Devon Levi Bio
Devon Levi, born on December 27, 2001, in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, Canada, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing 185 pounds, Levi plays with a left-handed catching style and represents Team Canada internationally.
Levi has emerged as one of the most decorated young goaltenders in recent memory, with a trophy case that already includes two Mike Richter Awards, a Beanpot MVP, and the distinction of being named Best Goaltender at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. After being selected 212th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers, his rights were traded to the Buffalo Sabres, where he has since signed an entry-level contract that runs through 2026.
Early Life and Background
Devon Levi grew up in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, a Montreal suburb in Quebec, Canada, in a close-knit family. His father, Laurent Levi, is a software engineer, and his mother, Eta Yacowar, works as an office administrator at the software company the couple is building together. He has a younger brother named James, and the family has deep roots in the local community, including a friendship with fellow goaltender Yaniv Perets that dates back to childhood, when the two played on the same youth teams for several years.
Levi, who is Jewish, attended the Hebrew Foundation School for his early education before moving on to West Island College, where he graduated as valedictorian in 2019. While his first language is English, he is also fluent in French, a skill that reflects the bilingual character of his hometown. He supplemented his high school studies with online courses through Athabasca University, demonstrating an early commitment to academics alongside his demanding athletic schedule.
Path to Hockey
Devon Levi began his hockey journey playing street hockey with his father, and until he was 11 years old, his only goaltending experience came on concrete. He eventually transitioned to organized youth hockey with the Lac St-Louis Lions of the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League, where he became the youngest player on the roster at just 14 years old during the 2016–17 season.
His three seasons with the Lions were transformative, as he earned multiple awards, including the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA) Governor’s Award for Student Athlete of the Year and the Daniel Brière Award for Best Hockey and Academic Achievement. In 2019, he set a league record with 64 saves in a 60-minute game and received both the MAAA Ken Dryden Trophy and the Patrick Roy Trophy. He also holds the league record for career shutouts, with eight, a testament to his dominance at the midget level before he moved on to junior hockey.
Devon Levi Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Devon Levi began his junior career in 2019–20 with the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), a Junior A circuit based in the Ottawa area. He dominated the league with a .941 save percentage, a 1.47 goals-against average, and eight shutouts in 37 games, all of which led the CCHL. His Canadians head coach, Jason Clarke, predicted stardom, noting that Levi was ready to take the NCAA by storm.
He earned a remarkable collection of honors that season, including CJHL Player of the Year, CJHL MVP, CJHL Top Rookie, and CJHL Top Goalie, along with the CCHL MVP, Top Goaltender, Rookie of the Year, Top Prospect, and First Team All-Star selections. In 2020, he was drafted 212th overall by the Florida Panthers, and his rights were later traded to the Buffalo Sabres in July 2021 as part of the deal that sent Sam Reinhart to Florida.
NCAA Breakthrough (2021–2023)
Devon Levi committed to Northeastern University, where he majored in computer science on scholarship, but a rib injury delayed his NCAA debut until the 2021–22 season. He made an immediate impact, opening his college career with back-to-back shutouts and earning Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Month honors in both October and November 2021. By mid-season, he had set the Northeastern record for shutouts in a single season, and he finished the year with a .952 save percentage, tying Connor Hellebuyck for the second-best single-season mark in NCAA history.
That season, Levi won the Mike Richter Award as the top college goaltender and led the Huskies to the Hockey East regular season title. In 2022–23, he followed up by leading Northeastern to a Beanpot tournament victory, earning both the tournament MVP and the Eberly Award, while also winning his second consecutive Mike Richter Award to become the first player in history to repeat as the college game’s top goaltender. He finished his NCAA career with the second-best career save percentage in NCAA history before signing his entry-level contract with the Sabres.
Rochester Americans Era (2023–Present)
Devon Levi signed his entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres six days after his college career ended and made his NHL debut on March 31, 2023, in an overtime win against the New York Rangers. He went on to play seven of the Sabres’ final nine games that season, collecting five wins and a foothold in the NHL despite a crowded goaltender room that included Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Craig Anderson, and Eric Comrie.
The 2023–24 season saw Levi start four games for Buffalo before a lower-body injury cost him more than two weeks, and after inconsistent results, he was reassigned to the Rochester Americans to log more consistent minutes. He alternated between Buffalo and Rochester throughout the year, recording his first professional point on March 1, 2024, with an assist on Aleksandr Kisakov’s game-winning goal. As of the 2024–25 season, Levi continues to split duty between the Sabres and the Americans, where he is being developed into a future NHL starter.
Driving Style and Strengths
Devon Levi is widely noted for his exceptional speed and refined technique, allowing him to react quickly to developing plays. Coaches and analysts have praised his ability to read opposing players and track the puck through heavy traffic, skills that have made him a force at every level of his career. During every timeout, he drops to his knees roughly 15 feet in front of his net, bows his head, and uses controlled breathing techniques to reset his focus, a routine that has become a signature of his calm, methodical style.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Devon Levi’s career came at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he set an all-time tournament record with a .964 save percentage, surpassing a mark previously held by Carey Price. He became only the second goaltender in tournament history to record three shutouts and was named Best Goaltender and to the All-Star Team while leading Canada to a silver medal. He also played the entire tournament with a fractured rib, a fact he revealed afterward, underscoring the durability and competitive fire that have defined his young career.
Devon Levi Career Wins
Devon Levi has compiled a steadily growing list of professional victories, primarily in the AHL with the Rochester Americans and in spot starts with the Buffalo Sabres. He opened his NHL career on a high note, posting five wins in his first seven appearances for Buffalo, and he has since added more AHL wins while developing his game at the professional level.
NCAA Highlights
During his time at Northeastern, Levi was one of the most decorated goaltenders in college hockey, winning back-to-back Mike Richter Awards in 2022 and 2023 to become the first player ever to repeat as the award’s recipient. He also won the Beanpot tournament MVP and Eberly Award in 2023 while leading Northeastern to the title, and he finished his NCAA career with the second-best career save percentage in NCAA history.
Other Wins and Performances
Levi’s international resume includes a silver medal and tournament MVP honors at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge, where he stopped 77 of 80 shots, and a silver medal at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was also selected to Canada’s roster for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where he served as the team’s third goaltender.
Devon Levi Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Devon Levi comes from a close, supportive family in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec. His father, Laurent Levi, is a software engineer, and his mother, Eta Yacowar, is an office administrator at a software company the couple is building together. He has a younger brother, James, and a lifelong friendship with fellow goaltender Yaniv Perets, with whom he played on the same youth teams for several years.
Personal Life
Devon Levi is Jewish and speaks both English and French, reflecting the bilingual culture of his hometown outside Montreal. He has prioritized academics alongside his hockey career, graduating as valedictorian of West Island College and earning a Hockey East All-Academic Team nod at Northeastern, where he majored in computer science on scholarship. He is currently unmarried, with his focus firmly on his developing professional career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season marks another important development year for Devon Levi, who continues to split time between the Buffalo Sabres and the Rochester Americans. With Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen establishing himself as the Sabres’ clear top goaltender, Levi has had the chance to log heavy minutes in the AHL, where he is working to refine the consistency that will be required for a full-time NHL role. His performances in Rochester have shown flashes of the brilliance that made him a top NCAA goaltender, and the Sabres’ front office remains committed to his long-term development.
Levi is expected to see additional NHL opportunities with Buffalo whenever injuries or scheduling open a spot in the lineup, and he could be in line for a more permanent call-up if his AHL play continues to trend upward. The 2025 outlook suggests a season of measured growth, with Levi’s save percentage and confidence steadily improving under the Sabres’ goaltending development plan. Should he maintain his current trajectory, a full-time role with the Sabres could be on the horizon in the near future.
