Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen returned to the Buffalo Sabres on a two-year deal for an AAV of $837,500 on August 31st, 2022.
In the past 24 hours, the Buffalo Sabres have been the NHL’s busiest franchise. They reached a blockbuster deal with Tage Thompson, revealed the black and red goathead uniform as the official alternate, and now, they re-signed a potential franchise goaltender in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News provided some clarity on the contract’s terms when he posted the following Tweet:
A source tells me the second year of the contract is a one-way, when UPL is no longer waivers exempt. https://t.co/gyyGWj6i2v
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) August 31, 2022
So now that Luukkonen is back with the organization in what was a much-anticipated move, will he see NHL ice in 2022-23? Odds are, one of two scenarios will occur:
- He will impress enough in training camp to be kept onto the active roster as a third goaltender, or, the more likely scenario…
- Luukkonen will begin the 2022-23 season with the Rochester Americans if Eric Comrie and Craig Anderson prove they can provide serviceable performances.
Regardless if Luukkonen sticks as the third goaltender or heads to Rochester, expect to see him in action this season. Comrie and Anderson are the two likeliest candidates to man the net in 2022-23, but Comrie is unproven and Anderson showed last season he was inconsistent and injury-prone.
Expect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to step into the net for the Buffalo Sabres more often than many may think if he stays healthy.
It is no secret that Luukkonen played well enough in his limited NHL time in 2021-22 to at least warrant a look. He didn’t play often thanks to an injury, but his 2.74 GAA and 0.917 save percentage tells us he was off to a good start in his first nine games.
Yeah, he fell back to Earth in Rochester and a second injury kept him out of the Calder Cup Playoffs. But given the uncertainty surrounding Comrie and Anderson’s age, don’t be surprised if Luukkonen ends up playing as many as 25 games this season.
Of course, it comes down to how well Comrie performs for an extended period and Anderson’s health. And if the duo proves to be sufficient, Luukkonen will likely start between 10 and 15 games while spending most of the year in Rochester.
However, if Comrie struggles with extended playing time and Anderson’s season goes the same way his 2021-22 campaign went, Luukkonen may hit that 25-game mark. There are many ifs, but my range sees something between 10 and 25 contests, with 18 games as my current projection.
There is also an outside chance the Sabres opt to go with Malcolm Subban over Luukkonen if they don’t ultimately feel he is ready for extended playing time in the NHL. If they choose Subban to be the next man up in the Queen City, then there is a chance Luukkonen stays in Rochester for an entire season.
Earlier in the offseason, I leaned closer to the Sabres pulling off the unconventional move and keeping Luukkonen as a third goaltender. But that also means the Sabres would need to scratch one of them for each contest and it keeps them from having an extra skater.
While this may happen if Luukkonen impresses while Comrie and Anderson struggle in the preseason, I am expecting him to start the year in Rochester. But the call up may come at any time, especially if he shows that he is ready for more playing time in the NHL.
Article Source: Buffalo Sabres Sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen by Josh Erickson