Buffalo Sabres signing of young goaltender exposes one to trade market

The 23-year old Devon Levi was drafted in 2021 by the Florida Panthers, and was subsequently traded to Buffalo for a 1st-round pick in 2022, for Sam Reinhart.

In his three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, the 212th overall draft pick posted a record of 17W, 17L and 2 OTL, and a 3.29 GAA, and .894 SV%, numbers that, although not great, are NHL average.

The signing of Buffalo's 3rd goalie leads to speculation about whether one of Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be traded before the start of the 2025-26 NHL season.

Given the shortage of NHL-ready goaltenders available through free agency, the trade market is the likeliest route for a team looking to add a goaltender to their roster, like the Edmonton Oilers. Past reports have indicated that Stan Bowman may be considering a trade for Ukka-Pekka, perhaps in exchange for Stuart Skinner - an unsubstantiated report, but one that could work for the Oilers.

Though Stan Bowman continues to defend his two goaltenders, any GM will make a trade, if it improves the team's roster and odd of winning a Stanley Cup.

None of goalies Devon Levi, UPL, and Alex Lyon has a stat-line that suggests one is more capable than the other as a starter, with a GAA and SV% around the NHL-average. Devon Levi has the biggest upside, however, given his age and stage of development.

More will be made available as NHL training camps open in September, when general managers are more likely to share their roster plans. Stay tuned for more details.