While Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen continue to show why the Buffalo Sabres drafted them in the first round, other prospects will look to follow their tracks.
Over the past few days, we have been dishing out predictions regarding how well we believe the Buffalo Sabres will play in 2022-23. But, we haven’t touched as much on the prospects. Well, that is changing tonight, as I’ll dive into five ultra-bold predictions for six prospects. And no, that is not a typo, as one of my five predictions will involve two CHL players in the system.
So, what kind of achievements do I see for some future Buffalo Sabres? Some of the following predictions you will love. Others, you might just shake your head at. Keep reading for more.
Five bold predictions for five Buffalo Sabres prospects: Bold Prediction #1 – Devon Levi posts a 0.960 save percentage
Levi remains the favorite to becoming the eventual franchise goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres. The 212th pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, the smallish Levi’s build may remind you of Dominik Hasek’s 6’1, 166lb frame. Levi is a little thicker, but other than that, these two bear some resemblance in size.
But that’s not the only resemblance, given Levi’s incredible numbers last season when he snagged a 0.952 save percentage and ended with an astounding 1.54 GAA. He also posted 10 shutouts. This season, Levi opted not to sign with the Sabres because he wanted to return to school and repeat his success from a season ago.
Fortunately, not only will Levi have a repeat season; he will also encroach the 0.960 barrier, something he did in seven games at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships. In those seven contests he posted a 0.964 save percentage and a 0.75 GAA to go with three shutouts.
Overall, I’m expecting something like a 0.961 save percentage from Levi, and a GAA under 1.50. While this is a bold prediction article, it should surprise no one if Levi hits these numbers.