Buffalo Hunt: Sabers goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen aims to help Buffalo return to postseason

On a sunny fall afternoon in Buffalo, Sabers fans eschewed the heat outside in favor of the chill of LECOM Harborcenter, where the franchise’s prospects dominated their peers in the Columbus Blue Jackets system in the an annual rookie tournament. As the Buffalo faithful celebrated Jiri Kulich’s final shot, members of today’s Sabers took to skating before training camp at KeyBank Center, the NHL arena conveniently connected to LECOM by a bridge pedestrian. Among the skaters was Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the 25-year-old goaltender who has positioned himself as Buffalo’s top prospect in net as the Sabers attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. He comes To achieve his career-best total of 54 games, 27 wins and a 2.57 goals-against average, the towering goaltender known as “UPL” was far behind of being the weak link on the Sabers’ last team of the year, which felt like it could have broken through for a playoff spot in the Atlantic. Instead, it’s a combination of injuries to key players and a slow start – preceded by what appeared to be a misstep in forcing potential goalie Devon Levi into the early starting role – which doomed Buffalo.

But there is reason to believe the Sabers can exorcise their demons. Lindy Ruff, who guided the franchise to its most recent Stanley Cup Final in 1999, is back behind the bench, replacing Don Granato – a fantastic teacher of coaching development who unfortunately has not managed to get enough wins for the team in the end. “Everyone is really excited that we have Lindy here now,” Luukkonen said. “Donny pushed us and helped a lot of players reach another level, but now that we have a new coach and everyone knows what the goal is, we want to be more ready for the season. We know what the goal is. This season is important. I’m really excited, and everyone is too.

For the most part, Buffalo will have to rely on internal growth (and health) to improve, although offseason additions Ryan McLeod, Sam Lafferty and Beck Malenstyn will bolster the bottom six up front. A full season of Bowen Byram – acquired before the 2024 trade deadline from Colorado – will elevate the blue line. But enough about the Sabers on paper; they know they have to prove their worth on the ice. “I feel like everyone has a chip on their shoulders,” Luukkonen said. “Even though I personally had a good year last season, it doesn’t matter how well you do. At the end of the day, all that matters is the team’s performance. It’s a city that’s passionate about sports and everyone feels it. We want to make the playoffs, but the most important thing is to start well. That was the problem last year. We were sliding from the start.

The Sabers made sure to give Luukkonen a big vote of confidence as they headed into this crucial campaign, and it came over the summer in the form of a new five-year contract with a annual cap of $4.75 million. With new backup James Reimer making $1 million on a one-year pact, and Levi and Felix Sandstrom making even less, Luukkonen is the one to lose. “A thorough analysis with goaltending coach Mike Bales, analysis and a thorough review of everything, reassured me that he continues to improve,” Sabers general manager Kevyn Adams said. “When you make a long-term commitment to a player, you really want to know that he still has room to grow and improve, and we felt that ‘UPL’ took a big step forward last year, but he has the opportunity to continue to grow and get better and better. I just think he showed a maturity about him last year, a calmness, and that takes time. time Especially as a young goalkeeper, to get to. that point where you believe that every time you step on the ice, you can win hockey games.

For his part, Luukkonen spent the summer recharging and continuing to push his game. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Finn returned to Helsinki, where he spent time with family and friends in chalets, enjoying the famous Finnish saunas while playing golf and swimming in the lakes. When it was business time, he perfected his game on the ice. “It’s always good to come home and work on the game,” he said. “There are always details that can be softened. Just focus on the importance of patience. And my stance, being more balanced on my feet, keeping my chest straighter, finding more power from there. And of course, I’m getting stronger in my legs and core so I can move better and be faster on the ice.

I feel like everyone has a chip on their shoulders. Even though I personally had a good year last season, it doesn’t matter – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

If the Sabers can finally end their playoff drought, goaltending will be key in a stacked Atlantic Division. Not only does the Atlantic have top scorers such as Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak and Nikita Kucherov, but several of Buffalo’s rivals have excellent goaltenders themselves, including Andrei Vasilevskiy, Linus Ullmark (now in Ottawa ), Sergei Bobrovsky and Jeremy Swayman. For Luukkonen, the competition doesn’t bother him. “It’s great to see all the great goalkeepers,” he said. “Every night you have to play and beat the guy on the other end. As a goalie, you try to be a friend of sorts because you know what it’s like to be a goalie, but when the puck drops all that matters is earn. It’s great to have this competition in the division.

It remains to be seen how many starts Luukkonen can earn against these friendly opponents this season. Ruff and Adams agree that it takes more than one goaltender to succeed in today’s NHL, although it’s worth noting that if Levi needs starters, the AHL might be the best place to do it in this moment. Reimer is a capable backup at this point in his career, so there are options to ensure Luukkonen doesn’t burn out. “It’s really a two-goalie league now,” Adams said. “And, to be completely honest, that’s why I’m happy with the depth we added in the offseason with Reimer and Sandstrom. You might need three, and we found ourselves in a position where we needed four. I think we’re set up with depth, which I think is really helpful, but we’re going to monitor it.

We felt “UPL” took a big step forward last year, but has the opportunity to continue to grow and improve – Sabers General Manager Kevyn Adams

Needless to say, the Sabers know their fans have been much more patient with the team’s lack of success. This goalkeeper depth is a way to ensure that no scenario goes unprotected. And while injuries can’t be predicted, this iteration of the Sabers looks deeper than the franchise has seen in a long time.

In the meantime, Luukkonen has found a second home in Buffalo. “The more time I spend here, the more I love it,” he said. “For a Finn, it’s a bit like home, not only in terms of weather, but it’s not too big a city. Everyone is really friendly and I’ve gotten to know people outside of hockey too.

He cheers for the NFL Bills and attends games when he can, so Luukkonen knows what it’s like when things are going well for a sports team in Buffalo. The challenge now is to spread those good vibes onto the ice and keep them going until the city is warm enough for short rounds again – and hot for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

This item appeared in the October 7, 2024 edition of The Hockey News. In this edition, we turn our attention to the goaltenders, with a focus on three-time Stanley Cup champion Marc-André Fleury in the final season of his NHL career. Also in this issue, we analyze which teams have the best and worst tandems in the league. Plus, we take a look at the six PWHL team names and logos revealed after the league’s inaugural season.

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