Devon Levi matured as Sabres’ backup goalie, excited to play for Rochester: ‘Happy to be here’

Bill Hoppe, Buffalo Hockey Beat | November 22nd, 2024

ROCHESTER – As goalie Devon Levi watched game after game, sometimes for more than a week at a time, he embraced the unique experience and lessons serving as the Buffalo Sabres’ backup offered him.

Levi, who on Monday was assigned to the Americans, had never been a No. 2 in his life. So he used the last month or so to learn what he called “a new kind of process.”

“Not playing as much as I used to, trying to manage,” Levi said following Tuesday’s practice in Blue Cross Arena. “There were a lot of lessons to be taken out of that. It was a good experience. I felt like there were times of adversity that gave me lessons that I needed to learn, helped me mentally, helped me mature a little bit. …

“It’s not going to be perfectly linear.”

In less than two years as a pro, Levi, 22, has often yo-yoed between Buffalo and Rochester, shifting back into development mode when he leaves the pressure-packed NHL.

The AHL gives him an opportunity to play regularly and hone his craft out of the spotlight.

“Embracing the process, embracing being here, happy to be here, see the guys,” Levi said of his mindset upon returning to the Amerks.

Levi made 26 saves in Wednesday’s 2-1 shootout road win against the Laval Rocket and will almost certainly play at least one of the Amerks’ two contests this weekend. Expect him to make the majority of the starts until he’s needed again in Buffalo.

That could be in a few days. That could be in a few months.

After alternating starts with No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen over the season’s first six games, Levi played just one of the Sabres’ next nine contests. He did, however, start two consecutive games and appear in three straight contests last week as Luukkonen recovered from a minor lower-body injury.

But Levi appeared to be headed to the minors before he posted weak numbers – a 1-2-0 record with a 4.01 goals-against average and an .855 save percentage – in those outings. Having recently reclaimed veteran James Reimer on waivers, the Sabres added a veteran to back up Luukkonen.

Levi often talks about staying in the moment, saying the next puck coming at him is the most important one or “my focus is where my feet are.” So while an assignment to Rochester felt imminent after Luukkonen recovered, it wasn’t on his mind.

“Anything can happen,” said Levi, who played 31 total games for the Amerks last season. “I wasn’t exactly sure what was going through their minds, nor did I try to figure out what they were thinking. Just taking it day by day. … Whatever happens, happens … Whatever they decide, they decide.

“Right now, it’s Rochester, and I’m happy to be here.”

Levi expressed his happiness to Mike Leone when the Amerks coach called him Monday.

“It was a great conversation,” Levi said.

Right away, Leone, who got to know Levi a bit during training camp, could hear the excitement in the youngster’s voice.

“He’s just really excited to play,” said Leone, who knows one of Levi’s agents and college coaches well. “This place, when he was here last year, means a lot to him. You always have to be where your feet are, and he’s where his feet are right now.”

Levi arrived in Rochester feeling he had built momentum during the past week. While he suffered two losses, last Thursday he earned his second victory this season, making 24 saves in a 4-3 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues.

"Practices are good, but it’s always good to be in games and figure out how to be successful in games, make adjustments and know what you want to practice on, know what makes you feel good in a game,” he said. “So just seeing pucks in games definitely helps. Last week was good.”