BREAKING NEWS: 3 reasons Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is a legitimate Vezina candidate
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been arguably the Buffalo Sabres best player this season, and he is the reason they are hanging onto playoff contention.
Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s performance falls short when compared to the impressive records of players like Sergei Bobrovsky from the Florida Panthers and Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets. Other contenders like Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers have also surpassed Luukkonen in terms of wins, losses, and overtime losses.
However, judging goalies solely by their overall records can be misleading, as factors like team performance heavily influence these statistics. Even goaltenders who share playing time, such as Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins and Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights, may have better records due to stronger team support. Nonetheless, Luukkonen has outperformed his competitors in various categories this season. If he maintains his current level of play, there’s a strong possibility he could be in contention for the Vezina Trophy at the end of the year.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen deserves to be a legit Vezina candidate
This doesn’t suggest that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen should be awarded the Vezina, as he hasn’t contributed to the Sabres’ current playoff contention. However, considering the team’s struggles and Luukkonen’s remarkable improvement this season compared to other NHL goaltenders, there’s a valid argument to be made.
This doesn’t necessarily mean Luukkonen is destined to become the Sabres’ top goaltender in the future, as Devon Levi still possesses greater potential. Despite Levi’s less-than-stellar performance in Buffalo this season, his stats in the AHL tell a different story: in 19 games, he boasts a 2.52 GAA and a 0.927 save percentage, surpassing Luukkonen’s numbers during his time in Rochester.
However, in the context of the 2023-24 season, Luukkonen has clearly outperformed Levi, and unless Levi manages to reclaim the position, Luukkonen will likely maintain his status as the team’s top goaltender. Looking ahead to the 2024-25 season, Luukkonen has made it challenging for Levi to reclaim the role, not only due to his unexpected improvement but also because he has consistently performed at an elite level throughout much of the season.
Luukkonen has put an average team in playoff contention
The Buffalo Sabres have amassed a modest 71 points from 69 games, yet they remain in contention for the playoffs, which is quite noteworthy. What’s even more remarkable is their resurgence into contention, not due to offensive prowess, but primarily because of Luukkonen’s stellar performance in goal, elevating him to the status of a top-tier goaltender.
In 69 matches, the Sabres have only scored 207 goals, averaging a mere three goals per game, placing them 19th in the NHL. Extrapolating this rate for the last 13 games, they’d end up with 246 goals, a significant 50 fewer than their tally from the previous season.
Conversely, in terms of goals conceded, the Sabres rank 12th in the league, allowing 204 goals at an average of 2.96 per game. Of those, Luukkonen has let in 101 goals in 41 starts and 44 appearances. Reflecting on this, it’s worth emphasizing: Luukkonen has allowed half of the Sabres’ total goals in significantly fewer starts and appearances.
When comparing with Devon Levi and Eric Comrie, who have collectively allowed 92 goals alongside one empty-netter, in their combined 29 appearances and 28 starts, they’ve conceded an average of 3.17 goals per appearance. In contrast, Luukkonen’s average stands at 2.29 goals per appearance, underlining his exceptional performance.
Luukkonen is one of the league’s most productive goaltenders
It’s evident when examining the overall goaltender statistics for those who have participated in at least 20 games. Within this group, Luukkonen ranks fifth in goals against average (GAA) with 2.39, placing third among goaltenders with at least 40 games played, trailing only Bobrovsky and Hellebuyck.
Moreover, Luukkonen shares the 11th position league-wide in save percentage with Charlie Lindgren of the Washington Capitals, both boasting a 0.915 rate. What’s more impressive is Luukkonen’s turnaround this season. Initially struggling with a 7-8-2 record, a save percentage of 0.892, and conceding 51 goals in his first 18 games, he significantly improved as the season progressed.
Since January 6th, Luukkonen has participated in 26 games, allowing just 50 goals while achieving a remarkable 0.930 save percentage. During this period, he also obtained a 16-9-1 record. It’s notable that the team’s performance improved markedly once Luukkonen found his form, indicating his crucial role in their success.
Contrary to last season, where Buffalo managed victories despite Luukkonen playing more games as the primary goaltender than warranted, this year, the Sabres are winning despite their average performance with the puck, thanks to Luukkonen’s exceptional goaltending prowess.
Luukkonen warrants more consideration than goalies who posted more shutouts
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ranks third in the NHL with five shutouts, alongside Thatcher Demko. However, when comparing him to the goaltenders ahead of him, his performance surpasses them by a significant margin. Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram have six shutouts each, yet Jarry’s stats exhibit consistency rather than brilliance, with a 0.906 save percentage and a 2.79 GAA. Ingram, on the other hand, boasts a respectable 0.910 save percentage but fails to impress with a 2.81 GAA.
Despite the argument that the Buffalo Sabres may have a stronger team overall compared to the Pittsburgh Penguins (Jarry) and the Arizona Coyotes (Ingram), the Sabres have consistently ranked near the bottom of the league this season. Additionally, Arizona held a playoff position before the new year, while the Penguins continue to perform well on paper, led by Sidney Crosby and company.
Furthermore, Luukkonen’s overall statistics outshine players like Ilya Sorokin, Igor Shesterkin, Pyotr Kochetkov, Stuart Skinner, Charlie Lindgren, Juuse Saros, and to some extent, the aforementioned top goaltenders. This doesn’t necessarily mean Luukkonen should win the Vezina Trophy, but it certainly warrants him a spot in the top 10 consideration.