Buffalo linked to three goaltenders including ex-Sabre Linus Ullmark

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Cooper Godin
June 18, 2024 (11:38)

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The Buffalo Sabres are one of a number of teams looking for help between the pipes on the trade market and one insider has already linked them to three goaltenders, including a familiar face.

In a post on The Fourth Period's website on Monday, David Pagnotta shared his top 25 trade candidates as we head towards the NHL Entry Draft on June 28th & 29th, as well as the opening of free agency on Canada Day.

Pagnotta has linked the Buffalo Sabres to Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins, John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks and Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild - all of whom are prime candidates to be dealt by their respective teams this summer.

Starting with Linus Ullmark, who was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2012 and spent six seasons with them. He's formed arguably the NHL's best goaltending tandem in the last couple of seasons with Jeremy Swayman, but all good things must come to an end and the Bruins have to commit to a starting goaltender next season. All signs point to Swayman remaining with the Bruins, while Ullmark may be shopped by Don Sweeney over the coming weeks.

"Ullmark prefers to ride out the final year of his contract in Boston, but the Bruins are weighing their options and will continue to conduct trade talks with interested teams. Ullmark has some say in where he may end up, and teams that tried to get him during the season are circling back.

TEAMS REPORTEDLY LINKED:

Los Angeles, New Jersey, Ottawa, Buffalo"

Filip Gustavsson is an interesting name for the Buffalo Sabres. The 26-year-old was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and less than two years later, was shipped to the Ottawa Senators. Gustavsson never really took a hold of the crease in Ottawa and in 2022, was dealt to the Minnesota Wild.

In the two seasons since joining the Wild, Gustavsson has found himself as the backup to Marc-Andre Fleury and with Jesper Wallstedt as Minnesota's goaltender of the future, there isn't a path to him being a starter with the organization. The Wild have made Gustavsson available for trade, as David Pagnotta noted, so it'll be interesting to see if there will be any takers in the weeks ahead.

"Minnesota has made Gustavsson available for trade in a heavy goalie-heavy trade market. The Wild aren't desperate to move him, but given the marketplace and his attractive cap hit, they could work out a move in and around the NHL Draft.

TEAMS REPORTEDLY LINKED:

New Jersey, Carolina, Buffalo, Los Angeles"

The third and final goaltender the Buffalo Sabres have been linked to is veteran John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks. It feels like Gibson's name has been out there for a few years now and for good reason. The Ducks are still in the midst of a rebuild and he wants to win now. The emergence of Lukas Dostal this past season, including at the IIHF World Championship, has made Gibson more expendable than at any moment in the last few years.

Gibson, 30, has three years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $6.4 million and includes a modified no-trade clause. Along with the Sabres, Pagnotta has linked Gibson to the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils.

"Here we go, again. Gibson's name is out there for another trade deadline, but that doesn't mean he'll get moved. He has some no-trade protection with a 10-team no-trade list, and three more years left on his contract.

TEAMS REPORTEDLY LINKED:

New Jersey, Carolina, Buffalo"

All three of the names liked to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday are intriguing options, but we'll have to wait and see if any of them end up in the Queen City this fall.

Source: The Fourth Period
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