Sabres announce major signing, but fans dump all over it

The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they've re-signed RFA goaltender Devon Levi to a two year contract worth $812,500 per season.

The 23 year old goaltender was a major piece in the 2021 blockbuster trade that saw the Sabres trade star forward Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers. Levi has struggled in the four years since the deal and seemingly has no path to the NHL at this moment given the Sabres' roster construction.

Levi has only made 39 appearances and 36 starts in his three NHL seasons, and is 17-17-2 with an .894 save percentage and a 3.29 goals allowed on average. He's blocked by 26 year old Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has assumed the number one goaltending duties over the last two years and will make $4.75 million through 2028-29. The Sabres also signed Alex Lyon to a two-year, $3 million contract earlier this month to serve as Pekka-Luukkonen's back up.

Levi is a talented netminder with still a lot of promise, but it looks like he will spend the majority of his time in the AHL. He did impress with the AHL's Rochester Americans last season though, going 25-13-6 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.20 GAA, and played 26 games there in 2023-24.

Sabres fans online are venting their frustration at GM Kevyn Adams and his decision to sign Lyon, effectively relegating Levi to the minor leagues. With a team that's so desperate to take a step forward, why wouldn't you let your young players take a step forward?

Check out some of these reactions online from disgruntled Sabres fans:

For what it's worth, Levi will be a 25 year old RFA when his new deal expires, so the Sabres will have some control over his future.