Sabres Extend Luukkonen, Bring Back Black And Red Throwback As Third Jersey

The Buffalo Sabres enter the 2022-23 season with reasons for optimism up front, with youngster Tage Thompson and veteran Jeff Skinner coming off excellent offensive years, and on the blueline with top picks Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power as potential franchise cornerstones, but the club’s goaltending continues to be an area of uncertainty.

On Wednesday, the club announced the signing of goalie Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen to a two-year, $1.675 million contract extension. Luukonen was impressive in nine NHL starts (2-5-2, 2.74 GAA and .917 save percentage), but his NHL stint was cut short by a lower-body injury. With AHL Rochester, the 23-year-old was inconsistent (15-14-6, 3.28 GAA, .900 save percentage in 35 games) and was unavailable for the Amerks Calder Cup Playoff run with recurrent lower body issues.

According to Cap Friendly, the first year of the deal is two-way and the second year one-way, with an average annual value of $837,500.

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The Sabres appear to be setting the table for another year of development for Luukkonen in Rochester while he is still waiver exempt, as GM Kevyn Adams brought back 41-year-old Craig Anderson on a one-year deal, signed free agent Eric Comrie to a two-year deal this summer to make up the NHL tandem, and brought back Malcolm Subban to serve as a potential call-up.

Buffalo has three promising goaltending prospects in the pipeline in Erik Portillo (Michigan), Devon Levi (Northeastern), and 2022 second-rounder Topias Leinonen (Finland), which gives Luukkonen only a window of a couple years to carve out a spot or lose his place as the club’s future starter.

Get ready for the return of the red and black!#Sabres #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/J6xmDARlE4

— Full Press Hockey (@FullPressNHL) September 1, 2022

The club also announced on Wednesday that they will wear a throwback red and black jersey with a redesigned emblem as a third jersey for 12 home games this season. The Sabres wore this jersey from 1996 to 2006, during the heyday of Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek and when the club reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1999.