Buffalo Sabres: Grading each goaltender’s 2022-23 season
The Buffalo Sabres goaltenders struggled as a unit in 2022-23. Bad defense was a cause, but they also didn’t help themselves.
Goaltending was a problem in 2022-23, and if it wasn’t for Devon Levi arriving in the final month straight out of college to save the situation, it’s safe to assume the Buffalo Sabres were in prime contention for hosting the worst goaltending unit in the NHL. But ironically enough, thanks to Levi, the state of the Blue and Gold’s goalie room may not be half bad in 2023-24.
The only question is, if Levi is the undisputed number one goaltender heading into next season, who will back him up? Craig Anderson is retiring, and neither Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen nor Eric Comrie showed us that they can be long-term fixtures in the net.
So how good was Levi, how serviceable was Anderson, and how bad were Luukkonen and Comrie? Keep reading for a full breakdown.
Grading Buffalo Sabres goaltenders in 2022-23
Best in Class – Devon Levi
My narrative regarding Devon Levi transformed from, “He will sign and go to Rochester,” to “He will be the Buffalo Sabres top goaltender in 2023-24.” While Levi will face his challenges next season, such as grinding through an 82-game slate and responding to opponents exploiting potential weaknesses, he showed more than enough over the past month to prove he’s ready.
Levi finished the year 5-2, and allowed two or fewer goals on three different occasions. His 201 saves in 222 shots on goal was good enough to give him a 0.905 save percentage, and his 2.94 GAA was the only one on the Buffalo Sabres under the 3.00 mark.
He also earned First Star honors twice in his seven games, and he is a rare seventh-round pick capable of making such a leap from the college ranks to the NHL. Expect Levi to play a lot next season. Grade: A
Could Return in 2023-24 – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the kind of goaltender you want to be the 1B in Buffalo behind Levi. And while he had one glorious stretch in 2022-23, it’s safe to say he had more downs and ups.
As a fan of Luukkonen, I basically convinced myself that horrific defense was the reason for his poor numbers. Then Devon Levi signed and proved that theory wrong, or at least proved it partially wrong, as the former Northeastern Huskie was still an effective goaltender fresh from the college ranks.
Overall, Luukkonen finished an impressive 17-11-4, but he allowed 115 goals on 1,054 shots on net. His 0.891 save percentage was pedestrian, and his 3.61 GAA was nothing short of cringe-worthy.
The Buffalo Sabres will give Luukkonen every chance to make the roster in 2023-24, but it’s going to take a massive improvement in the offseason. Given the state of his contract, the Blue and Gold will expect nothing less. Grade: D
Will fight for a roster spot – Eric Comrie
The Buffalo Sabres signed Eric Comrie, hoping he could duplicate his 10-5-1 outing that included a 2.58 GAA and 0.920 save percentage in 2021-22. Instead, Comrie was nothing more than a flop this past season, spending over half the year hurt, and never seeming to be too comfortable in the net.
While he had a remarkable outing early in the year against the Edmonton Oilers and another solid performance against his former team, the Winnipeg Jets, those respective contests served as the highwater mark for the struggling goaltender.
Comrie finished the season with an 0.886 save percentage and a 3.67 GAA. Once again, I used the excuse that bad defense was the reason behind the goaltender’s struggles, but given the inexperienced Levi’s respective performances, that excuse is no longer valid.
The Sabres signed Comrie through 2023-24, but don’t expect him to return next season unless he beats out Luukkonen and perhaps another NHL caliber goaltender should Buffalo sign one. To be even remotely generous, Comrie put together a couple of solid games, but it wasn’t enough. Grade: D
Retired – Craig Anderson
Even at age 41, Craig Anderson was still performing at a high level. The aging goaltender started just 24 contests, which averaged slightly fewer than one game per week, but the strategy paid off in the end, and he finished the year with a respectable 11-11-2 record, 0.908 save percentage, and a 3.06 GAA.
In his final game with the Buffalo Sabres and of his career, Anderson enjoyed one last elite performance, saving 30 of 33 shots on goal for a 0.909 save percentage and earning First Star honors. Beyond his solid outings in the net, Anderson was also a leader on this team, and he helped set the stage for what became the Sabres best season since their last playoff berth.
light. Must Read. For the Buffalo Sabres, it’s playoffs or bust in 2023-24
While Anderson rides off into the Florida sunset to enjoy retirement, it’s safe to say that he left his mark on the organization’s current incarnation. When the Blue and Gold inevitably make the playoffs, perhaps as soon as next season, know that Anderson played a big role in helping them get there. Grade: A
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)