G Devon Levi - Rochester Americans, AHL (2020, 212th, FLA; traded to BUF)

[ConnorMcMullet]

Devon Levi is a 5'11.5" goalie playing in Junior A as a late birthday. So definitely not a traditional goalie prospect.

Nevertheless, I feel he is underrated and certainly someone worth drafting in the later rounds. His play this year was downright dominant and his stats reflect that; he had a .941 SV% and 1.47 GAA. For context, the next best goalie in the CCHL had .920 SV% and 2.97 GAA.

Levi is technically sound with incredibly lateral agility. By all accounts he is a very mature and hardworking person as well. I have him as the 5th best goalie prospect in this draft.

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[IHaveNoCreativity]

Coached against him in midget, he’s a monster. Don’t let his size fool you, most underrated prospect in the draft.

technically sound, calm, poised and moves so well in the crease. The more pucks he sees the better he plays.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Coached against him in midget, he’s a monster. Don’t let his size fool you, most underrated prospect in the draft.

technically sound, calm, poised and moves so well in the crease. The more pucks he sees the better he plays.

Yep. He has a .938 SV% when facing under 30 shots and .946 SV% when facing over 30 shots.

 

[Wintersun]

Coached against him in midget, he’s a monster. Don’t let his size fool you, most underrated prospect in the draft.

technically sound, calm, poised and moves so well in the crease. The more pucks he sees the better he plays.

His 17 y/o playoffs against Levis in semi-finals was just ridiculous. I don't know how he pans out but I like him a lot.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

His 17 y/o playoffs against Levis in semi-finals was just ridiculous. I don't know how he pans out but I like him a lot.

I don’t think any goalie in league history will top that. 50 saves every game minimum over 7 games.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Good call. He’s underrated. His size won’t help his draft stock, nor will the league he plays in, but if you stop the puck, you’ll play in the NHL. Size is irrelevant, if you can consistently put up great SV%’s.

 

[Number 57]

He only looks small cause his backup on the Lions used to be 6'8 Trevor Cooper

I was sitting in the lower bowl in Chateauguay I think and when I saw him coming off the ice and walking towards the locker room I couldn't believe my eyes. He was only 16 at the time, too

 

[Gopher13]

He is under 6' so that will automatically eliminate him from 90% of the NHL teams from selecting him. They are in the business of selecting players they project to be NHL players down the road and as dumb as it is the size factor is still there. Add in the fact he played in a low level league combined with size and he may be a late round pick. Dustin Wolf was a sub-6' goalie who dominated a higher league (WHL) and barely got drafted. Stopping the puck should matter more but frankly it doesn't....size matters still.

 

[Treb]

Publications have him from early 4th to just out of the 7th, so wouldn't be surprised if teams pass on him and sign him after his 4 NCAA years.

 

[Brock]

Personally, he's a top five goaltender in this draft class. Couldn't have been more impressed with his athleticism and composure when watching him this year. Looking at the height of some top performing goaltenders in the NHL this year, this type of bias should slowly be eliminated. Smaller goalies certainly have a slim margin for error, as their positioning needs to be that much better. But if you've got it, you've got it.

We have him ranked pretty high at McKeen's and I know a few other publications have him ranked similarly (certainly higher than the general public). IMO, he should be a 3rd round or 4th round selection.

I also really like that he's heading to a top notch program at Northeastern and has a path to start there as early as this season (if the NCAA plays this season).

 

[DaveG]

Personally, he's a top five goaltender in this draft class. Couldn't have been more impressed with his athleticism and composure when watching him this year. Looking at the height of some top performing goaltenders in the NHL this year, this type of bias should slowly be eliminated. Smaller goalies certainly have a slim margin for error, as their positioning needs to be that much better. But if you've got it, you've got it.

We have him ranked pretty high at McKeen's and I know a few other publications have him ranked similarly (certainly higher than the general public). IMO, he should be a 3rd round or 4th round selection.

I also really like that he's heading to a top notch program at Northeastern and has a path to start there as early as this season (if the NCAA plays this season).

Amazing how much that program (NU) had turned things around the past decade or so. Used to be that they'd be a complete also ran in Hockey East, good for maybe one or two NCAA appearances per decade. Under Madigan they've become a perennial top 20 team and one of the best developmental programs in the NCAA. The fact that Levi's slated to play there would likely bump him up to a 3rd/4th round type pick in my books.

 

[Subway Schenn]

Looks like he has the tools, I've been impressed every time (albeit limited viewings).

 

[Gopher13]

Amazing how much that program (NU) had turned things around the past decade or so. Used to be that they'd be a complete also ran in Hockey East, good for maybe one or two NCAA appearances per decade. Under Madigan they've become a perennial top 20 team and one of the best developmental programs in the NCAA. The fact that Levi's slated to play there would likely bump him up to a 3rd/4th round type pick in my books.

Under 6' and played in low level juniors doesn't help his draft stock at all.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Given his size it would be almost a miracle if he gets drafted.

He will have to go the NCAA route and prove his worth, likely getting an AHL deal and prove his worth in the ECHL and then prove his worth in the AHL.

The road is extremely difficult for him already. More so than likely any other goalie in this draft class.

 

[neelynugs]

the size thing is overblown, it's not like he's 5'9. and who knows how tall he
is right now, maybe he grew in the past 6 months. i think he gets picked.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Under 6' and played in low level juniors doesn't help his draft stock at all.

CCHL isn’t a low level... probably best Junior A in Canada.

 

[peconcan]

Was impressed by him vs Russia in the WJAC

 

[bert]

Under 6' and played in low level juniors doesn't help his draft stock at all.

Its the third best Jr A league in Canada. Really doesnt hurt his stock considering he is going the NCAA route to a good program. That Carleton Place team would beat most USHL teams anyway and players from that league consistently have succeess at the NCAA level. But you're right about his size it will hurt him. When I saw him play he looked incredibly poised and he moves very well.

 

[OldScool]

Its the third best Jr A league in Canada. Really doesnt hurt his stock considering he is going the NCAA route to a good program. That Carleton Place team would beat most USHL teams anyway and players from that league consistently have succeess at the NCAA level. But you're right about his size it will hurt him. When I saw him play he looked incredibly poised and he moves very well.

Please tell me you are kidding. CCHL is a lower league. Fact. Secondly there was over 50 USHL players drafted last year - don’t think there was one CCHL. This year only 2 players from CCHL in NHL central scouting the 8th ranked goalie and 142 rated skater. To say a CCHL would beat a USHL is a joke.

 

[OldScool]

For some education:
Rating The Junior Hockey Leagues 2019 Edition – Top Twenty Leagues At All Levels

CCHL is 14th ranked league in NA.

 

[bert]

Please tell me you are kidding. CCHL is a lower league. Fact. Secondly there was over 50 USHL players drafted last year - don’t think there was one CCHL. This year only 2 players from CCHL in NHL central scouting the 8th ranked goalie and 142 rated skater. To say a CCHL would beat a USHL is a joke.

Theyre one of the best teams in Canada. Its not a lower league youre clearly just unfamiliar.

 

[bert]

For some education:
Rating The Junior Hockey Leagues 2019 Edition – Top Twenty Leagues At All Levels

CCHL is 14th ranked league in NA.

Hahahahaha your list has the USHL ahead of the CHL. Its officially worthless. Its so incredibly biased what a joke. Its also based on players going NCAA not quality of team if you think USHL team quality is better than the CHL dont bother responding.

 

[Gopher13]

Hahahahaha your list has the USHL ahead of the CHL. Its officially worthless. Its so incredibly biased what a joke. Its also based on players going NCAA not quality of team if you think USHL team quality is better than the CHL dont bother responding.

You can make a case the CHL is better than USHL on a year by year basis. You cant make a case the CCHL is close to either one of them. CCHL is a lower league.

 

[Gopher13]

Hahahahaha your list has the USHL ahead of the CHL. Its officially worthless. Its so incredibly biased what a joke. Its also based on players going NCAA not quality of team if you think USHL team quality is better than the CHL dont bother responding.

Biased? You put the CCHL in the ballpark of those leagues. Its not. One of the best teams in Canada for their lower league. They would get pounded by any team in the CHL.

 

[bert]

Biased? You put the CCHL in the ballpark of those leagues. Its not. One of the best teams in Canada for their lower league. They would get pounded by any team in the CHL.

Beat by any team in the CHL probably yes but pounded by all no. The difference between the OHL and USHL is equally as big as the CCHL and the USHL in terms of quality of play. Top teams in each of those leagues will be able to play against the lower teams all day thats how it works. The fact you guys think the USHL quality is close to the CHL just shows how biased you all are.

Teams that make it to the RBC cup are all USHL quality. The winner of the CCHL has been representing eastern Canada on a regular basis at the RBC cup these teams are stacked. They are usually older but that doesnt mean the quality of play is lower they just dont have as high end prospects.