latest update:Looking back on Luukkonen’s breakout season He wanted the net

The 25-year-old had the most wins in a single season by a Sabres goalie since Ryan Miller

Lindy Ruff was asked what excited him most about the Buffalo Sabres’ roster, a collection of players that includes 30-goal scorers up front and first-overall draft picks on defense.

Ruff immediately turned his attention between the pipes.

“I think there’s a couple of really talented goaltenders that are working their way up here,” Ruff said. “And goaltending is probably the number one thing that every club needs.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams remained firm in his belief entering this past season that goaltending was a position of strength for team, with a pair of young but promising netminders in the fold in Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Levi opened the season in the NHL and has since dominated with the Rochester Americans. The 22-year-old ranked second among qualified AHL goaltenders with a .927 save percentage in 26 games and will look to help the Amerks capture the Calder Cup when their playoff run begins this Friday.

Luukkonen, meanwhile, parlayed his own experiences through the professional ranks – an ascension that began all the way back in 2019-20 with a split season between the ECHL and AHL and had since included stints of varying lengths in Buffalo – into a career year for the Sabres.

Luukkonen started a career-high 54 games for Buffalo and tied for fifth in the NHL with five shutouts and ninth among qualified goaltenders with a 2.57 goals-against average. His .910 save percentage ranked ninth among goaltenders with at least 50 games played.

His goals-against average was the lowest by a Sabres goaltender with at least 50 games played since Ryan Miller – another name Ruff is familiar with – in 2011-12. His 27 wins and five shutouts were also the most for a Sabres goaltender in a single season since Miller.