The New York Islanders need more than just depth at goaltender. With Ilya Sorokin struggling, David Rittich providing nothing more than baseline insurance, and Semyon Varlamov still on injured reserve, the Islanders need to start looking for a solution.
Luckily for them, that solution may be residing across the state with the Buffalo Sabres. Devon Levi has reportedly been disgruntled with the Sabres, per the After the Whistle podcast, and is looking for a way out of the organization. While Levi may have lost the competition at goaltender in Buffalo, you can also argue that he was in a bad position.
The Sabres currently have five NHL-caliber goaltenders, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, Colton Ellis, Levi, and Alexandar Georgiev. Luukkonen was hurt to begin the season, so Lyon had to step up, and Ellis was the odd man out with the St. Louis Blues by default. That forced the Blues to put him on waivers, allowing the Sabres to claim the 25-year-old. Georgiev was signed as veteran insurance in case Lyon or Ellis sustained an injury.
Meanwhile, Levi, still in his age-23 season, needed reps as a No. 1 goaltender, and the best way for that to happen was with the Sabres’ AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Levi has been lights-out with the Americans, posting a 4-0 record, a shutout, a 0.920 save percentage, and a 2.00 GAA.
New York Islanders must do everything in their power to acquire Devon Levi
Levi’s numbers at the NHL level have been average, at best, if not poor. In 2024-25, he saw action in nine games with Buffalo, finishing with a 0.872 save percentage and a 4.12 GAA. But it’s also important to remember he was just 22 through many of those outings, and goaltenders don’t often come into their own until they reach 24 or 25 years of age.
His dominance in Rochester has been a recurring theme, as he posted a 0.919 save percentage, a 2.20 GAA, and a whopping seven shutouts. That came one year after he enjoyed a strong first season with the Americans, with a 0.927 save percentage and a 2.42 GAA.
Meanwhile, nobody in the Islanders’ system as young as Levi is performing that well. They have Tristan Lennox and Henrik Tikkanen in the system, but both are playing for the ECHL’s Worcester Railers. Lennox is Levi’s age, and Tikkanen is 25.
Devon Levi can provide stability behind Ilya Sorokin in the short-term
Devon Levi has way more potential than David Rittich, while there’s still no timetable on Varlamov’s return. Still, Varlamov is 37 and is likely finished following the 2026-27 season, so that gives the Islanders even more of a reason to trade for Levi.
If Sorokin can’t rebound in that frame, Levi could even be the future of the Isles’ net should they acquire him. Before Friday, Sorokin posted a 0.868 save percentage, a 3.75 GAA, 0 shutouts, and a 0.143 quality starts percentage across seven games. Even if the Isles aren’t giving him much help defensively, Sorokin is supposed to be too good a goaltender to put up those numbers.
It’s also not every day when a prospect like Levi wants to leave a disastrous situation behind. So take the opportunity here, work the phones, and make a deal to bring Levi into the New York Islanders’ organization.
