Sabres Goaltending Report Card: Depth, Durability, and a Whole Lot of .899
As the Buffalo Sabres inch past the one-third mark of the season, it's time to take stock of where things stand-especially in the crease. The team hasn’t exactly lit up the Eastern Conference standings, but if you’re looking for someone to pin that on, the goaltenders aren’t the main culprits.
Still, they haven’t been able to mask the team’s broader issues either. So let’s break it down.
Position: Goaltending
Grade: C+
Let’s start with the basics. Buffalo’s three-man goalie rotation-Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis-hasn’t been disastrous.
But they also haven’t been the kind of difference-makers that can steal games or swing momentum in a tight playoff race. They’ve been, well, average.
And in a league where goaltending can be the great equalizer, average isn’t going to get you very far.
Luukkonen, the 26-year-old expected to be the long-term answer in net, has a .899 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average through eight appearances. That GAA is respectable, but the save percentage tells the fuller story: he’s not getting shelled, but he’s not bailing the team out either.
Lyon, the 32-year-old journeyman who’s seen the most action with 13 games played, mirrors Luukkonen’s save percentage at .899, but his 3.23 GAA suggests he’s facing tougher situations-or perhaps not handling them quite as well. Then there’s Ellis, age 25, with a .898 SP and 3.13 GAA in six games. It’s a small sample size, but it fits the pattern: solid in stretches, but not consistently sharp.
Injury Insurance or Logjam?
Carrying three goalies isn’t ideal, but in today’s NHL, where injuries to netminders are more common than ever, it’s not without merit. GM Kevyn Adams seems to be playing the long game here, valuing depth over immediate clarity. And to his credit, all three goalies are locked into manageable contracts:
- Luukkonen: Signed through 2028-29 at $4.75M AAV
- Lyon: Signed through 2026-27 at $1.5M AAV
- Ellis: Signed through next season at $775K AAV
That kind of cost control gives Buffalo flexibility, especially with no trade protection clauses in play-at least for now. Luukkonen does gain a modified no-trade clause next season, giving him the right to block trades to five teams. But for now, all three are movable, and that’s something rival GMs are undoubtedly watching.
The Levi Factor
Meanwhile, down in the AHL, Devon Levi is still considered the goalie of the future. But his current numbers-2.91 GAA and .898 SP-suggest he’s still finding his footing at the pro level. There’s no need to rush him, but his development timeline will inevitably impact what Buffalo does with its crowded crease.
What Needs to Happen Next
If any of these goalies want to boost their trade value-or simply help this team climb out of the Eastern Conference basement-they’ll need to push that save percentage north of .900. It’s a small benchmark, but in a league where margins are razor-thin, it matters.
The grade of C+ isn’t a condemnation-it’s a reflection of where things stand right now. The Sabres’ goaltending has been serviceable, but not game-changing. And until this group starts turning in more consistent, high-caliber performances, that grade is going to stick.
Buffalo doesn’t need its goalies to be Vezina finalists. But it does need them to be better than average. The next stretch of the season will tell us if they can get there-or if Adams will be forced to make a move to shake things up in the blue paint.