This is part two of a three-part series examining some of the most intriguing prospects in the Buffalo Sabres organization. Today, we’ll be looking at the goaltenders who could make an impact with the big club in the coming years. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen won’t be included for the purposes of discussion as he’s currently with the Sabres and plenty of digital ink has been spent on the young goaltender in the past few weeks. Suffice to say, UPL has been incredible for the Sabres with a .939 SV save percentage in his five games.
Devon Levi (G) – Northeastern University (NCAA)
Devon Levi was acquired over the summer as part of the Sam Reinhart trade which sent the former second-overall pick to the Florida Panthers. In addition to a first-round pick, the Sabres received the 6’0… goaltender whom the Panthers selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. At the time of the trade, some Sabres fans were of the opinion that a relatively diminutive goaltender taken in the last round of a draft was essentially a throw-in. Levi has done his best to change that narrative. Levi first gained some real prospect credibility last year at the World Junior Championship as he posted a .964 save percentage with three shutouts in six games en route to a silver medal. Levi played that tournament with a fractured rib.
He has continued that stellar play this year in the NCAA with Northeastern as he’s compiled a 13-4-1 record with a .955 save percentage and six shutouts so far this year. He has essentially carried Northeastern on his back this season, which got me wondering: is it possible that Levi could capture the Hobey Baker trophy? The Hobey Baker award is given annually to the most outstanding D1 college men’s ice hockey player. Since the award was created in 1981, only two goaltenders have won it: Robb Stauber in 1988 and Ryan Miller in 2001.
Before continuing with Miller and Stauber, though, allow me a quick detour into the story of Hobey Baker. Hobart Amory Hare Baker, known as Hobey, was an American athlete born in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania in 1892. A true multi-sport athlete during his time at Princeton beginning in 1911, Baker excelled at football as he posted several school records that stood for nearly 50 years. He was a prodigious punt returner and scored 180 points in his collegiate football career, a record that would stand until 1964.
Dubbed “The Blonde Adonis… by local sports writers, Baker also excelled at hockey. His teams compiled a 27-7 record over his three years at Princeton on his way to three intercollegiate league championships. It’s estimated that he scored north of 200 points during his career, and he once had to play the entirety of a 73-minute game due to a shortage of players.
Baker enlisted to be an aviator in World War I following the conclusion of his college career and he was subsequently deployed to the European combat theater where he saw plenty of action. In 1918 he was given his orders to return home from France, but he decided to take one last pleasure flight before returning home. It would be his last. Almost exactly 103 years ago, on December 21, 1918, Baker’s plane crashed down and he died at the age of 26.
His story is a fascinating one. Anyway, back to the show.
Here are the Hobey-winning stats for Miller and Stauber:
Ryan Miller (Michigan State):
31-5-4 .950 SV% 1.31 GAA 10 shutouts
Robb Stauber (University of Minnesota)
44 games played (every game) .913 SV % 2.72 GAA 5 shutouts
Miller, of course, went on to spend parts of 11 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres during which he compiled a 284-186-57 record and a .916 save percentage. Stauber played six games with the Buffalo Sabres during the 1994-95 season, but he was never able to firmly establish himself as an NHL goalie. It certainly looks possible that Levi could follow in their footsteps and be the third player in Sabres history to win the Hobey Baker Award.
It’s also possible that with NHL players no longer participating in the winter Olympics that Levi could get a call from Hockey Canada to participate in China this February. He will likely garner some serious consideration at the very least.
Erik Portillo (G) – University of Michigan (NCAA)
From little guy to big guy. Erik Portillo has the height (6’6…) that most NHL teams look for when drafting goaltenders nowadays, which was undoubtedly a reason why Portillo was selected in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Portillo is a member of the Wolverines along with Sabres 2021 first-overall pick Owen Power. The two were actually roommates last year, for what it’s worth. The Swedish netminder has compiled some very nice stats this year with a 14-6-0 record and a .914 save percentage.
Perhaps the Sabres will attempt to entice both Portillo and Power to turn pro this year. The crease in Rochester would be wide open for Portillo to get plenty of reps next season, and with Power almost certainly done with college after their season wraps up this year, maybe Portillo would also see it as a natural jumping off point for him.
One last random note here: former Sabres goalie Steve Shields is currently an assistant coach with Michigan. Another Sabres tie-in can’t be a bad thing.
Erik Portillo made this @umichhockey save in a split second! 💥 pic.twitter.com/6FM1Kgsm3e
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) November 12, 2021
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Reader Jimmal messaged me to share a cool piece of local hockey news. Iroquois/Alden player Jett Malczewski scored three goals in 23 seconds in a game earlier this week. Congrats to Jett on the natural hatty.
Here our the goals!!!@barstoolsports pic.twitter.com/YA1C8GRiMs
— Iroquois/AldenFed🏒 (@IroqAldenFed) December 21, 2021