Top Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be joining the Rochester Americans, his Finnish team announced today.
The Sabres loaned Luukkonen, 21, to HC TPS, a Liiga team, in August and had extended the loan agreement throughout the season.
The Amerks, the Sabres’ AHL affiliate, opened training camp Friday. The AHL season is scheduled to start Feb. 5.
In 13 games with HC TPS, Luukkonen compiled a 6-3-4 record with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage, according to eliteprospects.com.
The Amerks also have goalies Michael Houser and Dustin Tokarski on the roster. Jonas Johansson, an AHL All-Star last season, earned a spot on Buffalo’s taxi squad.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Luukkonen shuttled between the AHL and ECHL as a rookie in 2019-20, playing 33 total games before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the leagues to cancel their seasons.
Luukkonen spent most of last season with the Cincinnati Cyclones, compiling a 12-7-3 record with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage in 23 games. The Cyclones have opted not to play this season because of the pandemic.
The Sabres rewarded the ECHL All-Star with recalls to the AHL, where he registered a 3-4-3 mark with a 3.15 goals-against average and an .874 save percentage in 10 appearances with the Amerks.
The Sabres drafted Luukkonen in the second round in 2017, 54th overall.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen palaa Pohjois-Amerikkaan.
Kiitos kaikesta, jonka torjuit, @ukkopekkaluukko!🖤
📌 https://t.co/IvUWCjLpr5#HCTPS #Turku #Liiga #OleTPS #NHLfi pic.twitter.com/uLtR8LiphC— HC TPS (@HCTPS) January 16, 2021
