Kekäläinen turned his attention to the goaltenders already on Buffalo's roster. Kekalainen expressed confidence in the three goalies the Sabres utilized throughout last season: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis. Ruff indicated the team plans to carry all three into the regular season once again, noting they will likely carry all three again on their 23-man roster.

Ruff elaborated on the group's performance a year ago, saying "I really felt last year (goaltending) was a strength," Ruff said. "We had injuries to the top couple guys. Alex stepped in and gave us a lot of good hockey. We had Ellis step in and won us hockey games."

The trio's numbers backed up that assessment. According to NHL.com, Luukkonen, Lyon, Ellis combined for NHL's 3rd-best save percentage last season . The rotation proved durable through a series of injuries, as Ellis arrived as a waiver claim from the Blues and backed Lyon up when Luukkonen missed the opening weeks with injury; when Ellis was concussed in Edmonton in December, Lyon stepped in mid-period and launched the team's 10-game winning streak; and when Lyon got hurt later that month, Luukkonen became the guy again and carried the Sabres through January.

Roster Update

Camp opened without significant transaction news, though the Sabres did provide health updates on two players. According to The Buffalo News, the session featured not a lot of real news, save for the injuries to Jason Zucker and newly acquired 6-foot-8 defenseman Louis Crevier.

The Sabres' current goaltending depth chart includes Luukkonen, Lyon and Ellis at the NHL level, along with prospects Topias Leinonen, Scott Ratzlaff and Matt Villalta in the system. The team's regular-season schedule has not yet begun, with Buffalo entering the 2026-27 campaign at 0-0-0.