At only 21 years old, Devon Levi got a taste of the NHL.
Yet three years ago, the Quebec goalkeeper was drafted in the seventh round, in 212th place, by the Florida Panthers.
Since then, he’s been voted top goaltender at the World Junior Championship, traded to the Buffalo Sabers and made his big league debut on March 31. If he has come all this way so quickly without feeling overwhelmed by events, it is certainly thanks to his approach to the game tinged with humility and respect, as he shared in an interview with our colleague Daniel Richard.
“It’s very special to see that three years ago I was a seventh-round pick. I always believed in myself and always knew that I could play no matter where I was drafted. It’s just a number, “he said at the microphone of RDS.
“The experiences I’ve had over the past few years have prepared me for this moment. I really enjoyed all the ups and downs that I went through. I tried to grow with each lesson. ”
Nevertheless, a person who realizes his lifelong dream cannot remain indifferent to certain situations. In the seven games he played with the Sabers last season, Levi remembers April 10 as a moment when he fully realized what he was going through.
It was a clash against the New York Rangers, and the one who a few weeks earlier was playing for Northeastern, found himself challenged by Artemi Panarin, Patrick Kane and Mika Zibanejad in a penalty shootout.
“It was incredible to be on the ice at the same time as them. It was in a game that meant a lot to our team. It was very special to find ourselves in these kinds of moments, ”said the man who helped his team win 3-2 at this time.
A good proof once again of the maturity of the 21-year-old goaltender is the state of mind in which he immerses himself in order to ensure that each moment on the ice does not seem too big to him. Together with his personal trainer, Marco Raimondo, he came to this approach: “Each puck has the same value”.
“It’s a mindset, that no matter who’s in front of me, even if they’re not as good as Panarin, I give them the same respect. It’s the same in training. I act like it’s the seventh game in the Stanley Cup Final, ”he added to explain his ability not to feel overwhelmed by the pressure.
The goalkeeper now hopes to be able to contribute to his team’s success as often as possible next season. The player who has won five in seven NHL games should share the net with Ukko-Pekka Luukonen. The Sabers showed encouraging signs last season, missing the playoffs by just one point. Levi is motivated to find himself in this environment to launch his career in the Bettman circuit.
“I’m so glad Buffalo made a trade for me. I couldn’t dream of such an opportunity. All the pieces fell at the right time and in the right place. I am grateful that they believe in me. ”
“It’s up to me now to play, have fun and do what I have to to give my team the best chance of winning. ”
Can Levi help the Sabers earn a playoff ticket for the first time since 2011? The answer this season.
