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Alexandar Georgiev San Jose Sharks William Karlsson Vegas Golden Knights San Jose Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev saves a shot by Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)

Sabres’ Goaltending Rotation Is at Least Interesting

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jean Patrick Vidad | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 10:15 AM ET

The Buffalo Sabres’ goaltending proved to be the NHL’s worst last season, statistically. They finished the season 28th in goals allowed per game with 3.50 (GAA/G) and a save percentage (SV%) of .888, which ranked 30th. Things have seemed to take a turn for the better, at least for now, as the Sabres swept their two-game series against the Columbus Blue Jackets with an aggregate score of 6-1, while dropping their latest game against the Detroit Red Wings, 5-2. In those games, especially the first two, the Sabres saw a resurgence in their netminding. With the recent return of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in practice and revitalized play from the other goaltenders, the Sabres’ rotation is one to keep an eye on as the season starts.

Luukkonen Returns to Practice

The Sabres just recently announced that Luukkonen is cleared to practice. After an abysmal season anchoring the crease, the Finnish netminder looks to recover, as he looks forward to the start of the season. The 26-year-old recognizes the magnitude of this season in terms of his career moving forward, but an injury incurred in the summer forced him to miss the start of training camp.

In an interview, he described his experience dealing with the injury: “It’s really unfortunate. I felt I had a good summer. I felt that I was in a good spot, working on things that I wanted to work on. And having that happen and [going] through that during training camp always sucks. Overall, I feel like it’s a big year for me, so it’s not the thing you want to go through. But stuff like this happens, and you’ve just got to do your best to push through.”

This summer, Luukkonen worked on his speed and cleaning up his movement in the crease. He also worked with his physical conditioning while listening to his coaches off the ice. His physical improvements in the offseason will be a source of inspiration as he prepares himself for the new season.

Georgiev Is Off to a Strong Start

Alexandar Georgiev’s signing seemed to be an insurance deal for the Sabres after announcing Luukkonen’s injury before the start of camp. Now, he is making a solid case for a backup role in their lineup after an excellent showing in the first three games of the Sabres’ preseason. He is currently averaging a .911 SV%, including a shutout in the first game against the Blue Jackets.

After being outshot in the first period in their preseason opener, Georgiev’s netminding neutralized Columbus’s chances while giving the offense much-needed time to find and build momentum. The Sabres ended up jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second frame before Devon Levi took over the crease.

The former All-Star looks for a fresh start in Buffalo after his career saw a decline in recent years, saying, “Obviously, I want to get back to where I’m one of the better goalies in the league. Played a lot of games, got to an All-Star (Game); I feel like this is my level, and I want to get back to that – and be a big part of getting to the playoffs here.”

Lyon and Levi Rose to the Occasion

Alex Lyon, who was acquired through an offseason signing, suited up for the first two periods of Buffalo’s second game against the Blue Jackets. The former Detroit Red Wing faced 12 shots in the first period, stopping all of them. Columbus managed to net one goal in the second frame on their first attempt. Despite this, Lyon stood with mental fortitude and denied the next attempt as Levi took over for the third period.

In his postgame interview, Lyon remarked, “It’s just the name of the game: sometimes you’re going to get in the groove, and sometimes [shots are] going to be few and far between. Unfortunately, they were 1-for-1 for a long time in the second, and that’s how it goes, but you’ve just got to be mentally tough in those situations and tighten it back up and continue to grind.”

Meanwhile, Rochester Americans’ standout, Levi, played two seamless games after denying 11 shots (six in the first and five in the second).

Opening Day Tandem Prediction

With four goaltenders in contention for the Sabres’ goaltending tandem, each one has proven why they could earn that chance. Luukkonen worked on improving physically in the offseason, while Georgiev boasts a remarkable save percentage as of this writing. On the other hand, Lyon and Levi also made their marks in their preseason appearances.

To choose a pair to start the season with, Luukkonen and Georgiev seem to be the team’s ideal duo to anchor the crease. This, however, would depend on how the team evaluates Luukkonen’s progression in training camp and if Georgiev could provide consistent output in the remaining preseason games.