Prospect Info: Devon Levi, G, Northeastern University (obtained in Reinhart deal) - Signed 3/17/23, Assigned 4/3/24

[Dingo44]

I have probably seen Levi play more games than all you guys combined. He should be in the AHL for a season or two and instead is being rushed and I don't see the reasoning why.

If you want to be factual he is below average in his 10 games with a 2.95GAA and a .901 save %. He isnt average this season either - he is 35th in save percentage.

That's cool. Glad you were able to see him.

I think us Sabre fans can worry about our goaltending and the Bruins fans can worry about their center depth on their own boards. I've never gone there and posted even about players I watched in person for two years with the NTDP (like John Beecher) and I wouldn't think of doing it either.

 

[GameMisconduct]

If you want to be factual he is below average in his 10 games with a 2.95GAA and a .901 save %. He isnt average this season either - he is 35th in save percentage.

If you want to be "factual" (which is I guess your attempt to make it seem like it's reasonable to extrapolate anything from a 3 game sample size) let's look at him relative to players with the same sample size this season, to elminate one hit wonders as it were in either direction.

Of the 12 goalies who have played 3 games, his GAA ranks 7th and save percentage ranks 8th. His GAA .004 and his SP is .005 behind Markstrom, who is 6th on both lists and thus techically "above average" (ordinally at least). Given the slightness of those deviations it's safe to say he's comfortably in that average range for techincally comparable goaltenders.

To further point out the inanity of trying to extrapolate via these sample sizes, notice that his save percentage and GAA are better than 2 other notable goalies who have played 3 games this season: Saros who has .887 SP and 3.41 GAA, and Hellybuck who has a .883 SP and 4.38 GAA. Guess those guys clearly need to be in the minors too /s.

Furthermore, his numbers don't really need to look like any those of other goalies to be a positive for Buffalo, especially when most teams aren't likely to score at the rate we can reasobaly expect the Sabres to, and several of those teams play much more goalie friendly systems. Consistently in the ballpark of average would be a notable improvement.

I would have made some different choices if I were GM in terms of goalie support, but Levi has been far from a problem thus far this year.

And, please, get out of here with that garbage about seeing more Levi than all of us combined. Look through the thread, there were plenty of people on this board that regularly watched his games.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I have probably seen Levi play more games than all you guys combined. He should be in the AHL for a season or two and instead is being rushed and I don't see the reasoning why.

If you want to be factual he is below average in his 10 games with a 2.95GAA and a .901 save %. He isnt average this season either - he is 35th in save percentage.

Factual? That’s a funny way to spell disingenuous.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[OldScool]

If you want to be "factual" (which is I guess your attempt to make it seem like it's reasonable to extrapolate anything from a 3 game sample size) let's look at him relative to players with the same sample size this season, to elminate one hit wonders as it were in either direction.

Of the 12 goalies who have played 3 games, his GAA ranks 7th and save percentage ranks 8th. His GAA .004 and his SP is .005 behind Markstrom, who is 6th on both lists and thus techically "above average" (ordinally at least). Given the slightness of those deviations it's safe to say he's comfortably in that average range for techincally comparable goaltenders.

To further point out the inanity of trying to extrapolate via these sample sizes, notice that his save percentage and GAA are better than 2 other notable goalies who have played 3 games this season: Saros who has .887 SP and 3.41 GAA, and Hellybuck who has a .883 SP and 4.38 GAA. Guess those guys clearly need to be in the minors too /s.

Furthermore, his numbers don't really need to look like any those of other goalies to be a positive for Buffalo, especially when most teams aren't likely to score at the rate we can reasobaly expect the Sabres to, and several of those teams play much more goalie friendly systems. Consistently in the ballpark of average would be a notable improvement.

I would have made some different choices if I were GM in terms of goalie support, but Levi has been far from a problem thus far this year.

And, please, get out of here with that garbage about seeing more Levi than all of us combined. Look through the thread, there were plenty of people on this board that regularly watched his games.

I have never said Levi is the problem. My point is he is a prospect and based on my evaluations and seeing him play in over 50+ games in person I would say he should be in the AHL to improve his game and learn the pro game. His stats at Northeastern which many base his status is on is inflated - they play a very conducive structure for goalies:

During Levi's time when he missed for the Olympics his backup played at NU:

Backup goalie stats: 8GP, 2.05GAA and a .934.

Goalie prior to Levi arriving at NU:
34GP, 1.92GAA and .931
36GP, 2.09GAA and .933

New Goalie this season after Levi left NU:
2GP, 1.01GAA and .941.

Rush him all you want but the proven and better development plan is for him to be in the AHL.

 

[WiHockeyGuy]

I have probably seen Levi play more games than all you guys combined. He should be in the AHL for a season or two and instead is being rushed and I don't see the reasoning why.

If you want to be factual he is below average in his 10 games with a 2.95GAA and a .901 save %. He isnt average this season either - he is 35th in save percentage.

Thank heavens our betters are here to inform us lowly Sabres fans about Sabres players.

Levi will be just fine. Thanks for your "concern".

 

[Fjordy]

I have never said Levi is the problem. My point is he is a prospect and based on my evaluations and seeing him play in over 50+ games in person I would say he should be in the AHL to improve his game and learn the pro game. His stats at Northeastern which many base his status is on is inflated - they play a very conducive structure for goalies:

During Levi's time when he missed for the Olympics his backup played at NU:

Backup goalie stats: 8GP, 2.05GAA and a .934.

Goalie prior to Levi arriving at NU:
34GP, 1.92GAA and .931
36GP, 2.09GAA and .933

New Goalie this season after Levi left NU:
2GP, 1.01GAA and .941.

Rush him all you want but the proven and better development plan is for him to be in the AHL.

Dude, you apparently don't understand that we don't have a better goalie than him. It makes sense for him to spend the season in the AHL, but our other two goalies are even worse, inexperienced, inconsistent, and were burned last season. Levi came last season and gave some hope while Comrie and UPL sat with stats of 88-89%. Levi has played three games this season and had a good game vs Islanders.

 

[OldScool]

Dude, you apparently don't understand that we don't have a better goalie than him. It makes sense for him to spend the season in the AHL, but our other two goalies are even worse, inexperienced, inconsistent, and were burned last season. Levi came last season and gave some hope while Comrie and UPL sat with stats of 88-89%. Levi has played three games this season and had a good game vs Islanders.

Guess who has stats in the 88-89% this season? Why not play Comrie and UPL and let Levi develop? You are getting the same performance level is my point.

 

[WiHockeyGuy]

I have never said Levi is the problem. My point is he is a prospect and based on my evaluations and seeing him play in over 50+ games in person I would say he should be in the AHL to improve his game and learn the pro game. His stats at Northeastern which many base his status is on is inflated - they play a very conducive structure for goalies:

During Levi's time when he missed for the Olympics his backup played at NU:

Backup goalie stats: 8GP, 2.05GAA and a .934.

Goalie prior to Levi arriving at NU:
34GP, 1.92GAA and .931
36GP, 2.09GAA and .933

New Goalie this season after Levi left NU:
2GP, 1.01GAA and .941.

Rush him all you want but the proven and better development plan is for him to be in the AHL.

Little disingenuous here aren't you?

I noticed you didn't put years or names to your goalie examples, so I will.

34GP, 1.92GAA and .931 Cayden Primeau 2017-18
36GP, 2.09GAA and .933 Cayden Primeau 2018-19

That leaves a two year gap that you willfully omitted:

34GP, 2.50GAA and .915 Craig Pantano 2019-20
21GP, 2.72GAA and .910 Connor Murphy 2020-21

Not bad numbers, to be sure, but they didn't support your claims so you left them out.

Then you site a 2 game sample for the new goalie, Cameron Whitehead.


Cayden Primeau has 21 games of NHL experience with a 4.11 GAA and a .871 SVP. He's followed the AHL path you are clamoring for Levi to take, why hasn't he seen better results than Levi?

Could it be that maybe, just maybe, Levi is the better goaltender and can handle the NHL level?

Time will tell.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Guess who has stats in the 88-89% this season? Why not play Comrie and UPL and let Levi develop? You are getting the same performance level is my point.

This is just not true. Levi was better than them in the games he played last season. Also, he was good last game. Let's see if he can build on it before throwing labels around based on a 3-game sample size. Prior seasons be damned.

 

[Zman5778]

Levi has played three games this season and had a good game vs Islanders.

Levi was pretty damned solid against the Lightning as well. He's played 2 above average games of his 3, IMO.

 

[Reddawg]

I have probably seen Levi play more games than all you guys combined. He should be in the AHL for a season or two and instead is being rushed and I don't see the reasoning why.

If you want to be factual he is below average in his 10 games with a 2.95GAA and a .901 save %. He isnt average this season either - he is 35th in save percentage.

The reasoning why is that he is far and away the best goalie we have, and we need him playing NHL hockey right now if he’s up to it. He’s showing that he’s up to it.

 

[TageGod]

Levi's only real issue is adapting to increased speed of everything. This is evident with his less than stellar rebound control. Other than that, he has looked great.

I have probably seen Levi play more games than all you guys combined. He should be in the AHL for a season or two and instead is being rushed and I don't see the reasoning why.

If you want to be factual he is below average in his 10 games with a 2.95GAA and a .901 save %. He isnt average this season either - he is 35th in save percentage.

Sample size. 4 goals against in one game is going to skew his stats with so few games.

 

[Reddawg]

Levi's only real issue is adapting to increased speed of everything. This is evident with his less than stellar rebound control. Other than that, he has looked great.

Sample size. 4 goals against in one game is going to skew his stats with so few games.

His rebound control was very on point against the Bolts, even the ESPN crew pointed out how he was swallowing everything up.

 

[TageGod]

His rebound control was very on point against the Bolts, even the ESPN crew pointed out how he was swallowing everything up.

Not when it counted, and not in first two games.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Levi’s “problem” is that he has active feet. So any shot that hits his pads gets kicked out in front of him. It makes it easier to cover it after a shot. The unfortunate thing is that it also is easier to give up too big of a rebound. That can be fixed with a bit softer of a pad though.

 

[DapperCam]

This is all going to look very silly after he wins the Vezina, Hart, Calder and Conn Smythe this year.

 

[OldScool]

Levi’s “problem” is that he has active feet. So any shot that hits his pads gets kicked out in front of him. It makes it easier to cover it after a shot. The unfortunate thing is that it also is easier to give up too big of a rebound. That can be fixed with a bit softer of a pad though.

These "problems" are usually fixed and improved upon in the AHL. That's where you refine and tune up your skill set - instead he is going to have to play NHL games as an unfinished project. Thus my point that I am not sure what Buffalo mgt is thinking.

 

[Zman5778]

Thus my point that I am not sure what Buffalo mgt is thinking.

Their thinking is in big, bold, blinking neon letters.

They think that Levi gives the Sabres the best chance to win right now. Full stop. End of logic.

Just because you disagree with their thinking doesn't mean it's not blatantly obvious.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Not when it counted, and not in first two games.

Not true. At all

 

[TageGod]

Not true. At all

There is video replay of the puck bouncing off him before the goal? I also didn't say terrible, just needs improvement.

 

[Dirty Dog]

There is video replay of the puck bouncing off him before the goal? I also didn't say terrible, just needs improvement.

He was solid all game, it “matters” more than the final 10 seconds of the game. He was great when it mattered plenty

 

[TageGod]

He was solid all game, it “matters” more than the final 10 seconds of the game. He was great when it mattered plenty

but not when it mattered the most.

 

[Jim Bob]

Levi’s “problem” is that he has active feet. So any shot that hits his pads gets kicked out in front of him. It makes it easier to cover it after a shot. The unfortunate thing is that it also is easier to give up too big of a rebound. That can be fixed with a bit softer of a pad though.

The recent trend amongst NHL goalies and goalie coaches is to have pads that give you "hot" rebounds and not leave pucks lying around close to the net.

It started with Lundqvist and the Bauer OD1N project. I doubt you see too many goalies, especially younger goalies like Levi, that will want softer pads and duller rebounds off their pads.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

The recent trend amongst NHL goalies and goalie coaches is to have pads that give you "hot" rebounds and not leave pucks lying around close to the net.

It started with Lundqvist and the Bauer OD1N project. I doubt you see too many goalies, especially younger goalies like Levi, that will want softer pads and duller rebounds off their pads.

I'm not saying completely change it up. like instead of pads that are at 100/100 hardness (giggity), I mean switch it up so they're 95/100.