When Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen signed his five-year contract extension on July 24, it meant he was settling in as the Buffalo Sabres’ No. 1 goalie for years to come. It also meant Devon Levi had to persuade his coach to give him playing time, something he’s struggled to do since making his National Hockey League (NHL) debut in 2023.
In fact, in two seasons, he has only participated in 30 duels in the Bettman circuit. Unlike last year, the Sabres now have a veteran capable of taking over the Quebecer’s second position. The New York State team agreed to terms with James Reimer in July, and the Manitoban undoubtedly wants to play in the big league rather than end up with the farm club.
That said, the 22-year-old netminder took a step in the right direction with a solid performance in the Sabres’ second preseason game yesterday, when he was the regular starter. He faced 26 shots and allowed just one goal, helping his team to a 6-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. If he keeps up his strong showing in the coming games, he could surpass Reimer in the battle to back up Luukkonen. Based on Lindy Ruff’s words after the face-off, Levi seems to have caught his attention. The coach told Noah Monroe of Sabres.com as much.
“I feel like we have two goalies that are extremely focused. I think Levi made four or five really key saves, which is key for us. When the team is not playing well, he’s the one that can change the momentum. I think he gave us a couple of those saves at key moments that allowed us to start to get back on track.” – Lindy Ruff
Last year, the Dollard-des-Ormeaux native played 23 games with Buffalo, where he posted a 10-8-2 record. In the American Hockey League (AHL), he participated in 26 games, totaling a 16-6-4 record, in addition to recording a 2.42 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.
