Reyna will not play in the US games against Canada and Buffalo Sabres due to a groin injury and will be replaced by…
Experience is something the Buffalo Sabres have more of in 2024-25, and it’s been a while since we could last make such a claim. In fact, the Sabres are still young enough that there’s a chance they’ll still be among the less experienced, but still, at least they have players who have made postseason appearances and know how to win hockey games.
That will help the Sabres goaltenders, who will most likely comprise Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and James Reimer. Luukkonen, who established himself well as the Blue and Gold’s unquestioned starter for most of 2023-24, will return to the driver’s seat once more in 2024-25, this time with the expectation that he will suit up for at least 50 of the Sabres games.
But with Reimer sliding in as the backup, and by backup, I mean as a No. 2 goaltender and not a trendy 1B, Luukkonen should be in the net for 55-60 games this season. Yeah, that’s a lot to expect, but he nearly hit that range last year with 54, so it’s a realistic expectation.
Could Luukkonen go even further and find himself between the pipes for between 61 and 65 games? If he builds off of what he accomplished last year, I don’t see why that wouldn’t be the case, especially since we know James Reimer could easily struggle in 2024-25.
