(WGR 550) - Just when Linus Ullmark starts rounding himself into a No. 1 NHL goalie, they're in danger of losing him.
David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period reported Sunday evening that Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams' efforts to get Ullmark signed to a multi-year contract before Monday's NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET have failed. It is expected that Ullmark will test the free agent market this summer.
The Sabres put six seasons into developing the 27-year-old goaltender and will likely have to go out and find two goalies for next season.
The plan all along was to have Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ready for the 2021-22 season, but the 2017 second round pick isn't remotely close to being ready. The 22-year-old is 7-5-2 with the Rochester Americans this season with a 3.60 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage.
Luukkonen played for TPS Turku in Finland before coming to Rochester this year. He was 6-3-4 there with a disappointing 2.52 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.
Buffalo took promising goaltender Erik Portillo in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He was a freshman backup at the University of Michigan this season, and in limited action was 4-1-0 with a real nice 1.67 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage. Portillo is 20-years-old.
Stay tuned to WGR Sports Radio 550 all day Monday as Howard and Jeremy kick off our NHL Trade Deadline coverage at 6 a.m. ET. They'll be followed by a special five-hour edition of The Instigators with Andrew Peters and Craig Rivet.
I will be dropping in on both shows.
