[The Athletic] The NHL’s top breakout goalie candidates for 2023-24: Devon Levi, Dustin Wolf and 5 more
September 26, 2023
[The Athletic] The NHL’s top breakout goalie candidates for 2023-24: Devon Levi, Dustin Wolf and 5 more
2 comments
>Devon Levi, Buffalo Sabres
>No goalie enters the 2023-24 season with a higher expectation of a breakout than Sabres rookie Devon Levi. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut late last season and impressed with a 5-2-0 record and .905 save percentage.
>Levi has succeeded at every level, including a great college career at Northeastern University, where he became the first goalie to ever win the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA’s best goalie two years in a row. He performed for Canada in the 2021 World Junior Championship, posting a ridiculous .964 save percentage in seven games.
>The Sabres let Levi get his first taste of the NHL in March and April, and he fit right in. He’s not the biggest goalie, but his positioning is great thanks to his quick reads and strong skating.
>What elevates Levi above other talented young goalies heading into this season is his clear path to a No. 1 job. The Sabres declined to bring in goalie help this summer, and with only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as competition, Levi could cement himself as the workhorse goalie quickly. Considering the high overall expectations for the Sabres, it’s a lot to ask from a goalie in his first full season as a pro, but Levi’s talent is obvious so it will be a fascinating storyline to watch unfold.
Levi deserves this chance if he thinks he’s ready. He’s already demonstrated multiple times that he’s a good judge of his developmental needs. If it’s not working, he’s probably gonna realize it and be ok with spending time in the A.
That being said, his athletic ability and technical skill should be good enough even though he’s so young. His skating really is fantastic, his movement precise and in control. Hopefully that’s something UPL can improve on by being around him, as it’s the weakest part of his game BY FAR. Depth control is pretty important on a shitty defensive team and UPL comes out too far in situations where the bigger risk is the back door. So he can make the first save but is roasted if there’s a rebound or it was a pass.
2 comments
>Devon Levi, Buffalo Sabres
>No goalie enters the 2023-24 season with a higher expectation of a breakout than Sabres rookie Devon Levi. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut late last season and impressed with a 5-2-0 record and .905 save percentage.
>Levi has succeeded at every level, including a great college career at Northeastern University, where he became the first goalie to ever win the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA’s best goalie two years in a row. He performed for Canada in the 2021 World Junior Championship, posting a ridiculous .964 save percentage in seven games.
>The Sabres let Levi get his first taste of the NHL in March and April, and he fit right in. He’s not the biggest goalie, but his positioning is great thanks to his quick reads and strong skating.
>What elevates Levi above other talented young goalies heading into this season is his clear path to a No. 1 job. The Sabres declined to bring in goalie help this summer, and with only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as competition, Levi could cement himself as the workhorse goalie quickly. Considering the high overall expectations for the Sabres, it’s a lot to ask from a goalie in his first full season as a pro, but Levi’s talent is obvious so it will be a fascinating storyline to watch unfold.
Levi deserves this chance if he thinks he’s ready. He’s already demonstrated multiple times that he’s a good judge of his developmental needs. If it’s not working, he’s probably gonna realize it and be ok with spending time in the A.
That being said, his athletic ability and technical skill should be good enough even though he’s so young. His skating really is fantastic, his movement precise and in control. Hopefully that’s something UPL can improve on by being around him, as it’s the weakest part of his game BY FAR. Depth control is pretty important on a shitty defensive team and UPL comes out too far in situations where the bigger risk is the back door. So he can make the first save but is roasted if there’s a rebound or it was a pass.