"UPL forced the hand": Reason behind Devon Levi's loan to AHL team speculated by Buffalo Sabres fans

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres announced the loan of goaltender Devon Levi to the Rochester Americans.

At 21, Levi stands as the sole goaltender drafted in 2020 or later to grace an NHL game this season, achieving a 3-4-1 record with an .876 save percentage over nine appearances.

Despite Levi's impressive entry into the NHL, marked by consecutive Mike Richter Awards and a 5-2 record in April, the Sabres have opted for the AHL path.

While Sabres fans maintain their faith in Devon Levi as the solution to their goaltending challenges, the AHL loan suggests a desire for him to gain additional experience before assuming the role of the team's primary goaltender.

This move has stirred speculation among fans and analysts, with many attributing it to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's unexpectedly stellar performance.

An avid fan on X (formerly Twitter) added by saying;

"UPL forced the hand"

"Goalies need AHL seasoning? Who would've guessed?"

Another wrote;

"The right call. Get him play time and can work on his craft. Rebound control is horrific, so hopefully this time can help him work on that and build up his confidence. He's still the future, but the future doesn't have to begin right now."

Here are some more reactions on X:

"6 weeks late but if his presence motivated UPL to step it up and claim the net for his own then it was worth the experiment. Goodluck to him in Roch. Plenty for him to prove in the AHL. Gain confidence. Learn how to handle a frequent starting schedule. He will be better for it"

"This needed to happen. It’s for his confidence and able to work into this instead of being thrown to the wolves. UPL is the starter. Comrie can take back up. We can’t ruin Levi."

"It's a terrible reflection on the organization that it took this long to happen, just terrible. Feel so sorry for the kid and how he was thrown in the deep end to learn to swim. Just terrible."

"Yeah let him rip up the AHL, Levi is in the weird position that he wrecks weaker leagues yet isn’t enough for the big league, hopefully this is is the confidence boost he needs."

"Excited to see him flourish there before coming back up some day."

A look at Devon Levis' NHL career numbers

Born on Dec. 27, 2001, Devon Levi is an emerging goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. In the ongoing 2023-24 regular season, Devon Levi has featured in eight games with the Sabres, producing the following figures:

1. W-L-OTL: 3-4-1
2. GA/G: 3.66
3. SV%: .879
4. SO: 0