Buffalo Sabres: Is it wise to start Devon Levi vs. the Rangers?

The Buffalo Sabres have struggled defensively this season, yet they will let goaltender Devon Levi make his NHL debut vs. the New York Rangers. 

The Buffalo Sabres must have a lot of faith in goaltender Devon Levi, as he will kickoff his NHL career with a start at KeyBank Center vs. the New York Rangers. As it stands, the Rangers have been on a tear, going 8-1-1 over their previous 10 contests, with 40 goals in that span.

They’ve notched blowout wins over the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins, outscoring them 13-0 in back-to-back affairs. Over the four-game stretch that also included another win over Pittsburgh and one against the Washington Capitals, New York outscored its opponents 22-5.

Looking at these numbers, you may find it unwise and perhaps reckless to start Devon Levi against such a formidable opponent. But the other side of the argument says, “hey, you may as well give him a tough opponent so he knows exactly what to expect in this league.”

Buffalo Sabres starting Levi vs. the Rangers may not be a bad idea

Ask me about the prospect of letting Devon Levi debut vs. the Rangers two weeks ago, and I’d have had my reservations. At the time, the Sabres were playing so poorly that even a Dominik Hasek in his prime may not have been able to save the situation, though he probably would have at least made a few of those final scores somewhat respectable.

Either way, Buffalo has improved defensively over the past three contests, with their shutout win on Long Island serving as their most prominent. No, they haven’t been perfect defensively, but there has been improvement all over the place, with players getting into shooting lanes, deflecting and blocking pucks, and allowing fewer breakaways and odd man rushes.

Then there is the point I mentioned earlier: Levi is going to inevitably face top-level competition. And while it would have been wise to give him easier opponents, it’s also worth noting that, regardless of who you are, you’re going to go through the same growing pains when you face that inevitable elite competition.

It’s clear the Sabres want to play Levi against a difficult opponent to see where he’s at. But it’s also worth pointing out the Rangers will be on the second half of a back-to-back. So while they are one of the league’s best teams, and might be the NHL’s best over their past 10 games, they also might not be 100% following what should be a rough, tough outing against the New Jersey Devils.

Source: Devon Levi’s NHL debut in goal for Sabres will come Friday night vs. Rangers by Mike Harrington, BuffaloNews.com