There’s more to the Sabres signing Alexandar Georgiev than you think

There’s more to the Buffalo Sabres’ recent signing of Alexandar Georgiev than originally thought.

On Thursday, the team officially announced they had inked the veteran goaltender to a one-year, $825,000 contract.

But on Friday, The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn revealed the real reason behind the move: starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is dealing with an offseason injury.

Luukkonen reported to training camp this week with what was described only as a “tweak.” The Sabres have not disclosed how long he’ll be sidelined or whether he could miss the start of the 2025-26 season. For now, Georgiev provides much-needed insurance while Luukkonen rehabs.

The timing is significant. After a breakout 2023-24 season, Luukkonen regressed last year, posting a 24-24-5 record with an .887 save percentage and a -4.83 goals saved above expected (5v5) across 55 games.

Georgiev, meanwhile, is also coming off the worst season of his career, splitting time between the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks. In 49 appearances, he went 15-26-4 with an .875 save percentage and a -9.74 goals saved above expected at 5v5. Still, a fresh start in Buffalo could be exactly what he needs.

With just under $5.2 million in cap space, the Sabres quietly addressed a hole few realized existed. Luukkonen’s injury puts them in a tough spot, but Georgiev’s arrival ensures Buffalo won’t be left scrambling between the pipes.