#### Do the Sabres send Devon Levi to Rochester when he’s ready to return from injury?
LL: It’s too soon to send Levi to Rochester. He had some shaky moments while playing four games in eight days to start the season. His performance late last season, as well as the Sabres’ approach to this situation from the moment he arrived, should give the 21-year-old more time to show that he can stay in Buffalo without needing time with the Amerks.
Experience matters at the position, though. Levi has the intangibles and talent to be a No. 1, but he’s never played a professional season with a compressed schedule. His assignment is far different than the one he had in March and April, when he appeared in seven games during the Sabres’ playoff push. NCAA hockey teams play on the weekends. The NHL has an 82-game season with exhaustive travel and you’re facing the best in the world. Long Island University isn’t rolling into Buffalo this week for an easy two points. It can be mentally taxing for a young goalie to adjust to the pressure of being the starter on a team with playoff expectations.
Even an elite college goalie such as Connor Hellebuyck needed multiple seasons in the American Hockey League before he developed into a Vezina Trophy winner. Teams typically want their goalie prospects to play approximately 100 minor-league games before they ascend to a full-time NHL role. Levi has zero. There would be no shame in sending Levi to Rochester if that’s the path the Sabres choose after evaluating their goalies a bit longer. The Amerks have an excellent team and their goalie development coach, Seamus Kotyk, is in Rochester on a regular basis. Levi will be given more time to show that he can stick in the NHL, though.
The Sabres also need to evaluate Comrie and Luukkonen. Comrie’s looked sharp since the start of training camp, but the Sabres have defended well with him in net. How will he respond when his teammates have an off night? Can he stay healthy and sustain this level of play? Luukkonen needs to show that he can be a consistent, reliable option in goal. He looked good Tuesday against Ottawa, but the Senators had multiple shots go through the crease as he scrambled to try to stop the puck.
#### Which player has exceeded your expectations early and who has fallen short of them?
LL: Jordan Greenway has far exceeded my expectations with his offensive ability. He was a shut-down defensive forward in Minnesota with the Wild, but you didn’t always get to see his skill because of the way that team plays, and you never saw him skate with someone as talented as Tage Thompson. Greenway’s play through seven games shows that he can reach another level in Buffalo, as Don Granato predicted at the time of the trade.
JJ Peterka needs to show more consistency. He’ll have a spectacular shift and follow it with a bad turnover that puts his defensemen in a challenging position. He’d benefit from a reunion with Dylan Cozens, but the Sabres found an intriguing top line with Cozens, Thompson and Greenway. Peterka will be fine. He’s still only 21 years old and has two goals through seven games. He has so much speed and skill that he’s left me wanting more at times.
#### How would you evaluate Zach Benson’s play so far?
LL: Up and down, as expected. He’s only 18 years old and four months removed from being drafted 13th overall by the Sabres. Benson is so smart and skilled that, at times, he’s able to overcome what he lacks in size and strength, but it’s challenging for a young player to make a consistent impact in the NHL under those circumstances. Few can do it for an 82-game season. Even No. 1 picks struggle.
The Sabres learned over the past several weeks that Benson has the potential to help them next season. I suspect he’ll be sent back to juniors soon, though, and they’ll use the roster spot on Matt Savoie or a Rochester forward who is physically ready to help them win games.
VanillaCokeMule
I don’t really care how they do it. Levi looks good but raw, and the other two look very much improved, so go with what works. Just have somebody in that coaching staff bitch slap the team for the abysmal defensive breakdown yesterday. Upie deserved to end that game with at 2.00 GAA at the absolute worst
2 Comments
https://archive.ph/2Uhdc
#### Do the Sabres send Devon Levi to Rochester when he’s ready to return from injury?
LL: It’s too soon to send Levi to Rochester. He had some shaky moments while playing four games in eight days to start the season. His performance late last season, as well as the Sabres’ approach to this situation from the moment he arrived, should give the 21-year-old more time to show that he can stay in Buffalo without needing time with the Amerks.
Experience matters at the position, though. Levi has the intangibles and talent to be a No. 1, but he’s never played a professional season with a compressed schedule. His assignment is far different than the one he had in March and April, when he appeared in seven games during the Sabres’ playoff push. NCAA hockey teams play on the weekends. The NHL has an 82-game season with exhaustive travel and you’re facing the best in the world. Long Island University isn’t rolling into Buffalo this week for an easy two points. It can be mentally taxing for a young goalie to adjust to the pressure of being the starter on a team with playoff expectations.
Even an elite college goalie such as Connor Hellebuyck needed multiple seasons in the American Hockey League before he developed into a Vezina Trophy winner. Teams typically want their goalie prospects to play approximately 100 minor-league games before they ascend to a full-time NHL role. Levi has zero. There would be no shame in sending Levi to Rochester if that’s the path the Sabres choose after evaluating their goalies a bit longer. The Amerks have an excellent team and their goalie development coach, Seamus Kotyk, is in Rochester on a regular basis. Levi will be given more time to show that he can stick in the NHL, though.
The Sabres also need to evaluate Comrie and Luukkonen. Comrie’s looked sharp since the start of training camp, but the Sabres have defended well with him in net. How will he respond when his teammates have an off night? Can he stay healthy and sustain this level of play? Luukkonen needs to show that he can be a consistent, reliable option in goal. He looked good Tuesday against Ottawa, but the Senators had multiple shots go through the crease as he scrambled to try to stop the puck.
#### Which player has exceeded your expectations early and who has fallen short of them?
LL: Jordan Greenway has far exceeded my expectations with his offensive ability. He was a shut-down defensive forward in Minnesota with the Wild, but you didn’t always get to see his skill because of the way that team plays, and you never saw him skate with someone as talented as Tage Thompson. Greenway’s play through seven games shows that he can reach another level in Buffalo, as Don Granato predicted at the time of the trade.
JJ Peterka needs to show more consistency. He’ll have a spectacular shift and follow it with a bad turnover that puts his defensemen in a challenging position. He’d benefit from a reunion with Dylan Cozens, but the Sabres found an intriguing top line with Cozens, Thompson and Greenway. Peterka will be fine. He’s still only 21 years old and has two goals through seven games. He has so much speed and skill that he’s left me wanting more at times.
#### How would you evaluate Zach Benson’s play so far?
LL: Up and down, as expected. He’s only 18 years old and four months removed from being drafted 13th overall by the Sabres. Benson is so smart and skilled that, at times, he’s able to overcome what he lacks in size and strength, but it’s challenging for a young player to make a consistent impact in the NHL under those circumstances. Few can do it for an 82-game season. Even No. 1 picks struggle.
The Sabres learned over the past several weeks that Benson has the potential to help them next season. I suspect he’ll be sent back to juniors soon, though, and they’ll use the roster spot on Matt Savoie or a Rochester forward who is physically ready to help them win games.
I don’t really care how they do it. Levi looks good but raw, and the other two look very much improved, so go with what works. Just have somebody in that coaching staff bitch slap the team for the abysmal defensive breakdown yesterday. Upie deserved to end that game with at 2.00 GAA at the absolute worst