A new season can make all the difference for an athlete, and that’s been crystal clear with goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of the Buffalo Sabres. Since Jan. 1, Luukkonen has been one of the best netminders league-wide and arguably the main reason why the Sabres remain in the playoff hunt with an 18-13-1 record since the start of 2024.
It’s been a difficult road for Luukkonen to become a legitimate, no. 1 goaltender in the NHL, but the 25-year-old has finally arrived. In the 2017 Entry Draft, former Sabres general manager (GM) Jason Botterill had his eyes on the franchise’s next goalie by selecting him in the second round. However, it seems that current GM Kevyn Adams and the organization see Devon Levi in that role someday.
In fact, down the final stretch of last season, Luukkonen took a backseat to Levi for those must-win games to get the Sabres into the postseason. Now, in the late stages of 2023-24, the team is again fighting for a wild-card spot, and the net belongs to Luukkonen.
Luukkonen’s Possible Short-Term Deal
The pending restricted free agent (RFA) is due for a substantial bump from his current cap hit of $837,500. If Luukkonen and the Sabres opt for a short-term deal, Jake Oettinger’s three-year contract with the Dallas Stars is a good comparable. Before signing on the dotted line in Sep. 2022, Oettinger played a career-high 48 games in 2021-22, posting a winning record and a .914 save percentage (SV%).
This season, the Finnish netminder has played in four fewer games (44) and seven fewer wins (23), but a winning record and a .915 SV%, which is slightly better than Oettinger’s two seasons ago. Oettinger is also 25 years old and was selected one round earlier than Luukkonen in 2017. The comparison is close enough to make the argument that Oettinger’s $4 million cap hit for three years would make sense for Luukkonen.
Luukkonen’s Potential Long-Term Deal
NHL GMs should always consider Elliotte Friedman’s famous line about negotiating with young, talented players on their roster:
“If you have a cornerstone player, lock him up for as long as you can. The price never goes down.“
Elliotte Friedman – 02/07/2023
Yes, the Sabres aren’t in a playoff spot, but they aren’t far out of one, and if they can somehow get in with a run from their goaltender, anything can happen. The St. Louis Blues know that more than any team, which brings us to our next comparable.
After Jordan Binnington led the Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019, the team rewarded him with a six-year contract extension, and as we’ve seen from the Sabres already, they aren’t afraid to lock up young players long-term. Similar to what the Blues have in Joel Hofer, the Sabres have a 22-year-old talent (Levi) who’s developing very well with the Rochester Americans and had a strong outing in Buffalo’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night (March 19).
Related Link: Sabres News & Rumors: Skinner, Luukkonen & Playoff Hopes
Levi may be considered Buffalo’s goaltender of the future, but they simply can’t ignore what Luukkonen has done this season. He had every excuse to be fed up with the Sabres when they kept trying to force starts on Levi earlier in the campaign. Instead, he’s persevered to become their best option between the pipes.
The Sabres are in a great position in net for the long haul, but right now, Luukkonen gives the team their best chance to win on a nightly basis, and if they can somehow squeak into the playoffs, it’ll largely be because of him. Whether he earns a short or long-term contract, given his age and progression, the investment will be worth their while.
