The Buffalo Sabres have traded the rights to University of Michigan netminder Erik Portillo to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick, per a team announcement.
This move comes amid widespread speculation that Portillo would opt to test the college free-agent market rather than sign with the Sabres, who drafted him 67th overall at the 2019 draft. The Sabres have arguably the best goalie prospect in hockey, Northeastern University’s Devon Levi, so it’s possible that the presence of Levi in Buffalo’s pipeline played a role in Portillo looking elsewhere for his NHL future.
Important to note is the fact that this deal does not guarantee that Portillo will end up signing with the Kings. The Buffalo Sabres traded a third-round pick for the rights to Jimmy Vesey in the summer of 2016, only for him to sign with the New York Rangers shortly afterwards.
But while the Sabres already have Levi in their pipeline, The Kings don’t have quite the same big-name goalie prospect already in the mix for Portillo to have to contend with for “goalie of the future” status.
If the Kings do end up signing Portillo, they’ll land a quality prospect who The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler recently ranked as the seventh-best prospect in a talented Sabres system. (subscription link) Portillo is a six-foot-six netminder who has been the starter at Michigan for the past two seasons. Last year, Portillo posted impressive numbers, going 31-10-1 with a .926 save percentage and 2.14 goals-against-average. His numbers have suffered a bit this season, but scouts remain impressed with his imposing size, quality puck-handling ability, and sneaky athleticism.
This is the second trade of the day where the Kings acquired a netminder. While today’s acquisition of Joonas Korpisalo was about helping their organization’s goalie situation in the short-term, today’s deal is designed to give them a potential long-term solution. It’s a worthy investment of a third-round pick assuming they get his signature on an entry-level deal, and a nice refund for the Sabres who likely weren’t signing him anyway and already have Levi, Luukkonen, and others to focus their developmental efforts on.
Hey Buffalo got back what they used on Portillo!
A good move by Blake! After he made that terrible trade with Columbus earlier, at least this was a good move.
Now Buffalo has 1 1st, 3 2nds & 1 3rd in the 2023 draft!
Maybe ammo for another trade?
Great trade, great prospect. Sign him!
Adams won’t trade any of these picks. He has no desire to push for playoffs and neither do the owners. They want to have the best farm system, non playoff team in the NHL and wanna charge more to go see them for it. It’s getting pathetic at this point really.
Yes, the Sabres had a ticket price increase. A pretty big one. But they are still in the bottom tier compared to the rest of the league.
If you truly don’t think they are trying to win then I don’t know what to tell you. The team has been shit for over a decade and they are actually in playoff contention this year. They built the team right and are positioned to be competitive for awhile.
Maybe it’s time to pick a different team to follow.
oh, really, then he should trade Tage for a 5th-rounder, Dahlin for future cons and whoever left for ticket to Samoa. But he doesn’t.
Someone sounds jealous. You must be leafs fans Funny all that money spent to go it in the first round.
Then don’t go or watch. They tried buying a championship when crybaby Eichel was there. Brought Taylor Hall and some other one hit wonder. Doesn’t work, 5 of the 6 teams that just sold their future to get a superstar are gonna regret it because only one can win the cup. And I think none of them will. If it ain’t the Bruins it’s gonna be a surprise team.
He can join Cal Petersen as Sabres to Kings busts.
You are writing the kid off while he’s still in college and being called a top 10 prospect in a teams system. Wow, you seem like an optimistic and fun person!
GMKA wants to build out a deep & cheap roster in a few years. Devon Levi is going to sign soon & they have signed 4 1st round drafted forwards + another 5 in their pipeline. As teams will be looking to shed contracts whereas Buffalo will have their core locked up (Dahlin is next). Buffalo is already having a winning record & their roster is only about 50% filled in currently. Plus they drafted another goalie in the 2nd round of the last draft. Add in their 2023 top picks & Buffalo will be fine & at the top in the next few seasons.
Even if Buffalo acquired Timo or someone else the East is stacked this post season. By waiting another few seasons Buffalo will have a deep & talented roster to go for a Cup.
As long as he doesn’t play against the University of Minnesota Gophers from the last few years he should be a good pick up. If he does we’ll…I guess they will have his number yet again and he will leak like a siv
Good riddance, He doesn’t want to play in Buffalo. We don’t want him. A chance to make millions and your picky where you go? He sounds like a head case. Hope tears a knee or ruptures a disk off the ice and never makes it to the big league. Not like he’s the best out there, Levi is and has him. To all you trolls in this thread.. blow me!
Blow yourself, Douchebag!