The Buffalo Sabres could easily end up keeping three goaltenders on the active roster for the 2022-23 season. And perhaps, they should.
While it is not the conventional route, the Buffalo Sabres would be well off keeping three goaltenders on the active roster, even if they can only dress two of them per game. I know this article is going to be controversial given not just the rarity of keeping three goaltenders at the NHL level, but also the fact that it means Luukkonen forgoing more playing time in Rochester.
That said, the general consensus among both fans and pundits looks like this:
Buffalo: Eric Comrie – Craig Anderson
Rochester: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – Malcolm Subban
But does it really make sense to keep giving Luukkonen reps in the AHL when in 60 games, he has a career record of 26-23-11 with a GAA of 3.23 and a career save percentage of just 0.894? With just about any other prospective goaltender, the answer is a resounding yes, as it is clear someone like Luukkonen could use more seasoning.
Besides, 60 games is a small sample size when you compare Luukkonen’s experience in the AHL to that of, say, Eric Comrie’s. But there is a catch.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has performed far better in a small sample size for the Buffalo Sabres when recalled to the NHL.
Say what you will about Luukkonen’s 13-game sample size and 3-8-2 record. But you still can’t deny his 3.08 GAA and 0.913 save percentage in that span. Last season with the Sabres, Luukkonen posted nine starts and recorded a 0.917 save percentage, a 2.74 GAA, and a 2-5-1 record.
That shows, despite his abysmal performances in Rochester last season in which he stumbled to a 0.900 save percentage and a 3.28 GAA to go with a 15-14-6 record, Luukkonen, for one reason or another, performs better at the NHL level. Or at least he performed well in his small sample size last year.
So what should the Sabres really do here? Although it goes against conventional wisdom, keeping Luukkonen on as the second goaltender makes sense. At least in the short-term. This would relegate Anderson, on most nights, to becoming a healthy scratch.
And yes, it would keep Luukkonen from receiving reps as a full-time starter at the AHL level. But Eric Comrie, who I am projecting to be the starter, is probably looking to start between 45 and 55 games. This would still give Luukkonen a good 20-25 games in the net, with Anderson taking the remainder in an ideal situation.
What if Luukkonen plays like Aaron Dell in his first few starts at the NHL level?
If Luukkonen struggles in his first few starts, the Sabres can always reassign him to Rochester. Suppose Luukkonen starts off 1-4 with a 0.895 save percentage and a 3.2 GAA, the Sabres will reassign him and dress Anderson.
This could indeed occur, and it would show that Luukkonen still needs time at the AHL level. But given his vast improvement when given a chance in the NHL, why not give him a test drive as the second goaltender early in the season? If he succeeds in the role, keep him there all year long. If he excels, then he can be your 2023-24 starter.
If Luukkonen does not play well, simply reallocate him to Rochester for the rest of the season and go with Comrie. Then when 2023-24 rolls around, he can compete with a newly-signed Devon Levi and perhaps Erik Portillo to prove he is capable of sticking around.
(Statistics provided by Hockey Reference and theAmerks.com)