Levi: 'It’s so special to wear the maple leaf' at IIHF World Championships
Published
Canada hopes that goaltender Devon Levi’s international experience will help lead them to a second gold medal in the past three years at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
The Buffalo Sabres netminder was one of the goalies named to the initial Team Canada roster and has a shot to be the starter as Canada opens its tournament against host Latvia on Friday afternoon.
Watch Canada take on Latvia LIVE on Friday, May 12 at 1:00 P.M. ET/10:00 AM PT on TSN1, the TSN App, and TSN.ca.
It will be the third-consecutive calendar year that Levi will represent Canada in an international tournament. The 21-year-old earned a spot on the Canadian roster at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and was a central part of the silver medal-winning team at the 2021 World Junior Championships.
“It’s always a great feeling to get the call. It’s so special to wear the maple leaf,” Levi said on TSN 1050. “The feeling you get out there when you wear it is like none other. It’s a huge honour to be able to put it on again.
“I was fortunate to have a chance to prove myself in Buffalo, which gave me this chance here. I’m really excited to get things going.”
Levi established himself as one of the premier goalie prospects in hockey at the 2021 WJC, finishing the tournament with a .964 save percentage, breaking the previous record set in 2007 by Carey Price. The Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., native was named Best Goaltender of the tournament as his 0.75 goals-against average led the tournament.
After finishing his sophomore season with the Northeastern University Huskies this past season, Levi signed an entry-level contract with the Sabres and played seven games to finish the 2022-23 season, posting a 5-2-0 record with a 2.94 GAA and .905 save percentage.
Levi says this past season has gone perfectly for him, and looks forward to playing spring hockey for the first time in his career.
“It’s been a great year. I don't think I could have predicted this. Everything had unravelled perfectly. It was a great opportunity in Buffalo,” Levi said. “Everything worked out really well. I’m so happy to be still playing hockey this time of year. To be playing in May is great, I don’t think I’ve ever played in May before.”
Sabres’ teammates Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn, who were also on the 2021 World Junior team with Levi, were also named to Canada’s initial roster. The goaltender says he is looking forward to playing alongside his current teammates as well as getting to know the players he will face over the course of his blossoming NHL career.
“I played with them at the World Juniors a few years back. It’s great to put on the maple leaf with these guys,” said Levi. “It’s also great to know some other guys around the league. Being able to play against them in the future, stay high and compete with them. It’s more special and more fun when you know the person.”
Levi mentioned Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic as someone he looks forward to playing with, as he grew up watching the 34-year-old.
“I’ve been watching a lot of these guys growing up for a while. Milan Lucic is my teammate and I’ve been watching him since, I don’t even know, and playing video games as him growing up. It’s so great to be his teammate and the same for a lot of these guys.” said Levi.
Levi is expected to compete for the starting job with Montreal Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembault as Team Canada looks to make it back to the gold-medal game for the fourth-consecutive time at the World Championships.