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Buffalo Sabres 2022 Draft: Weaknesses for each draft pick

By Sion Fawkes

KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MARCH 23: Matthew Savoie #93 of Team Red skates against Team White in the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on March 23, 2022 in Kitchener, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MARCH 23: Matthew Savoie #93 of Team Red skates against Team White in the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on March 23, 2022 in Kitchener, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images) /
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LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – JANUARY 22: #1 Goalkeeper Topias Leinonen of Finland makes a stick save during Men’s 6-Team Tournament Bronze Medal Game between Canada and Finland of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics on January 22, 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Photo by RvS.Media/Monika Majer/Getty Images) /

Topias Leinonen, G/41st overall

Many point to Leinonen’s sub-0.900 save percentage in the U18 games – both the World Championship and International. But you can also make the argument that his GAA of 2.61  and 2.51, respectively, is a positive sign here. But it also makes you wonder whether Leinonen’s stellar GAA was nothing more than lack of scoring opportunities from opponents.

He is also not good when facing shots coming from the top of the crease, with a save percentage of just 0.707 (29 for 41) in the category. The culprit could be that Leinonen is allowing too many rebound opportunities, although it is fair to ask whether his defensemen are just playing too far out of position.

Finally, Leinonen projects to be playing in Liiga in 2022-23, where he struggled in a four-game cameo in the league last season – 5.02 GAA/0.825 save percentage. To make the jump, he needs more consistent work habits, bar none. If he cannot develop these, it will be a long learning curve when he eventually arrives in North America.

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