Levi wins Mike Richter Award as NCAA’s top goaltender

Buffalo Sabres prospect and Northeastern goaltender Devon Levi was named the Mike Ritcher Award winner as the NCAA’s top puck-stopper on Friday.

The 20-year-old beat out Quinnipiac sophomore Yaniv Perets and Minnesota State senior Dryden McKay.

Levi, selected in the seventh round (No. 212) of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers had a whirlwind of a year. He missed his freshman season due to the pandemic, and saw his rights traded to the Buffalo Sabres before ever manning the net for the Huskies.

Once the dust settled and the season began, Levi went on a historic run leading the NCAA with a .952 save percentage (second all-time in NCAA history), a 1.54 goals against average all while posting 10 shutouts en route to a 21-10-1 record.

The Best Goaltender In College Hockey

Devon Levi: 2022 Richter Award Winner!#HowlinHuskies pic.twitter.com/mlniRKkE2x

— Northeastern Men’s Hockey (@GoNUmhockey) April 8, 2022

Levi was also named a First Team All-American and the recipient of the National Rookie of the Year Award.

He is considered an undersized goalie at 6-0, who relies on his speed and athleticism to succeed in the crease.

“Levi moves through his crease with speed, arrives early on shots coming from cross zone passes, and generally controls rebounds and keeps the puck in front of him,” FCHockey scout Shaun Richardson said. “Buffalo currently has several good young goaltending prospects but I feel that Levi projects as a future No. 1 goaltender within the Buffalo organization within the next three-to-five years.”

Levi will return to Northeastern next season instead of turning pro with Buffalo, and the Sabres have a ton of reason to be optimistic about Levi and his future within the organization.