Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer
Devon Levi went out and did what he always does: stop pucks.
Coming out of the AHL All-Star break, the 23-year-old Rochester Americans goaltender blanked the visiting Belleville Senators, 4-0, on Friday night. His 29-save effort gave him his third shutout since joining the Amerks from the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 18.
“I just love stopping pucks,” said Levi, who followed that performance with a 21-save night in defeating Cleveland on Tuesday.
When the Sabres opted to send Levi to Rochester nearly three months ago, he arrived very much in need of playing time, having only played seven games for Buffalo in the first six weeks of the NHL season. He has responded by going 16-4-2 in 22 appearances, ranking sixth in the AHL with a .919 save percentage and second with a 2.16 goals-against average.
And there will be plenty more work to be had. The Amerks are about to play nine games in 16 nights, beginning with a three-in-three weekend vs. Syracuse (Friday), at Utica (Saturday) and back home vs. Laval (Sunday). Rochester has won six in a row and sits just one point behind the Rocket for first place in the North Division.
Levi, considered a key part of Buffalo’s future, won 11 of 12 appearances between Nov. 29 and Jan. 10. He earned a trip to the All-Star Classic in Coachella Valley last week, and has helped the Amerks position themselves for more pressure-filled hockey in the season’s second half. Last season’s stretch drive provided a key learning opportunity for the young goaltender, who has become one of the game’s top prospects.
Taken in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers, Levi had joined the Buffalo organization in a July 2021 trade. After two standout seasons at Northeastern University in which he twice won the Mike Richter Award as college hockey’s top goaltender, Levi turned pro late in the 2022-23 season. He went to the Amerks as a rookie last season for the second half and helped to lead the team into the Calder Cup Playoffs.
“Consistency” is a word that Levi uses, well, consistently, to describe his development process, including his first stint in Rochester. Said Levi, “That was getting the feel for the pro game and just growing every day, getting more experience, and trying to produce consistent outcomes.”
He has also been able to block out the temptation to want to be back in the NHL this very minute, something that challenges so many prospects. A full-time job is the end goal, but keeping his focus squarely in Rochester is the pathway back to Buffalo.
“They’re an outcome that you have no control over,” Levi said about management and roster decisions. “So just being able to stick to the process every single day, get better every single day… Regardless of where you are, it’s really insignificant. Being able to focus on my craft, stop the puck, regardless if it’s in the NHL or AHL, drop the ego at the door, and be able to get better. That’s how you end up where you want to be. You’re focused on where you want to go, but it’s more important to be present and in the moment.”
Good advice, good outlook, but how do you stick to that plan when the inevitable highs and lows of the season can cause thoughts to creep into one’s mind?
“Wake up in the morning and remind myself of why I do what I do,” Levi explained. “Every morning I feel that passion for the game, and I’m excited to go to the rink. For me, it’s about being the best in the world and being the best that I can be. I love what I do, and every day I go to work doing something that I love. And you know, that’s an end goal, for sure, to play in the NHL and to be the best.
“But you only get there by loving what you do, and every single day doing the best you can. That’s the focus.”
On the American Hockey League beat for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding coverage of the league in 2016.