Buffalo Sabres: Is Devon Levi the NHL’s version of Brock Purdy?

We all knew Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi was going to be an exciting player, but the similarities between him and Brock Purdy are substantial.

When the Buffalo Sabres traded for Devon Levi in the Sam Reinhart trade, few in the Queen City knew who this kid was. Drafted 212th overall in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Levi was nothing more than a flier for the Florida Panthers when they drafted him, and even they didn’t know exactly what they were giving away when they acquired Reinhart.

Although Levi was coming off of a stellar season for the CCHL’s Carleton Place Canadians, in which he posted a 34-2-1 record, a 1.47 GAA, a 0.941 save percentage, and eight shutouts, it was quite the difference from his final season with the QMAAA’s Lac St. Louis Lions, when his GAA sat at 3.10 in 2018-19, with a 0.909 save percentage, a pair of shutouts, and a 14-13-0 record.

He also had a rib injury heading into the 2020-21 season, and therefore sat out the year, delaying his college debut for 2021-22. He was traded to Buffalo on July 24th that year, and he’d been beyond stellar ever since.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender could remind you of NFL QB Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers was the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and while Levi wasn’t the final pick in 2020 (drafted six slots from the last pick), the career paths in their respective sports are rather similar. Neither Mr. Irrelevant nor someone picked at 212th overall in the NHL Draft are supposed to contribute so early in their respective careers.

Yet, Purdy stepped in and compiled a 7-1 record in the regular season and playoffs. And to be honest, you can put an asterisk by that loss, since he tore his UCL in the game and was forced to hand off the ball for basically the entire half.

Meanwhile, Levi finished 5-2, and despite Craig Anderson’s experience and what was supposed to be a year when Eric Comrie took the reins as at least a 1A, the Buffalo Sabres put their faith in the rookie late in the season. And he didn’t disappoint, as his record showed. But Levi also posted a 2.94 GAA, a 0.905 save percentage, and a 0.714 quality starts percentage.

At this point, the two late draft picks are favored, but not guaranteed to win the starting job at their respective positions and in their respective sports. Both players also dropped in the NFL and NHL Drafts because of perceived limitations – size regarding Levi, and for Purdy, his average production and lack of mobility.

Yet Levi and Purdy have shown the sports world it doesn’t really matter where you’re drafted. Even if you’re one of the last picks or in Purdy’s case, the final selection, you can still step in and succeed in your chosen sport.

(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects and Hockey-Reference)