SABRES LOAN LEVI TO ROCHESTER
Nov 28, 2023The Buffalo Sabres have loaned goaltender Devon Levi to the Rochester Americans, the team announced Tuesday.
Levi, 21, is the only goaltender drafted in 2020 or later to appear in an NHL game this season. He is 3-4-1 with an .876 save percentage in nine appearances.
Levi won the Mike Richter Award for the second straight year following the 2022-23 season, given annually to the top goaltender in men's college hockey. Levi is the only two-time winner in the award's history, which was introduced in 2014 and named in honor of former Wisconsin goaltender Mike Richter.
Levi, 21, led the nation again with a .933 save percentage, one year after he set the second-best mark in NCAA history with a .952 save percentage. He tied for third in the nation in both shutouts (6) and saves (1,183). Levi's 16-career shutouts are a Northeastern record.
The Sabres acquired Levi, who was a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NHL draft, from the Florida Panthers in addition to a 2022 first-round pick in exchange for forward Sam Reinhart in July 2021.
Levi finished his two seasons at Northeastern University with a 38-22-6 record. His resume includes a Beanpot title, a Hockey East regular-season championship and an NCAA tournament appearance. Levi was also named Hockey East Player of the Year for the second consecutive season in 2022-23 and was one of ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.
He helped Canada win a silver medal at the World Junior Championship in 2021 while earning tournament MVP honors and later added a gold medal at the 2023 World Championship. He was also on the Canadian roster at the Beijing Olympics in 2022.
The goaltender signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres after Northeastern was eliminated from the Hockey East tournament and made his first NHL appearance on March 31, 2023, helping the Sabres to a 3-2 overtime win against the Rangers. He went 5-2-0 in seven games with the Sabres last season.
Rochester is tied for second in the AHL’s North Division with a 10-5-2 record. The Amerks play back-to-back road games against the Belleville Senators on Friday and Saturday.