Buffalo Sabres: Is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen contending for the Calder?
After winning Rookie of the Month in January 2023, Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could wind up winning another award.
When you have two rookies listed as potential contenders for the Calder on Daily Faceoff, you know a remarkable hockey team is brewing. The Buffalo Sabres had Owen Power on the list for a while, and now, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has joined the watch party.
The Finn is currently 13-5-2, but his 6-2-1 record in January, 0.907 save percentage, and 3.05 GAA set him apart from most rookie goaltenders over the past month. If he has a repeat month in February, look out, because his stock is only going to rise.
The downer is that he entered the game late, not making his first start until November when the incumbent Eric Comrie went down with a lower body injury. Luukkonen also struggled over his first six starts, allowing over four goals per game on average and saving roughly 85% of his shots on net.
Can Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen contend?
Luukkonen, along with Logan Thompson (Vegas Golden Knights) and Stuart Skinner (Edmonton Oilers) are three goaltenders listed on Daily Faceoff’s top ten list for the Calder. If he wants to contend with both the rookies at his position and even those like Power, Luukkonen needs to prove he can remain consistent as the playoff race heats up.
At this point, he’s behind the eight ball. But again, a strong February will move him closer and a stronger March will place him in legitimate contention to win this thing.
Regardless of the outcome, if Luukkonen remains consistent, it will be enough for Sabres fans. Luukkonen, multiple times, has looked like he could be a long-term solution at goaltender, something the Sabres lacked since Ryan Miller left nearly 10 seasons ago.
Related Story. Sabres: Luukkonen’s award shows how far he’s come. light
Look for UPL to continue his strong play. Whether it’s enough to become a darkhorse winner for the Calder, however, remains to be seen.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
Article Sources:
February NHL Calder Trophy update: Say hello to Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen by Steven Ellis
Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen named NHL Rookie of the Month by Mike Harrington
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