Is Devon Levi Trying to Force His Way Home?

[Porous Five Hole]

[Maxime Truman - BPM Sports - Montreal Radio] Habs have been in discussions since the draft to acquire goalie prospect Devon Levi from Buffalo

This is all in French and I do not understand a lick of it. But there’s a Reddit thread going on f/hockey in English stating the Habs are trying to make this deal happen. 

Obviously, everyone knows that anyone born in Montreal will only play in Montreal 🙄

I’m not putting much trust in this.  Levi said all the right things in development camp.
 

But we all know there felt like there was an elephant in the room. He was NCAA goalie of the year and a Hobey Baker finalist. There might have been some personal reasons to stay in college another year, but it didn’t make a ton of sense from a developmental standpoint (pros play double the games than college players do, and the focus on his craft would have been his full-time job instead of classes—not like he will be graduating in the spring anyway).  
 

Is there something to this? Or is this just Montreal media drivel? I vote drivel and Montreal can wish this were true.
 

 But my Portillo/Levi thread PTSD made me feel triggered

[PerreaultForever]

This may or may not be true, but the possibility of it being true is just one more reason Adams should already have a solid NHL goalie on the roster. 

[Marvin]

"Montreal hockey media" and "drivel" is almost always redundant, particularly when it comes to Francophone Quebecois.

[Zamboni]

There is nothing there until there is something there. That’s how I look at it.

[Weave]

2 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

There is nothing there until there is something there. That’s how I look at it.

And we don’t have a goalie until we have a goalie.

I hate that KA has put all of our goalie eggs in the Levi basket.  It makes us vulnerable.

[Zamboni]

Just now, Weave said:

And we don’t have a goalie until we have a goalie.

I hate that KA has put all of our goalie eggs in the Levi basket.  It makes us vulnerable.

If UPL keeps improving, and shows consistency… We may have our goalie. I know that’s a gigantic gigantic IF and I am well aware of that. If the team can help him get his GAA under 3.00, that would be terrific

[thewookie1]

I wouldn’t worry, Levi already seems happy to be a Sabre prospect since we literally traded for him and he’s befriended multiple prospects already. We are also close enough to Quebec that travel time isn’t bad. This is purely MTL writers looking for Price’s replacement

[Digger]

All those years playing against Patrick Roy when he was with the Habs sucked.  It will be great when Levi is making a difference for the Sabres.  He'll still get to show off for his home town area fans every road game in Montreal and Ottawa (wins are a must, shutouts optional). 

[PromoTheRobot]

I'm sure Adams gets a call from Montreal once a week. If "no" counts as a discussion then I guess the reports are true.

4 hours ago, Weave said:

And we don’t have a goalie until we have a goalie.

I hate that KA has put all of our goalie eggs in the Levi basket.  It makes us vulnerable.

Half the NHL has no goalie then. 

[pi2000]

Let's pump the brakes on Levi as the long term answer.

He currently ranks 23rd in GAA and 8th in sv% at the NCAA level.    Good, not great.

Seems like a great kid.... with all the intangibles you'd like to have in a goaltender (except size), and I hope he finds success.... but he's done nothing yet at the pro-level.    

I'm not saying he won't be great, but goalie prospects are extremely unpredictable. 

[FrenchConnection44]

6 hours ago, Weave said:

And we don’t have a goalie until we have a goalie.

I hate that KA has put all of our goalie eggs in the Levi basket.  It makes us vulnerable.

How is it he’s put all our eggs in one basket? 
 

He has UPL, Leinonen, Portillo, and Levi. 
 

UPL has played really well lately  showed a lot of poise and confidence. 
 

I don’t want them to trade Levi (and that he is down a bit this year isn’t a big negative  it’s all about the kinds of goals he would be giving up. 

 

[Porous Five Hole]

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

Let's pump the brakes on Levi as the long term answer.

He currently ranks 23rd in GAA and 8th in sv% at the NCAA level.    Good, not great.

Seems like a great kid.... with all the intangibles you'd like to have in a goaltender (except size), and I hope he finds success.... but he's done nothing yet at the pro-level.    

I'm not saying he won't be great, but goalie prospects are extremely unpredictable. 

I’m not saying GMKA would ever trade Levi.  But if Levi said, ‘I want to play in Montreal,‘ what would your ask be for a return of this prospect? What’s his market value today?

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

Let's pump the brakes on Levi as the long term answer.

He currently ranks 23rd in GAA and 8th in sv% at the NCAA level.    Good, not great.

Seems like a great kid.... with all the intangibles you'd like to have in a goaltender (except size), and I hope he finds success.... but he's done nothing yet at the pro-level.    

I'm not saying he won't be great, but goalie prospects are extremely unpredictable. 

What else do we have?   Portillo?  A very young Euro-goalie? 
 

We need to get. Levi into the system very soon. 

30 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I’m not saying GMKA would ever trade Levi.  But if Levi said, ‘I want to play in Montreal,‘ what would your ask be for a return of this prospect? What’s his market value today?

A one and a prospect.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

I'll trade them Levi for their 1st in 2023 and 2024.

[Doohicksie]

7 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

I wouldn’t worry, Levi already seems happy to be a Sabre prospect since we literally traded for him and he’s befriended multiple prospects already. We are also close enough to Quebec that travel time isn’t bad. This is purely MTL writers looking for Price’s replacement

I dunno, Ullmark seemed pretty content here until he wasn't.

[Doohicksie]

So what does MTL have that we want? 

Kaiden Guhle?  Their young 1st pair RHD?

Dahlin - Muel
Power - Guhle
Boosh - Joki

 

Do it, Kevyn.

Edited December 22, 2022 by Doohickie

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

I dunno, Ullmark seemed pretty content here until he wasn't.

The article itself is worthless; it’s typical Canadian team drivel about how every player wants to go home.

[MattPie]

4 hours ago, Doohickie said:

So what does MTL have that we want? 

Kaiden Guhle?  Their young 1st pair RHD?

Dahlin - Muel
Power - Guhle
Boosh - Joki

 

Do it, Kevyn.

Well, it'd be another entry in the "The Sabres always get the wrong brother" discussion.

[LGR4GM]

Lol, no. Levi will be signed in early April by Buffalo. 

[tom webster]

14 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Lol, no. Levi will be signed in early April by Buffalo. 

Exactly. There is nothing I would ever guarantee but I’ll guarantee you one thing, if Buffalo ever trades Levi’s rights, it will not be to Montreal.

[French Collection]

It’s like the Leafs are the destination for every Ontario kid, every big name UFA and every big name trade.

Montreal is where their media wants every Quebec kid to be.

I’m sure it was Levi’s team growing up.

[Wyldnwoody44]

But the poutine in Quebec. How can one say no?!? 

[tom webster]

By the way, has anyone actually translated this and, if it has any credibility, why is no one else talking about it?

On the other hand, maybe don’t translate it and then after about 20 pages, reveal it is just a “spoof” video. I, for one, would be amused.

[DarthEbriate]

2 hours ago, French Collection said:

It’s like the Leafs are the destination for every Ontario kid, every big name UFA and every big name trade.

Montreal is where their media wants every Quebec kid to be.

I’m sure it was Levi’s team growing up.

Yup. Just as we keep having threads about how Kane is coming home to Buffalo.

Levi will sign with the Sabres and he'll look a lot better behind Dahlin-Muel-Power-Joker-Boushh in his April debut than he does behind a Northeastern lineup.

Besides, Levi and Tuch are the direct offspring of the trades of Jackikin Eichwalker and Reino Samidala. It's pretty much his destiny to save the Sabres and restore freedom to the galaxy.

Edited December 22, 2022 by DarthEbriate

[GASabresIUFAN]

10 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Yup. Just as we keep having threads about how Kane is coming home to Buffalo.

Thank you!  

If Montreal really wants him, make KA an offer he can't refuse.  Obviously, not happening.  KA has bet his entire rebuild on the "waiting for Levi" strategy.