Devon Levi 'incredibly grateful' to be in Buffalo, advancing towards NHL debut

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - - Devon Levi was patient in choosing when to leave Northeastern University to sign with the Sabres. Now the Buffalo's leading goaltending prospect is eager to get to work with his brand-new colleagues.

" I seem like this month or two that I'm here I can get a year's worth of development out of," Levi said Monday after viewing practice from the bench while awaiting migration documents to procedure that will allow him to join the Sabres on the ice.

" So I'm simply really thrilled facing these shots being with NHL gamers, Mike Bales, NHL goaltending coach. It's simply all excellent for maturing and my advancement.

Levi, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, college hockey's leading honor, and the Mike Richter Award offered to the nation's finest goaltender, signed his entry-level agreement recently after the conclusion of his junior season at Northeastern. Levi praised general supervisor Kevyn Adams and the Sabres organization for helping him reach the decision to turn pro.

" The manner in which Kevyn has brought me in and revealed me his vision, I share a lot of the same morals and visions that he does with this group," Levi said. "He's attempting to get a lot of good people, not only excellent hockey players, but simply quality human beings. And he's doing it properly. It was a choice that I took my time to make sure it was the ideal one. When I made up my mind, it was an easy to set decision. I just felt in my heart that I wanted to be a Sabre. I'm so delighted to be here."

The 21-year-old Levi is thought about to be the goalie of the future at a position that has actually been agitated for the Sabres because the 2014 trade of Ryan Miller, a Hobey Baker winner to whom Levi has actually drawn comparisons.

" The excellent thing about expectations is they're not genuine, they're simply what individuals are talking about," Levi stated. And at the very same time, going back to Northeastern, there was a lot of expectation that I got to have another great year and this and that. For me, I'm just going to go out and do the thing I love.

The Sabres started this week 6 mention of playoff position with 13 games remaining. The franchise will extend its record NHL postseason dry spell to 12 seasons if unable to make up ground in the standings.

Coach Don Granato stated Levi might get an opportunity to play in a game this season if he adjusts all right during practice.

" What you would look at is when is that appropriate?" Granato said. "He has all brand-new gear. The procedure of that is gear has to be licensed by the league and determined by the league and authorized. That's been available in piece by piece, so he doesn't have all of his gear yet. He hasn't dealt with NHL shooters. Getting used to that gear, getting that equipment broken in and getting and facing sufficient shooters that timing and rhythm, that is something that we will see and keep an eye on where it leads."

Levi led the nation in save percentage in each of his two seasons. His sophomore mark (.952) was the second-best in NCAA history, and his profession SV% (.942) is 2nd all-time behind Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, and a tick above Miller.

" It's pretty cool to be in business of such amazing goaltenders," Levi stated. "During the season, I try not to take a look at my stats even if, personally, I think the only stat that matters is the win column. Conserve percentage, goals versus, kind of something that I simply look at the end of the year. But yeah, recalling, it's quite cool. There are a lot of amazing goaltenders that went through college hockey that had incredible careers and are still have amazing NHL careers. So it's cool to be compared to these men. It's definitely an honor."

Arriving in Buffalo on Sunday in time to enjoy the Sabres' 7-0 loss against the Bruins from the press box, Levi has accepted the chance to gain from goalie Craig Anderson, the NHL's oldest player at 41.

" I'm simply attempting to pick his brain as much as I can," Levi said. He's a guy that I made my decision to come here due to the fact that this could be his last year and to be able to be goalie partners with him and be around the rink with him, it's something that I can value and I can get a lot out of. It's been terrific to ask him concerns and kind of find out the way the believes the game because he's such an excellent goalie, so smart, so great at checking out the play."

At 6-feet tall, Levi is two inches much shorter than the average NHL goaltender. He doesn't believe that stature will decrease his ability to prosper.

" Just keep the puck out of the internet, that's what it comes down to," Levi said. "I feel like I was born to do this and it's my passion. I head out every day with the will to stop the guy that's coming down on me. IT's the most enjoyable thing in the world for me. I'm still growing, still getting better, still finding much better methods to play and improve my video game, and I'm just actually thrilled to be facing the best of the best. I understand it's going to press my video game even further."

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Jonah Bronstein signed up with the News 4 roster in 2022 as a digital sports press reporter. Read more of his work here.