Buffalo Sabres: 3 goalies who can be Devon Levi’s long-term 1B

The Buffalo Sabres have three intriguing talents in the system who can wind up as Devon Levi’s long-term 1B either immediately, or a few years from today.

Last month, I wondered whether the Buffalo Sabres would find Devon Levi’s eventual long-term partner at the 2023 NHL Draft. The player I zeroed in on was Trey Augustine. And while Buffalo never scooped up Augustine, they did find a potential hidden gem somewhere in the rough with Scott Ratzlaff.

But Ratzlaff is just one of three goaltenders in the system right now who could emerge as Devon Levi’s long-term partner. Let’s meet him and two others vying to become the Sabres eventual 1B either today, or as in Ratzlaff’s case, later in the decade.

3 Buffalo Sabres players/prospects who can partner long-term with Devon Levi

1 – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dear Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: The pressure is on! Luukkonen put up spotty numbers last season, but you can thank poor defense….for now. Since the Buffalo Sabres went out and signed two defensemen to bolster the blue line, Luukkonen is out of excuses.

It’s time to show up and log at least a 0.908 save percentage, and a 0.500 quality starts percentage in 2023-24 to even garner consideration heading into 2024-25. If Luukkonen puts together a strong season as Levi’s 1B, he could be in for a bridge extension. And if he does well there, then a long-term extension could be in order.

2 – Scott Ratzlaff

Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat did something I wanted to do, but I backed off when the Buffalo Sabres drafted Scott Ratzlaff: He compared the newest goaltender in the system to Levi. And when you break down Ratzlaff, it’s easy to see why such comparisons exist.

The duo are both short by goaltending standards, they were late-round picks, and then there are the numbers. Last season, Ratzlaff compiled a 0.918 save percentage and a 2.15 GAA, building off of a solid 2021-22 campaign.

Oh, and the 18-year-old is more than familiar with Levi. Check out what he said about the Sabres projected 1A.

"“So he’s definitely another guy that I like to look at, see how he plays the game both mentally and working on angles and things like that. So he’s definitely a mentor.” – via Buffalo Hockey Beat."

Yeah, some may want the Sabres to shy away from this combo because they are a pair of undersized goaltenders. But if Ratzlaff continues to be as good as advertised, then there’s nothing wrong with ultimately pairing the kid with Levi.

3 – Topias Leinonen

The former second round pick is more of a darkhorse at the moment, considering his overall subpar play. But if the Buffalo Sabres decide Luukkonen isn’t the answer and they want a goaltender with vast size to partner with Levi, it opens the door for Topias Leinonen to emerge a few years from today.

But size, at the moment, is about the only thing going for Leinonen. He’s currently 1-6-3 in Liiga (Finland’s top hockey league) and has yet to regularly log a save percentage of even 0.900 in any of his stops. Barring massive improvement, I don’t see Leinonen getting the nod even within the next three seasons.

Source: Sabres goalie prospect Scott Ratzlaff draws comparisons to Devon Levi by Bill Hoppe, BuffaloHockeyBeat.com

(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)