Buffalo Sabres: 3 burning questions for Devon Levi’s loan to Rochester

The Buffalo Sabres created shockwaves on Tuesday when they loaned rookie goaltender Devon Levi to the Rochester Americans.

With the Buffalo Sabres loaning Devon Levi to the Rochester Americans, they will likely cut out the 1A and 1B mentality and give Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has been dominating recently, a chance to be the No. 1 guy. But loaning Levi also has a few burning questions that a contingent of fans may be asking, so let’s talk about a few of those inquiries right now.

If you’re wondering why the Sabres loaned Levi in the first place, how long he will remain in the Flower City, and how well he will perform with the Amerks, look no further. You have questions about the situation, and we have answers.

3 burning questions for the Buffalo Sabres following Levi’s loan to Rochester

1 – Why did the Sabres loan Levi?

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s recent surge and Eric Comrie’s solid play made Devon Levi the third-best goaltender on the team. However, it goes beyond performance, as Levi was also the only goaltender in Buffalo who was waivers-exempt. So sending him to the Rochester Americans during a time when the Blue and Gold need to open space on the roster was a low-risk move.

This also allows Levi to play more than once a week, giving him more in-game reps that will help the 21-year-old’s game better than sitting on the bench or in the press box. It’s a situation where there are no losers unless Levi has a complete meltdown in the AHL, which won’t happen.

2 – How long will Levi remain in Rochester?

Barring injury to Luukkonen or Comrie, Levi will likely stay in Rochester for the entire season, even if he’s playing solid hockey. Following the trade deadline, the 23-man roster limit goes by the wayside, but since Levi will be 22 and still inexperienced following the deadline, it makes sense to keep him with the Amerks.

At some point, Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen will rejoin Levi, again barring injuries, once a player or two in the Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn, Jordan Greenway, and Zemgus Girgensons group returns. This will create a formidable lineup that could also allow Levi and Company to compete for a Calder Cup.

3 – How will Levi fare in Rochester?

The AHL is rather unpredictable as the rosters are rarely set, something fans of the Buffalo Sabres and the Rochester Americans found out early this season. So far, a slew of Amerks players spent at least a game with the big club, so Levi may not always have an elite group in front of him.

This doesn’t mean he won’t fare well with marginal talent should that be the case, but given the overall unpredictability that makes the AHL so much fun to watch and follow, expect Levi to be up and down, but with more ups than downs. Overall and most importantly, he will develop, and that matters more than numbers – just ask Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.