BUFFALO – When the Sabres drafted goalie Topias Leinonen 41st overall in 2022, they likely believed he would be ready to begin his career in North America in three years.
Sure enough, Leinonen, having signed his entry-level contract in March, is expected to start the upcoming season with the Rochester Americans or the Jacksonville Icemen, their ECHL affiliate.
Leinonen, 21, just enjoyed a standout season for Mora IK, a second-tier pro team in Sweden, compiling a 13-10-0 record with a 2.31 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage and four shutouts in a career-high 25 appearances.
Yes, the Finn had never played even 25 games for one team in a single season.
That low number illustrates some of the struggles he endured in the two seasons following his selection by the Sabres.
As a second-round pick, it’s hardly surprising Leinonen earned an NHL contract. But injuries, ineffectiveness and limited playing time – in addition to being sidelined, he often served as a backup – nearly stymied his development.
Finally, after leaving his native Finland to play for Mora IK last season, he got back on track and performed like a top goalie prospect.
“This (past) season, to me, he was doing what you wanted him to do two years ago,” said Seamus Kotyk, who works closely with Leinonen as the Sabres’ goalie development coach. “He didn’t play pretty much for two years due to circumstances.
“Now, he’s had some injuries. But he was in a situation where he was the backup, and he just wasn’t going to play.
Over that difficult two-year stretch, the 6-foot-5, 234-pound Leinonen struggled to find a groove.
While he compiled 40 total appearances in 2022-23, he played just eight times for JYP, his hometown team in Liiga, a top-tier pro circuit in Finland. He mostly played in junior.
In 2023-24, he played 12 games all season, including six outings for JYP. He registered some ghastly numbers – a 0-4-1 record with a .414 goals-against average and a .844 save percentage – in that limited work in Liiga.
“Those injuries are pretty tough,” Leinonen said following Thursday’s three-on-three development camp scrimmage in LECOM Harborcenter. “That’s pretty tough for your mental health, for sure. You want to play.”
But more than playing time buoyed Leinonen’s development. He matured off the ice.
Kotyk said the youngster grasped he must improve his body, diet and lifestyle to be more successful in the crease.
“That’s where a lot of the focus with him has been,” Kotyk said.
On the ice, in the last six weeks of the season, Kotyk said Leinonen showcased details he had been waiting to see for two or three years.
“In the playoffs … he was making those timely saves,” he said. “To me, it doesn’t matter what the score is, but, like, are you keeping your team in the game? Or did you let in a bad early goal? Can you shake it off and not let it change the rest of your game.
“I felt I started to see that with him this year, and that’s what was starting to get me a little more excited about coming here for September.”
Kotyk said the frequent action helped Leinonen close the gap that materialized with other goalies in his age group over those two trying seasons.
“I think I got my confidence back last year,” said Leinonen, who had a stress fracture in his foot when he arrived for camp two years ago.
It’s unclear where Leinonen, who briefly joined Rochester in the Calder Cup Playoffs but did not play, will tend goal next year. Scott Ratzlaff, another Sabres goalie prospect, is also turning pro.
The Sabres on Tuesday signed veteran Alex Lyon to provide competition and back up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The move could push top goalie prospect Devon Levi back to the Amerks for another season.
Levi, of course, would likely receive most of the starts. Perhaps the Sabres will move Leinonen and Ratzlaff between Rochester and Jacksonville to ensure they receive regular workload.
“These guys,” Kotyk said, “they have to play.”
Topias Leinonen, wow!
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— HockeyAllsvenskan (@hockeyallsvensk) March 16, 2025