Sabres Future Star Goalie Making First Career Start on Friday

The Buffalo Sabres are five points out of a wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with one game in hand on the Pittsburgh Penguins, who hold that final wild card spot.

The Sabres need to win their next game and have the Penguins lose their next game, in order for them to realistically get back in the race, but this is the first time in a decade the Sabres have been in a race with less than 10 games remaining.

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However, the Sabres next game on Friday night is even more noteworthy because of who will be starting in net for Buffalo.

According to NHL insider and former NHL goaltender Kevin Weekes, the Sabres will start Devon Levi in net. This will be Levi's first career NHL start.

The 21-year-old goaltender recently finished his college season with Northeastern University, and signed an entry-level contract with the Sabres nearly two weeks ago. After getting his immigration status worked out (Canadian-born, playing professionally now), Levi is ready to make his NHL debut.

He's regarded as the Sabres top prospect and probably the top goalie prospect in the NHL. He was a 6th round pick in 2020, but that's when he broke out.

Levi lit up the World Juniors in 2020 for Team Canada and then had one of the greatest seasons for a goalie ever in college hockey in 2021-2022. He had a great year this season, but Northeastern wasn't quite as good a team as a year ago.

Levi is only 6'0'' and 185 lbs. but has amazing reflexes and side-to-side movement. He is someone everyone has been looking forward to arriving in Buffalo.

The Sabres host the New York Rangers on Friday night at KeyBank Center. Many Sabres fans are now trying to find a way to go to that game...