Prospect Info: Devon Levi, G, Northeastern University (obtained in Reinhart deal) - Assigned to Roch 12/15/24

[pigpen65]

Not a fan of throwing Levi in there while they are still in theoretical playoff contention. Not like any of our other guys are guaranteed to play well - but it is an unnecessary risk.

If/when we're mathematically eliminated - give him all the games you want...

Yeah, says something about what Adams thinks of Comrie and UPL going forward. Thankfully. Means there's hope for him bringing in a legit starter next year

 

[Zach716]

Excited to see this kid in the Sabres sweater.

 

[Dingo44]

I'm sure Levi was promised games if he signed. I'm not sure how anyone can be surprised if he's starting. Playoff push or not it was going to happen.

I'm excited to see the kid!

 

[Mattilaus]

Upon further reflection, I agree with this decision. Despite Philly beating us twice and being considered a bad team while on a heater, we are still expected to beat them. Put that pressure on UPL or Comrie. Nobody expects us to beat NYR. Good game for Levi since there is less pressure to win outside of Buffalo.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

I caught wind of this earlier this week, looks like the decision to snag tickets was a good one!

 

[Rowley Birkin]

Yeah, says something about what Adams thinks of Comrie and UPL going forward. Thankfully. Means there's hope for him bringing in a legit starter next year

Hopefully - but I'm worried it's more simply a case of Adams being infatuated with Levi.

 

[Mattilaus]

Hopefully - but I'm worried it's more simply a case of Adams being infatuated with Levi.

I am thinking it is neither. He isn't likely to be the starter and Adams isn't infatuated with Levi.

His contract negotiation this year was a weird one where he would have had to sign a PTO to play in Rochester. So your only option if you want to sign him is an NHL entry level deal. Is it a good decision to sign him and then just sit him for the entire rest of the season? No way, get him a couple games so he can see what the NHL is like and have goals in mind for summer training.

What does it matter what team it is against? Every team is a play off team or on a heater right now anyways.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

I am thinking it is neither. He isn't likely to be the starter and Adams isn't infatuated with Levi.

His contract negotiation this year was a weird one where he would have had to sign a PTO to play in Rochester. So your only option if you want to sign him is an NHL entry level deal. Is it a good decision to sign him and then just sit him for the entire rest of the season? No way, get him a couple games so he can see what the NHL is like and have goals in mind for summer training.

What does it matter what team it is against? Every team is a play off team or on a heater right now anyways.

Making the playoffs is more important. Give Levi his game/s if or when they don't matter.

 

[Jim Bob]

Making the playoffs is more important. Give Levi his game/s if or when they don't matter.

Given how the goaltending has been this season, Levi might improve their odds against the Rangers who play at NJ tonight.

It's not like the Sabres are sitting a goalie that has been lights out to play Levi tomorrow.

He could also get lit up and prove emphatically that he is not ready for the NHL. I don't have a huge issue with him playing tomorrow as I do not really feel like the Sabres are in the playoff hunt still after going 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.

The Sabres have to go like 6-3-0 to jump the Pens if they go 3-5-0 the rest of the way.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Have the Sabres?

I think 3, Anderson, Comrie and UPL.. I don't think anyone else played.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Not a fan of throwing Levi in there while they are still in theoretical playoff contention. Not like any of our other guys are guaranteed to play well - but it is an unnecessary risk.

If/when we're mathematically eliminated - give him all the games you want...

I’m of the mind that it’s a risk worth taking if he looks capable in practice. We know our other goalies could easily lose a game for us that the team really deserves to win. If Levi looks to the coaching staff like he’s able to perform at this level, they should absolutely give him his shot.

Plus, having a rookie in net might be a shot in the arm to the rest of the team to step up their defensive efforts.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

Given how the goaltending has been this season, Levi might improve their odds against the Rangers who play at NJ tonight.

It's not like the Sabres are sitting a goalie that has been lights out to play Levi tomorrow.

He could also get lit up and prove emphatically that he is not ready for the NHL. I don't have a huge issue with him playing tomorrow as I do not really feel like the Sabres are in the playoff hunt still after going 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.

The Sabres have to go like 6-3-0 to jump the Pens if they go 3-5-0 the rest of the way.

Also on the unlikely side, what if Levi is lights out, makes huge saves in huge moments? That can give this team a much needed jolt going forward for a playoff push. To your point there is no legitimate #1 goalie in front of him.

Whats the harm? Anything can happen.

 

[Jim Bob]

I’m of the mind that it’s a risk worth taking if he looks capable in practice. We know our other goalies could easily lose a game for us that the team really deserves to win. If Levi looks to the coaching staff like he’s able to perform at this level, they should absolutely give him his shot.

Plus, having a rookie in net might be a shot in the arm to the rest of the team to step up their defensive efforts.

I seriously doubt that.

They have talked glowingly about Comrie and what a good guy he is and they hung him out to dry so bad in the game that he gave up 10.

I cannot imagine that they would play harder for Levi than they did for Comrie and that somehow they are much better defensively just because they have a rookie in net.

 

[old kummelweck]

Idk... He said we were getting Tkachuk from Calgary once...

That's how rumors work.

 

[Jim Bob]

Also on the unlikely side, what if Levi is lights out, makes huge saves in huge moments? That can give this team a much needed jolt going forward for a playoff push. To your point there is no legitimate #1 goalie in front of him.

Whats the harm? Anything can happen.

The harm would be if it goes super bad and the narrative around Levi goes from "He's the savior!!!" to "He's a bust!!!" in short order.

In the age of social media, there could potentially be some really tough mental hurdles for him to get past if things do go horribad.

 

[old kummelweck]

The harm would be if it goes super bad and the narrative around Levi goes from "He's the savior!!!" to "He's a bust!!!" in short order.

In the age of social media, there could potentially be some really tough mental hurdles for him to get past if things do go horribad.

He says he doesn't listen to this stuff good or bad. If you do not have a thick skin as an NHL goalie, you will fail.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

The Sabres have to go like 6-3-0 to jump the Pens if they go 3-5-0 the rest of the way.

Also would require the Panthers to go 3-4 or worse in their remaining games. It's possible they do, but their remaining schedule only has 2 games against current playoff teams.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

That's how rumors work.

I know I was just being a sarcastic a-hole

 

[Jim Bob]

He says he doesn't listen to this stuff good or bad. If you do not have a thick skin as an NHL goalie, you will fail.

It is easy to say that before you really have to deal with it.

 

[SundherDome]

Given how the goaltending has been this season, Levi might improve their odds against the Rangers who play at NJ tonight.

It's not like the Sabres are sitting a goalie that has been lights out to play Levi tomorrow.

He could also get lit up and prove emphatically that he is not ready for the NHL. I don't have a huge issue with him playing tomorrow as I do not really feel like the Sabres are in the playoff hunt still after going 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.

The Sabres have to go like 6-3-0 to jump the Pens if they go 3-5-0 the rest of the way.

The good thing is they only have 3 more home games...

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

The harm would be if it goes super bad and the narrative around Levi goes from "He's the savior!!!" to "He's a bust!!!" in short order.

In the age of social media, there could potentially be some really tough mental hurdles for him to get past if things do go horribad.

I mean, that's something every NHL rookie has to go through whether they like it or not.

In reality, calling him a savior or bust after one NHL game is a premature assumption. That's something the player needs to understand.

Lets not forget Levi has played in highly intense games. WJC gold medal game and winning the bean pot come to mind. Is it the NHL? no but its still a highly intense games that came with judgement, good or bad.

 

[Jim Bob]

I mean, that's something every NHL rookie has to go through whether they like it or not.

In reality, calling him a savior or bust after one NHL game is a premature assumption. That's something the player needs to understand.

Lets not forget Levi has played in highly intense games. WJC gold medal game and winning the bean pot come to mind. Is it the NHL? no but its still a highly intense games that came with judgement, good or bad.

Not every rookie has the kind of hype and pressure that Levi is getting right now. The goalie position is a different beast. Just look at Ryan Miller literally crying in his locker while being interviewed by reporters following a blowout loss as a rookie.

There is a potential downside to throwing Levi out there, especially at home, behind this team while the team is still not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

There is upside, but there is a downside, as well.

 

[Dingo44]

The harm would be if it goes super bad and the narrative around Levi goes from "He's the savior!!!" to "He's a bust!!!" in short order.

In the age of social media, there could potentially be some really tough mental hurdles for him to get past if things do go horribad.

Here Levi talks about how he feels he can get a year's worth of development just by getting in an NHL game or two:



And here Levi talks about how he loves the fans but he ignores their expectations:



So I think he'll be fine. Listening to him and based on his trajectory and how he's managed his own development I have no doubt that even if he gets shelled he'll be able to use it as a learning experience as opposed to a setback.

 

[Jim Bob]

Here Levi talks about how he feels he can get a year's worth of development just by getting in an NHL game or two:



And here Levi talks about how he loves the fans but he ignores their expectations:



So I think he'll be fine. Listening to him and based on his trajectory and how he's managed his own development I have no doubt that even if he gets shelled he'll be able to use it as a learning experience as opposed to a setback.

Maybe, maybe not.

In my experience, saying what you would do in a theoretical situation is not always what you do when you are actually faced with that situation.

 

[Jim Bob]