Two years ago, the Buffalo Sabres were preparing to hand the crease to Devon Levi after his standout college career and a strong first foray into the NHL. Now, the 23-year-old prized prospect is facing an uncertain future in the organization.
The Sabres added three goalies — Alex Lyon, Alexandar Georgiev and Colten Ellis — over the past four months. They joined Levi, incumbent starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and a pair of other prospects, Topias Leinonen and Scott Ratzlaff, as netminders under contract for the 2025-26 season.
NHL insider Jeff Marek said Tuesday on Daily Faceoff Live that Levi's outlook is "another major situation" to watch in Buffalo.
"I wish I had the answer for you," Marek said when asked about the team's plan. "I would have to think that Levi is pretty frustrated right now, looking at who the Sabres are doing their ride-or-die with right now with the netminding. We'll see about Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen."
He added the Sabres' intentions between the pipes have seemed to shift in recent months.
"I wish I knew what the plan was," Marek said. "I was under the impression that the plan this season, and this goes back to July, was going to be Luukkonen and Levi, and it's not a 50-50 split, but Levi starts to make that climb to becoming the No. 1 starter."
So, the question becomes where does the two-time Mike Richter Award winner stand in Buffalo's goaltending hierarchy now? The ranking is based on a combination of current play and potential value over the next few seasons. It only includes players currently under contract.
Devon Levi no longer has a clear path to the Buffalo Sabres' starting goalie job
1. Alex Lyon
Look, nobody expected Lyon to top this list when the Sabres signed him to a two-year contract at the start of free agency. Yet, his tremendous play (2.55 goals against average and .924 save percentage) so far this season means the net is his until proven otherwise.
The 32-year-old Yale product has enjoyed some strong stretches in the past with the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings as part of a journeyman career. Buffalo's murky goaltending situation means the coaching staff is going to ride the hot hand for as long as possible.
2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Luukkonen is getting closer to returning from a pair of preseason injuries. He was one of the Blue and Gold's biggest question marks entering the campaign because of his significant struggles last season (.887 SV%), and now he'll have to fight to win his starting role back.
UPL looked like a star on the rise in 2023-24 (.910 SV%) but his play has otherwise been underwhelming. The Sabres' front office probably won't be able to move the remaining four seasons of his five-year, $23.75 million contract, so he's essentially locked into a roster spot.
3. Devon Levi
Levi posted a remarkable .942 SV% across two seasons at Northeastern University and he's been highly effective in the AHL to the tune of a .921 SV%. That success just hasn't carried over to the NHL over the past couple seasons, though.
At some point, the highly touted prospect will want a chance to show he can become a starter at hockey's highest level. The Sabres have reason to eventually give him that opportunity since he was a key piece of the Sam Reinhart trade, but the timetable is uncertain.
It wouldn't be a shock to see Levi's name mentioned in trade rumors leading up to the deadline in March if Lyon is still playing at a high level and Buffalo is in playoff contention.
4. Colten Ellis
The Sabres claimed Ellis off waivers from the St. Louis Blues amid UPL's injuries and Georgiev's struggles, but his arrival really complicated the team's situation in net. He can't be sent to the AHL without clearing waivers and Buffalo probably wants to get a look at him first.
In turn, the Blue and Gold may be forced to keep three goalies on the roster once Luukkonen returns, which is never an ideal situation. His AHL performance (.919 SV% in 64 games) suggests upside, but Levi is still a better bet to find long-term NHL success.
5. Topias Leinonen
The Sabres knew it would be a lengthy development path for Leinonen when they selected him in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft. They were betting more on his athletic 6-foot-5 frame than his early-career performance, which was lackluster.
He appeared to turn a corner last season, posting a .910 SV% for Sweden's Mora IK, which earned him a chance to make the jump to North American hockey. How he performs for the AHL's Rochester Americans (and possibly the ECHL's Jacksonville Icemen) will show whether he has an NHL future.
6. Alexandar Georgiev
It's hard to blame Buffalo for taking a chance on Georgiev, who was one of the league's best goalies for the Colorado Avalanche in 2022-23. His play dropped off significantly over the past two years, however, and he failed to stand out in training camp and the preseason.
Georgiev may ultimately decide to continue his playing career in Russia, as was speculated last week, rather than playing in the North American minor leagues.
7. Scott Ratzlaff
Ratzlaff put together a solid five-year tenure with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds, but he's never projected a high-end starter throughout his development. He could eventually become a fringe NHL/AHL goalie, but even that's still a few years down the road.
Unfortunately, the Sabres' crowded depth chart, which doesn't even include unsigned prospects like Samuel Meloche and Yevgeni Prokhorov, will make it tough for Ratzlaff to climb the organizational ladder unless he produces some eye-popping numbers in the ECHL.