When the Buffalo Sabres signed free agent Alex Lyon on July 1st 2025, they added far more than just another veteran goalie to the team. The Sabres brought in someone who is an intense competitor on the ice, and a leader off the ice. Yes, goalies can be leaders, too, despite playing a solitary position.
Yale alum Lyon is a fan favorite and teammate favorite wherever he goes. He’s extremely bright and articulate, thinking the sport and life in general on a very advanced plane.
On the ice, Lyon never met a scoring chance he doesn’t think he can stop. He improvises as needed. Stylistically, it’s not always pretty. However, Lyon never gives up on a play. In victory, he’s gracious. In defeat, he’s philosophical. Most importantly, Lyon never throws teammates under the bus, even when he’s left to fend for himself. That alone makes teammates want to play hard in front of him.
Expect Lyon to quickly become a favorite among the Sabres, too.
Lyon saw a great opportunity
It’s no secret that Buffalo has not been a “destination team” for free agents. The fan base is ultra-passionate but the city lacks a glamorous persona. Meanwhile, the once-proud hockey franchise fell on hard times that have yet to subside.
One former Sabres player, in 2022, had a rather blunt assessment of the state of the franchise.
“There’s good players, some good talent, and really great fans. But it’s been kind of a dead end organization for a long time. Everyone there cares. But guys want to play well there so they can go to a better situation for themselves. It’s sad but true,” he said.
While others perceive a hopeless situation, Lyon sees opportunity. Coming off two seasons with Detroit in which he posted a winning record, he feels he found a good landing spot in Buffalo with the Sabres.
“What actually swayed my decision the most Is I had spoken to James Reimer and Dustin Tokarski who were there the last two years,” explained Lyon in a Zoom conference call posted on the Sabres’ website.
“They both spoke very highly of it. They said it’s a great spot to be for a goalie and I’m pretty close to both of those guys and I have a lot of trust in they’re opinion. They both really enjoyed their experience and their time there. That was big for me.”
Sabres needed a ‘net gain’
Lyon comes to an organization which needs improvement in the crease. Ukko-Pekka Luukonen’s numbers fell off significantly last season from what they had been in 2023-24.
As for 23-year-old Devon Levi, the prospect performed very well in the American Hockey League over the last two seasons. However, he has not yet shown he is ready for an NHL spot with the big club.
The arrival of Lyon gives the Sabres a versatile piece of the puzzle that can help the team on many levels.
Luukonen needs a veteran like Lyon on the roster to provide him with a challenge. The starting slot should not simply be handed to Luukonen coming off of last season. With Lyon in the fold it won’t be.
“My aspiration is always to play as many games as possible and win as many games as possible.” said Lyon “I think that’s a good mentality to have you have to be ultra competitive in the goalie role.”
Lyon is a supportive teammate
In addition to providing competition at the position, Lyon adds a focus on support and teamwork in the net among the goaltenders.
“It’s a really fine balance to strike,” Lyon said.
“I think that’s a strength for sure that I have and that’s how I approach it. I’m a big believer that goalies have to support goalies.There was a time in my life where I didn’t treat the other goalies that well. It was a mistake. You have to support each other because the reality is in an eighth-two game season you need both guys to be going and you need both guys to win games.”
“When one guy is struggling you need the other guy to pick him up for the confidence. I know when I’m struggling and I know the other guy is going to win a game. It gives me alot of confidence and makes me play alot more freely. It is just such a delicate balance of being very competitive with each other and pushing each other, being supportive as well off the ice as well and having that good relationship.”
With Ukko-Pekka Luukonen needing to prove that he can regain top form, and Levi requiring more time to build his skill set in Rochester, Lyon is the right ingredient to add to the mix for the Sabres. He doesn’t promise miracles. He does pledge 100 percent commitment to the task at hand in Buffalo. That’s some his employers and Sabres fans can take to the bank.
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