Sabres poised to reshape crease with Levi trade and Bobrovsky pursuit

Devin Levi, the 24-year-old prospect who split time between Rochester and Buffalo this season, is drawing interest from multiple teams including Ottawa and is the most likely netminder for the Sabres to move.

Depth creates trade currency

The Sabres roster lists four goaltenders who saw NHL or AHL action in 2025-26, giving Buffalo multiple movable pieces in a market short on available starters. Devin Levi, originally drafted by the Florida Panthers, recorded strong numbers in the American Hockey League after spending most of the year in Rochester. His age of 24 positions him as the youngest option with significant upside and immediate trade value.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon form the current NHL tandem, each having played games at the top level this season. The combination of youth and experience creates a surplus that NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes highlighted as both an asset and an opportunity. Teams seeking goaltending depth will view Levi as the priority target because of his college pedigree at Northeastern and prior World Junior success.

Contrast this internal abundance with the broader league landscape, where few teams hold surplus netminders of Levi’s caliber. The dry market amplifies Buffalo’s leverage when shopping the young goalie, whose rights originated with the Panthers before a path through junior hockey in the Ottawa area.

Trading now maximizes return

Weekes stated on NHL Network that Levi is drawing “a lot of interest” and that the Sabres anticipate moving him this summer. Retaining the full group risks losing value as Levi gains experience and arbitration eligibility approaches. Moving him now allows Buffalo to extract assets while the market remains thin on comparable young talent.

The alternative of standing pat with Luukkonen and Lyon carries lower immediate return. Luukkonen, as the more established NHL option, could fetch the highest price if the Sabres choose to pivot in that direction instead. Either path frees cap space and roster spots without surrendering first-round picks.

Causal pressure comes from the upcoming unrestricted free agency period. With few proven starters available, contenders will pay premiums for proven depth, turning Buffalo’s surplus into draft capital or prospects that accelerate the rebuild timeline.

Targeting Bobrovsky as upgrade

Weekes floated Sergei Bobrovsky, the two-time Stanley Cup winner, as a potential unrestricted free agent target who requires no assets to acquire. Adding the veteran would elevate Buffalo’s ceiling without the developmental risk attached to younger options. The move aligns with a strategy of pairing an experienced starter with remaining internal pieces.

Bobrovsky’s availability on July 1 creates a narrow window. The Sabres must complete any outgoing trades before that date to position themselves as serious bidders. Success hinges on clearing the necessary cap space through the Levi or Luukkonen deal.

By executing one or two transactions this offseason, Buffalo converts present depth into future stability while addressing the long-standing question of goaltending reliability.