Buffalo Sabres star goalie prospect swapped for eight draft picks in stunning trade

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Axel Williams
August 29, 2024 (3:24 PM)

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Ryerson Leenders of the Brampton Steelheads was drafted 219th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Now, Leenders is on the move within the OHL as the Steelheads sent him to the Brantford Bulldogs in one of the wildest junior hockey trades you will ever see. According to the Steelheads, they received a whopping eight draft picks for Leenders. These picks span from 2025 to 2027. Needless to say, the Bulldogs were willing to risk a bit of their future to put Leenders in between the pipes.

General Manager of the Bulldogs, Matt Turek, revealed his reasoning behind the trade. Essentially, it had to do with the excitement of a guy like Leenders who will help sure up their goaltending needs.

"We are very excited to add Ryerson to our club. Ryerson solidifies our goaltending tandem alongside David Egorov & gives our club a tremendous foundation for success. We know Ryerson is a player the fans will immediately gravitate to and look forward to his contributions both on the ice and in the community."

As for the Sabres, it will likely be a few years before they see Leenders play any meaningful hockey for them. However, they will definitely be keeping a close eye on his development with his new team.

Do you believe that Leenders is a future star in the NHL? Let us know in the poll down below and stay tuned to Hockey Unplugged for the latest news and updates from around the hockey world.

Source: CHL.ca
BRAMPTON STEELHEADS TRADE LEENDERS TO BRANTFORD