McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Mar. 31 – Devon Levi vs. Jaroslav Halak

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Fri. Mar. 31, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

With all due respect to 17-year NHL veteran Jaroslav Halak, tonight’s game is all about Devon Levi. To me, he’s the most exciting goaltending prospect to come out of the NCAA Div. 1 ranks since Ryan Miller turned pro in 2002. 

What to watch for:

Levi has had nearly two weeks of practice with the Sabres – more than enough time to acclimate to the NHL. But he’s also walking into the lion’s den facing the red hot New York Rangers – a team that can absolutely punish goaltenders. Maybe the saving grace is that the Rangers are playing their second game in two days, and the Sabres haven’t played since Monday. Buffalo will be fresh, as will Levi.

I recently wrote a piece on what to expect from Levi that goes in detail of his technical game. He has all the tools to be an outstanding NHL goaltender, but there are things to keep an eye on. He’s undersized at 6-foot-0. And he has a tendency to get low and wide as the play approaches. But Levi is a strong skater with outstanding balance. The key for the Sabres is to be patient with him. They’re in it for the long haul with Levi.

Halak is coming off two straight victories for the Rangers, including a 22-save shutout over the Nashville Predators just over a week ago. The veteran netminder got off to a rocky start in The Big Apple but turned it around at the start of the 2023 calendar year – he’s gone 8-2-2 since Jan 1. Halak has a .905 save percentage in 22 games.

What fantasy owners should do:

If your team is in a keeper league, I hope you already considered grabbing Levi. I’m not sure if he will spend his entire career in the NHL, or if he’ll succeed right off the bat. He may need time in the AHL. But Levi can potentially be a true No.1 in the NHL. Halak has been hit or miss all season for fantasy owners and the Rangers tend to give up rush chances – something Buffalo is strong at finishing. So I’d be cautious playing him.

Bottom line for Devon Levi:

Expectations are high for Levi in Buffalo. But he’s also just 21 years old. Tonight is the first step in a long journey.

Bottom line for Jaroslav Halak:

With the way the Rangers can score, he probably just needs to keep Buffalo to three goals or less.