Buffalo Sabres make major bet on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen sign long-term deal
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Inks Five-Year Deal with Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres have made a significant move to secure their goaltending future, signing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a five-year contract worth $23.75 million. This deal will see Luukkonen earn an average annual salary of $4.75 million.
"Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams expressed confidence earlier this offseason in the young goalie tandem of Luukkonen and 22-year-old Devon Levi, the latter of whom led qualified AHL goaltenders in save percentage last season. The team shored up its organizational depth with the signings of veteran James Reimer and Felix Sandstrom in free agency."
Luukkonen, 25, enjoyed a breakout season, setting career highs in games played (54), wins (27), and shutouts (5). These marks were the highest by a Sabres goaltender since Ryan Miller, highlighting Luukkonen's potential to be a cornerstone for the franchise. His journey to the NHL has been arduous, starting in the 2018-19 season and involving stints in the AHL, ECHL, and Finland before his NHL debut in the 2020-21 season. At one point, Luukkonen was fourth in the Sabres' goaltending depth chart.
"I think that was really good for me and it's good learning for me. I want to be a starting goalie in this league. I feel like I can be a good starting goalie in this league. Kind of going through that this year, it helped me a lot. It helped my confidence. I feel like physically and mentally, I was really as fresh as I can be and kind of went through it without any difficulty, so I think that gives me confidence for next year too."
Despite some improvement in the 2022-23 season, the Sabres finished sixth in the Atlantic Division and missed the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 12th consecutive season. The organization and its fans had hoped for more progress in the 2023-24 season. With this new contract, the Sabres are clearly betting on Luukkonen to be a central figure in their quest to break their playoff drought and build a competitive team for the future.
Source: Blade of Steel
UPL signs new deal with Buffalo Sabres
| POLL | ||
Is this a good deal for the Buffalo Sabres and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | ||
| Yes, good deal for both | 18 | 62.1 % |
| No, the team will regret it | 4 | 13.8 % |
| I'm not sure | 7 | 24.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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