The Buffalo Sabres have five goalies who'd prefer to start NHL games this season — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, Colten Ellis, Alexandar Georgiev and prospect Devon Levi — but there simply aren't enough roster spots to satisfy them all.
Now it sounds like there's some friction behind the scenes as Lyon, a journeyman who signed with Buffalo as a free agent over the summer, has seized control of the starting job.
After The Whistle, a show hosted by former Sabres players Craig Rivet and Andrew Peters, reported one of the goaltenders requested a trade after being told he'd be demoted to the AHL's Rochester Americans before the start of the regular season.
"Rumor has it that Devon Levi asked to be moved prior to returning to Rochester," Rivet and Peters reported.
Levi has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign with the Amerks, compiling a 2.00 goals against average and .920 save percentage across four starts in 2025-26. He's posted a .922 SV% in 72 appearances for Rochester over three years.
How will the Buffalo Sabres solve their overcrowded goaltending situation?
The Sabres found themselves in a tricky situation at the start of training camp because Luukkonen, their incumbent starter, arrived with an injury that ultimately cost him most of the preseason. His only exhibition appearance was then cut short by a separate ailment.
Buffalo initially signed Georgiev, a former starter for the Colorado Avalanche, but he failed to impress throughout camp. It then claimed Ellis off waivers from the St. Louis Blues just before the start of the regular season.
The situation has only become more complicated over the past few weeks.
Lyon, whose track record suggested he was a dependable backup but not a full-time NHL starter, has been tremendous while starting eight of the team's first 10 games. He's recorded a .919 SV%, and head coach Lindy Ruff will probably stick with him for as long as he remains red hot.
Ellis also enjoyed a strong NHL debut in a 4-2 win over the Atlantic Division rival Detroit Red Wings. He'd have to clear waivers if the Sabres wanted to try sending him to the Amerks, and the expectation from insiders is the Blues would likely reclaim him from the waiver wire.
Meanwhile, UPL recently returned to active roster after a brief reconditioning stint and struggled in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. His poor performance last season (.887 SV%) means the Blue and Gold won't automatically give him back his starting role.
Then there's Georgiev, who's been linked to a move to Russia, and Levi in Rochester.
Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams will likely need to move at least one, and maybe two, goalies before the trade deadline in March to eliminate some of the uncertainty.
Luukkonen is Buffalo's most obvious trade candidate given his recent struggles, but there would be some risk associated moving forward with Lyon and Ellis as the NHL tandem.
Levi, whose highly touted prospect status has faded over the past year, would still have some value on the trade market, but probably not enough for Adams to consider giving up a core piece of the deal that sent superstar forward Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers.
So, in short, the situation is a mess.
The Sabres have to juggle a trio of goalies (Lyon, Ellis and UPL) in the NHL, while neither Levi nor Georgiev is likely pleased with staying in the AHL for the long haul.
"I've never really had to deal with three,” Ruff told reporters Thursday. “We're going to take this game by game and I think the solution will come out on how that goes."
The sooner Adams can find a solution the better, but getting to that point likely won't be easy given how little trade value UPL has at this stage.
Nevertheless, it's something to watch closely over the next handful of weeks.