One player could leave the Maple Leafs chasing the Atlantic again

Connor Hellebuyck heading to the Buffalo Sabres would create an even bigger gap between them and the Maple Leafs than there already is in the Atlantic.

With the news that Hellebuyck had officially submitted a trade request with the Winnipeg Jets, it set off a flurry of debate over where the three-time Vezina winner could end up. There's been serious discussion about him heading to the Buffalo Sabres - giving them an even more potent lineup.

Buffalo already passed Toronto without solving the position Hellebuyck would instantly fix

Buffalo already passed Toronto last season, winning the Atlantic Division and ending its 14-year playoff drought while the Maple Leafs finished well behind them.

But after a personnel change and a hot streak pushing them into the postseason, not only did the Sabres finish better than the Maple Leafs last season, but were far and above the better team overall.

Currently, the Sabres already have a stellar offensive group headlined by Tage Thompson, Josh Doan, Ryan McLeod, Jack Quinn, and Zach Benson up front - with Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power also leading the way at the back.

Adding Hellebuyck would only strengthen their chances of repeating as Atlantic Division champions as he would address a need that Buffalo desperately needs - a star goalie. Ukko Pekka-Lukkonen and Alex Lyon are decent 1-2 tandem but aren't the franchise-carrying goalies that push teams into the Stanley Cup.

This would be Buffalo's first real elite starter since Ryan Miller, which was coincidentally when they were on par or better than the Maple Leafs.

Buffalo already explored Hellebuyck before his trade request became public

Hellebuyck really controls all the cards, however that could be to Buffalo's benefit and Toronto's detriment. We know the Sabres are serious about bringing him in, and with a mutual desire - he can wait things out until there's a good deal in place for both sides.

Winnipeg could wait until 2027-28 when Hellebuyck's trade protection is lessened, but there's also a chance they miss out on adding the pieces they need to rebuild by virtue of waiting too long. They have the time to wait, but they may not necessarily want to use all of it.

Plus, Buffalo is especially relevant because Elliotte Friedman reported in June that Hellebuyck would have been willing to waive his no-movement clause to go there, even though those talks stalled at the time.

The timing is very coincidental, as the Sabres are a team who need a star goalie to cement themselves in the Atlantic, and just so happened to have an interested one falling into their lap. It's just a matter of whether Winnipeg is ready to pull the trigger now, or are waiting to see what they can get.

If Hellebuyck does end up in Buffalo, Toronto's path back toward the top of the Atlantic gets significantly harder.

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