Connor Hellebuyck's trade market may really come down to just one team.
Insider David Pagnotta laid out his own personal framework for how this whole situation actually resolves.
"For me it's gonna come down to, if it's not the Sabres, who's gonna step up," Pagnotta said.
"Is it Carolina, is it Jersey, is it the Sharks, is it the Mammoth," he added.
That's a clear hierarchy from someone who's followed this story as closely as anyone in the business. Buffalo sits at the top of the list.
It's easy to see why. Buffalo finished last season 50-23-9, good for fourth overall, exactly the kind of legitimate contender that would push hard for a franchise goaltender.
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Pagnotta drops huge Connor Hellebuyck trade update: one team is the clear favorite
If Buffalo can't get an actual deal done, Pagnotta's naming four legitimate alternatives rather than just shrugging at the market.
Carolina, New Jersey, San Jose and Utah all give Winnipeg real options even if the preferred outcome doesn't come together.
That's not a small list to have in reserve. Four backup suitors is a healthier market than most disgruntled stars ever get.
It's the equivalent of having a top choice college and four solid backups, rather than pinning your entire plan on one acceptance letter.
Is ranking Buffalo this clearly above the rest actually accurate, or is it simply the version of this story that's easiest to follow?
Hellebuyck posted a .895 save percentage across 57 appearances last season, elite enough to justify interest from basically anyone on this list.
Winnipeg finished last season 35-35-12, good for 26th overall in the league, missing the playoffs for the first time in four full years.
My take: having a clear favorite doesn't mean the deal actually gets easier to complete. It just means everyone knows which door gets knocked on first.
Camp is close, and if Buffalo really is the answer here, we should find out fairly soon whether that particular door actually opens.
Do you think Buffalo ends up being the team that lands Connor Hellebuyck?
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