Are Sabres Confident Going With Young Goaltenders Next Season?

Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams and Head Coach Don Granato held their end-of-season media availabilities last week and indicated that in spite of the inexperience of prized prospect Devon Levi and the inconsistent performance of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the club is confident with the possibility of going into the 2023-24 season with a young goaltending tandem. The Sabres missed the playoffs for the 12th straight season and face what many believe is a do-or-die scenario next year. With that the case, can the Sabres risk all their hopes on a pair of netminders under the age of 25? 

Levi signed with Buffalo in late March after his junior season at Northeastern University and the 21-year-old started six of the club’s last seven games, keeping their faint playoff hopes alive with a 5-2-0 record, 2.94 GAA and .905 save %. 

Luukkonen was supposed to spend significant time in AHL Rochester, but was called up in November to replace the injured Eric Comrie and ended up making the most starts (33) of any Buffalo goalie. The 24-year-old at times performed well in his fifth professional season, but in the end, his up-and-down play (17-11-4, 3.61 GAA, .892 save %) along the club’s defensive woes cost the Sabres a postseason berth.  

“I want to just abolish any negative thought with (Luukkonen) when we’re starting to make those decisions (about the future).” Granato said. “It’s moving this organization and franchise in bigger steps when there’s an opportunity for a bigger step.”

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With veteran Craig Anderson retiring, confidence in Comrie lacking after underperforming in the first year of his two-year contract, and Luukkonen not being waiver-exempt next season, Buffalo’s goaltending situation appears to be putting all their eggs in one basket, hoping that the two-time NCAA Goalie of the Year will be able to become the Sabres primary starter or at a minimum tandem with Luukkonen, but heading into the offseason Adams has an opportunity to upgrade in goal either with a trade or in free agency. 

The summer free agent goalie market includes veterans Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, Cam Talbot, Tristan Jarry, Semyon Varlamov, and Jonathan Quick, with trade options that could include Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko and Anaheim’s John Gibson. Adams has reportedly been hesitant at adding a goalie with significant term because he does not want to block the road for Levi to be the club’s number 1 goalie, but signing or trading for someone for a year or two would boost the Sabres playoff chances significantly.