Could Levi’s Loan To Rochester Be Lengthy?

The Buffalo Sabres turnaround in the second half of last season corresponded with former head coach Don Granato going primarily with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal in January, and youngster Devon Levi to the Rochester Americans to get regular work. Under Lindy Ruff, the Sabres appear to be going down the same path, as Luukkonen has made 13 of their 19 starts, seven of their nine victories, and Levi this week was once again demoted to the club’s AHL affiliate.

With the re-acquisition of veteran James Reimer, the Sabres now have a viable backup for Luukkonen, and have taken the opportunity to get Levi game action with the Amerks, as sitting for long stretches has resulted in a 2-5-0 record, 3.95 GAA, and .870 save %.

Related: Luukkonen Bests Los Angeles In Low-Event Shutout

“He needs to play. It’s the first time in his career that he’s dealt with (playing) one game in a month,” Ruff said. "That's not easy on a young goaltender, because you need to find some rhythm. You need to see that game-like chaos, which you don't get in practice. I just had a great conversation with him. Nobody likes to go down, but he wants to play, too."

The question now before Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is whether it will be best for Levi to return in a few weeks and play occasionally while Luukkonen makes the bulk of the starts, or that he remains in Rochester for the rest of the season.

The Amerks played the first of three games in four nights on Wednesday, and Levi was excellent in a 2-1 overtime victory over Laval. He will likely play one of the two back-to-back Rochester home games, but at that point it is unknown whether he will be recalled by the Sabres to play in their post-Thanksgiving back-to-back against either Vancouver or the NY Islanders.

Buffalo’s December schedule is fairly spread out, with the next back-to-back games coming the weekend before Christmas. If Ruff continues to use Luukkonen heavily and the Sabres continue to have more success with him in goal, it is quite possible that Levi’s stay in Rochester will be longer than some anticipated.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo