NHL franchise taking trade calls for both their #1 and #2 goaltender.

We're only about one third of the way through the current National Hockey League season but it seems like the league's general managers already believe there will be a fire sale in Buffalo.

TSN insider Darren Dreger is reporting that team have reached out to the Buffalo Sabres to inquire about the availability of both starting goaltender Rob Lehner as well as veteran backup goaltender Chad Johnson.

The fact that the Sabres are taking calls on the status of Johnson is very interesting indeed and suggests that the teams inquiring are in a desperate situation. Johnson has not been good this season, recording a 3.64 goals against average and a .883 save percentage over his 11 appearances for the Sabres. 

While this is purely speculative on my part, the first two teams who come to mind as teams that would want to add an experienced backup like Johnson are the Edmonton Oilers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both teams have lost their starting goalies to injury, Cam Talbot for the Oilers and Matt Murray for the Penguins, and Johnson could serve as an emergency stop gap measure.

Lehner on the other hand had a strong showing the 2017-2017 NHL season recording a 2.68 goals against average and 0.920 save percentage over 59 games with the Sabres, but his numbers have declined. Over 20 games this season Lehner has taken a dip in both goals against average with 2.98 and save percentage with .903.

What team's could be calling about Lehner is anyone's guess but they would need $4,000,000 in cap space to make the move and they would also only be getting a rental as Lehner will be an unrestricted free-agent this summer.

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