Buffalo Sabres: Is a Goaltending Logjam Brewing?

Photo Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Just a few weeks into the season, the Buffalo Sabres’ management already find themselves facing a goaltending dilemma, but not one that most people would have predicited.

Between Buffalo and Rochester, there are currently six eligible netminders in the mix: Alex Lyon, Colten Ellis, Devon Levi, Alexandar Georgiev, Topias Leinonen, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was recently reactivated to Buffalo’s roster after a brief conditioning stint in Rochester, where he stopped 21 of 23 shots in a win over the Syracuse Crunch.

With Lyon, Ellis, and UPL all staking their claim for the crease, the Sabres suddenly find themselves with three intriguing options in goal. Lyon has shouldered the bulk of the workload to this point, while rookie Ellis impressed in his NHL debut Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings, earning his first career win with a solid performance. As Buffalo opens a home-and-home series with the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, Lyon is projected to start the first game, with Luukkonen expected to get the nod in the second.

This raises the question of how GMKA and his staff will handle the crowded crease. NHL insider and Sportsnet analysist Elliotte Friedman suggested, “I could see them carrying three.” 

While rostering three goaltenders is far from ideal since it reduces depth at other positions, it may be necessary to prevent Ellis from being exposed to waivers, where reports suggest that the St. Louis Blues are looking to reclaim him. It also buys time for Luukkonen to prove he’s fully recovered, given that his conditioning assignment consisted of just one appearance and Levi to continue developing in the minors.

Though this juggling act could become costly in the long run, the short-term strategy of riding the hot hand may be the best way to secure points during a stretch of the season where Buffalo has historically struggled.