The Edmonton Oilers are in a familiar and uncomfortable position: scrambling for goaltending help right before the holiday freeze. With newly acquired Tristan Jarry landing on injured reserve after the Boston game, the spotlight has immediately turned to the Buffalo Sabres and their crowded crease.
But if you’re expecting a quick fix involving Alex Lyon, you might want to temper those expectations. While insider Elliotte Friedman confirmed Edmonton’s repeated interest in Lyon, the landscape in Buffalo has shifted dramatically in the last two weeks. The Oilers need a save, but the Sabres might no longer be in the mood to sell.
Why Buffalo’s 3-Goalie Headache is Actually Edmonton’s Problem
Let’s look at the reality of the situation. It is no secret that the Oilers have been circling the Sabres. Friedman noted on 32 Thoughts that Edmonton looked at Lyon last summer and has called multiple times this season. On paper, it makes perfect sense. The Sabres are juggling Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis. None are waiver-exempt. It is a roster management nightmare that new GM Jarmo Kekalainen wants to solve.
However, timing is everything in the NHL.
Personal Insight: The “Hot Hand” Trap
Here is my take as someone who follows the market closely: The Edmonton Oilers are trying to buy high, and that is a recipe for disaster—or rejection. Alex Lyon isn’t just a “third goalie” right now; he is arguably Buffalo’s MVP over the last fortnight. He has rattled off five straight wins and dragged the Sabres within sniffing distance of a wild-card spot.
If this were three weeks ago, Lyon was expendable. Today? Dealing him signals to the Buffalo locker room that management is giving up on the playoffs. Kekalainen, fresh on the job, cannot afford to send that message. While Luukkonen has struggled and Ellis is unproven, Lyon is the stabilizer.
The Oilers are in a bind. They are staring down a tandem of Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram (recalled from Bakersfield). That isn’t a Stanley Cup-calibre duo. Edmonton needs Buffalo to falter, or for Kekalainen to decide that asset management (getting a pick for Lyon) is more important than the current playoff push.
Right now, the price for Lyon just skyrocketed, if he is available at all. The Oilers might have waited too long to pull the trigger, and now they are at the mercy of Buffalo’s win streak.
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The post Oilers Desperate for Goalie Help: Why the Sabres Won’t Let Alex Lyon Go appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
