Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was home in Finland in July when Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams called to explain a decision that all but ended the goalie prospect’s bid to make the NHL roster out of training camp.
Adams notified Luukkonen that the club signed free agent goalie Eric Comrie to work in tandem with Craig Anderson in Buffalo. The Sabres didn’t want Luukkonen to view the move as an indictment against him or his potential.
Luukkonen listened intently as Adams explained that Comrie was brought on to ensure Luukkonen would be able to play an ample number of games in Rochester without the pressure of needing to be the short-term solution in goal for Buffalo. The Sabres, Adams said, still view Luukkonen as an important part of their future.
“It helps,” Luukkonen said of the call. “That’s the side you can’t do anything about. Of course, that’s the business part of hockey. I know you have to be really good anyways. It doesn’t matter who’s in the organization.”
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If there was any doubt how Luukkonen would respond to the news, he’s put those concerns to rest with a strong training camp that continued Saturday when the 23-year-old made 32 saves on 33 shots in the Sabres’ 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in KeyBank Center.
Luukkonen was the Sabres’ best player and kept the score at 0-0 until their lineup, which featured a blend of NHL regulars and soon-to-be Amerks, found a rhythm in the second period. Victor Olofsson scored a power-play goal, Tage Thompson added to the lead with a snapshot from the right circle and Jack Quinn secured a 3-1 preseason record for Buffalo with his empty-netter.
For the second time in three days, the Sabres were bailed out by their goaltender. Comrie kept the score close in Columbus during his debut with the club Wednesday, a performance that showed how his experience in Winnipeg and in the American Hockey League have him prepared for a bigger role in Buffalo.
But Luukkonen’s play this training camp bodes well for the Sabres in the short- and long-term. A second-round draft pick in 2017, he’ll be counted on to backstop Rochester this season and, if all goes as planned, graduate to the NHL full-time next fall. And it's possible, if not likely, the Sabres will need him during the regular season.
Luukkonen worked with a new goalie coach in Finland this summer and returned to Buffalo looking physically prepared for a sizable workload. Luukkonen dropped five pounds and is now listed at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds.
“I say it to players all the time. ‘You can be frustrated, don’t play frustrated,' ” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “I think all theses guys go through various frustrations in their careers and games and practice situations, whatever it is. But just plow through it and make sure you get your job done. Upie definitely put in the work this summer. He looked great from day one, and it was nice to see him out there. Very good performance today.”
Injuries have extended Luukkonen’s time in the AHL, beginning in the spring of 2019 when he underwent hip surgery following a season in which he was named the Ontario Hockey League’s MVP and led Finland to gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship. The ailment caused Luukkonen to start his pro career in Cincinnati, rather than Rochester, and forced him to refine his technique post-surgery.
Luukkonen’s endured bouts of inconsistency in the AHL, as illustrated by his .894 save percentage in 60 appearances with Rochester, but he’s also played behind young teammates, and the Amerks have typically had lackluster depth on defense.
Each time Luukkonen earned a shot in Buffalo, a lower-body injury abruptly ended his audition, most recently in January. Luukkonen also missed the entire AHL playoffs in the spring with an injury suffered when a Utica forward collided with him in the crease.
Luukkonen's had success when in the NHL, posting a .913 save percentage in 13 games, nine of which occurred last season. He’s proven effective, yet the Sabres are erring on the side of caution with his development by stressing the importance of having more time in Rochester to gain experience.
“As he said, it’s about the starts and becoming a better goalie, but I think, most of all, especially in the camp, focusing every day and give your best every day and that’s about all you can do,” Luukkonen said, referring to Adams. “Right now, that’s the biggest thing.”
Luukkonen has shown improvement in every way, including in the preseason opener, when he stopped six of seven shooters in a shootout that occurred after the overtime win. His rebound control and recovery were exceptional Saturday. He’s fighting through traffic to track the puck. In two preseason games, Luukkonen has a 2-0 record and .933 save percentage.
When Penguins winger Filip Hallander was left alone in front, Luukkonen successfully tracked the play and got his left pad down to make the save. He appeared imposing in the crease and took away every angle with precise positioning, including on a scoring chance for former Sabre Drake Caggiula from the slot in the second period.
Though a route to the NHL is blocked for now, Luukkonen performed in camp like a goalie who wants to force management to give him a chance in Buffalo sooner, rather than later.
“I think, physically, he’s different,” Granato said. “He leaned down. He trained a little different, it looks like. You know, he’s maybe more fit for the position, or increased his fitness positionally. And he’s able to move through practice with a higher workload and move through a game with a higher workload. He holds his positions better, and we saw that through the duration of the game today.”
Here are other observations from the game:
1. Sharpening up
We’re starting to see the Sabres’ regulars make the impact you’d expect. Owen Power was noticeable throughout the game, at 5-on-5 and the power play, by remaining aggressive in the offensive zone and knowing when to get back to defend. He had four shots on goal, blocked two shots and finished with a team-high 21:12 of ice time.
Thompson didn’t hesitate when he uncorked the shot that went under the crossbar and hit the covered post in the back of the net. He was tied with Quinn for a team-high five shots on goal. And Olofsson broke open the scoring with a one-timer from the right circle during a delayed penalty.
2. Shutting down
Quinn has shown in training camp and preseason that he’s ready for the NHL. He was outstanding again Saturday, finding time and space in the offensive zone to create scoring chances. His playmaking ability is an underrated aspect of his game and he is reliable defensively.
3. Depth forwards impress
The Sabres’ depth chart at forward has become clearer with each preseason game. While we aren’t sure what the lineup will be when the season opens, it’s clear that Linus Weissbach, Brett Murray and Brandon Biro are going to compete to be the first forward recalled from Rochester to start the season. Weissbach, 24, has arguably performed well enough to make the Sabres, but there’s no spot available with Quinn and JJ Peterka expected to graduate to the NHL. Weissbach, Murray and Biro were among the 21 players assigned to Rochester following the game Saturday.
Weissbach had two prime scoring chances in the first period, including one from the slot of a pass from Murray, who was on the Sabres’ first power-play unit. Biro was a healthy scratch Saturday, with roster cuts looming.
The Rochester Americans open training camp Monday and hold their first practices Tuesday.
4. Lineup
Up front, Jack Quinn was at left wing, with Tage Thompson at center and Victor Olofsson on the right side; Dylan Cozens centered Peyton Krebs and JJ Peterka; Matt Savoie was between Anders Bjork and Vinnie Hinostroza; and Rasmus Asplund moved to center, with Brett Murray on his left and Linus Weissbach on the right.
On defense, Owen Power remained with Henri Jokiharju; Ilya Lyubushkin was on the right side next to Jeremy Davies; and Cale Klague was back with Chase Priskie.
5. Next
The Sabres host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday at 7 p.m., and wrap up the preseason Friday in Pittsburgh with puck drop at 7 p.m.
