Levi: 'I just felt in my heart that I wanted to be a Sabre'

Devon Levi has earned an analytical, process-driven reputation in his years developing from a seventh-round draft pick into one of the most accomplished goaltenders in NCAA history.
Levi is known to stay on the ice long after practices end. He uses virtual reality technology to take his training home and visualization techniques to keep his mind sharp. But the work all boils down to one simple objective, which he considers his purpose.
"Just keep the puck out of the net," Levi said inside KeyBank Center on Monday. "That's what it comes down to. The guy that can do it the best is the guy that's going to play.
"… There's so many different ways to do it, there's so many guys that did it differently. Just at the end of the day, it's just whether it crossed the line or not and just keeping it out. I feel like I was born to do this and it's my passion."

More specifically, Levi wants to stop pucks for the Buffalo Sabres. The 21-year-old goaltender signed his three-year, entry-level contract last Friday, six days after his junior season at Northeastern University ended with an overtime loss in the Hockey East Tournament.

Levi, true to his thoughtful nature, took time before finalizing his decision. He and his family had a Zoom call to discuss the opportunity with members of the Sabres' front office and coaching staff, including general manager Kevyn Adams, coach Don Granato, and goalie coach Mike Bales, among others.
Ultimately, the relationship Levi developed with the organization in the two-plus years since the Sabres acquired him in a trade with the Florida Panthers is what convinced him to begin his career in Buffalo. Levi had weekly talks with Seamus Kotyk, the Sabres' goaltending development coach, during his time at Northeastern. He was visited by Adams and associate general manager Jason Karmanos.
Last May, Adams invited Levi to join him for a Sabres morning skate in Boston, after which Levi spent time with Craig Anderson. Levi got his full-fledged introduction to the organization at development camp in July, which gave him a sense of the team's future.
"The organization is just such a good organization," Levi said. "I think the way that Kevyn has brought me in and showed me his vision, I share a lot of the same morals and visions that he does with his group. You know, he's trying to get a lot of good people, not only good hockey players, but just quality human beings. And he's doing it the right way.
"So, it was a decision that I took my time to make sure it was the right one, but when I made my mind, it was an easy to set a decision. I just felt in my heart that I wanted to be a Sabre. I'm so happy to be here."

Levi was unable to practice on Monday as he awaited the completion of his immigration. He watched a portion of practice from the bench alongside injured defenseman Mattias Samuelsson. When the Sabres moved to one end zone for a small-area game, Levi migrated to the stands and positioned himself squarely behind the net where Anderson was working.
"To take the initiative to do that, walk up in the stands by yourself while you're part of the team - I think it's natural for guys to sit up there, but he was studying it," Granato said. "The best players that I have been around, elite NHL All-Stars, their history is when they were kids, they sat at a game and studied it like that. They just put themselves in that situation and that's why they've become great players. They've learned through and taught themselves to learn.
"… Those who study have a deep, deep passion and think, 'This is the only thing in my life I want to get done and accomplish.' Devon definitely approaches his position very, very seriously. He's accomplished what he's accomplished because he's worked with the coaches he's had very well. He wants to learn more, but he's studied it himself."
Levi will spend the remainder of this season with the Sabres in large part because of his studious nature. Adams and Granato both spoke about the potential benefits of having him practice in an NHL environment and absorb information from the other three goaltenders on the roster - particularly Anderson, whose 318 wins are tied for 32nd in NHL history.
Anderson said his biggest advice to Levi is to simply be himself.
"He's coming in and he was arguably the best college goaltender the last two years and now he's got a new mountain to climb," Anderson said. "There's no satisfaction. There's no end game here. The end game is to continue to get better and that starts with all of us pushing him and being here to help him and guide him."
Here are more notes from Monday's practice.
1. Comrie was back on the ice with the team for the first time since it was announced he had sustained a lower-body injury on March 12.
"He went through practice and felt good," Granato said.
2.Jordan Greenway did not practice and is considered day to day with an upper-body injury.
3. Levi is surrounded by familiar faces in the Sabres' dressing room. He was teammates with Peyton Krebs and Dylan Cozens with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in 2021 and with Owen Power at the 2022 Olympic Games.
They share thoughts on Levi in the video below.

4.The Sabres host the Nashville Predators at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Tickets are available here.