The Buffalo Sabres would love to see Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen become the permanent fixture at goalie, and he has a few redeeming qualities.
The Buffalo Sabres need a franchise goalie and if they re-sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, everything implies they will give him the first try. However, there are a lot of downsides for Luukkonen that make many in the Sabres faithful doubtful that he can be the guy moving forward, myself included.
But all prospects also have their upsides. So while I previously wrote about what Luukkonen needs to improve, I also want to touch on his upside. Traits that make him a viable candidate to be a franchise goaltender.
What makes Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen a franchise goalie for the Buffalo Sabres?
Luukkonen’s size is his biggest upside. He boasts a towering presence in the net, and that, along with his ability to move fluidly, gives him more range than most prospects. While his read and react mechanism is off at times, Luukkonen’s size and agility are what will warrant him a few outstanding performances.
Although it is a small sample size, Luukkonen also improved his numbers at the NHL level. In nine games last season, he allowed 2.74 goals per game, down from 3.88 the season before. His save percentage sat at 0.917, as opposed to 0.906 in 2020-21.
Luukkonen also improved his game at the AHL level, saving at least 0.900 for the first time in his career. While he was definitely inconsistent, Luukkonen’s improvement shows that he may eventually evolve into a franchise goaltender.
At this point, he would benefit from another season in the AHL. He has been inconsistent and his durability issues sprung up time and again as the season wore on. But he has also shown distinguishing traits that make him a potential franchise goaltender.
While it makes more sense for the Sabres to go out and sign a veteran goaltender in favor of handing Luukkonen the job next year, he boasts redeeming qualities that make him a potential franchise goaltender. But his consistency and durability must improve.