Journeyman goaltender Alex Lyon stepping up for Buffalo Sabres

BUFFALO — Alex Lyon packed up his life plenty of times.

The cerebral, Yale-educated goaltender’s journey through hockey has been winding, one accented by big moments and plenty of disappointment.

A suitcase sitting by the front door was simply part of the equation. Lyon also seems to have, at least for now, finally found an NHL home.

The 33-year-old took over the Buffalo Sabres’ crease from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the third period of a Game 2 loss to the Boston Bruins in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

He hasn’t looked back.

Lyon owned a 4-1 record with a .950 save percentage and a 1.30 goals-against average this spring entering Friday with Buffalo leading Montreal 1-0 in the teams’ best-of-seven second-round series.

“Everybody in the league probably would tell you that they would never think that they would make it as far as they did,” said the undrafted Baudette, Minn., product. “It’s a lot about survival, at times, and when the chips are down, just continuing to stay competitive and believe in yourself.

“It’s sometimes a really difficult thing to do, but I just love playing hockey. That’s probably the thing that I found that’s carried me through the most — that I love playing a game, I love being around the guys, and I love competing.”

And compete he has.

After a standout NCAA career, Lyon signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2016. He played a handful of NHL games over six seasons, including two as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, along with putting up good numbers in the American Hockey League before eventually helping the Florida Panthers steady themselves in 2022-23 on the way to making the Stanley Cup final.

“There’s a certain amount of goalies, and he’s in that category, that you were on the edge of always making it or always being that ‘guy,’ but weren’t quite that ‘guy,'” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said. “We’ve used three goalies this year and all three goalies have been a big part of it. Right now, he’s caught fire. It’s been his turn. He’s really wrapped his arms around the opportunity.

“Alex has that temperament — that ‘never give up,’ that ‘I’m going to outwork you, I’m going to show you that I deserve to be here.'”

Lyon, who’s 71-48-15 with a .903 save percentage and a 2.93 GAA across 149 regular-season games in the NHL, said his approach this season is no different than every other stop.

“Just having that competitive energy to bring it on a day-to-day basis is something that I’m proud of,” he said. “I try to bring that to whatever team I’m on … I actually quite enjoy playing for different organizations.”

Slightly undersized by modern goaltending standards at six foot one and 199 pounds, Lyon finally got a regular gig with the Detroit Red Wings in 2023-24 and 2024-25 ahead of signing a two-year, US$3-million contract with Buffalo last summer.

“Sometimes it’s difficult not to get enamoured with yourself and feel good about yourself,” Lyon, playing in second round for the first time since 2007, said this week reflecting on his path. “What I focus on and what drives me is ultimately having that team success. The individual success really just takes a back seat once you get to a certain point.”

Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin said it’s been impressive to see the late-blooming Lyon mesh with a young, talented group in a breakthrough season where the netminder went 20-10-4 with a .907 save percentage and a 2.77 GAA.

“One of those teammates I absolutely love to be around,” said Dahlin, named Thursday as one of three Norris Trophy nominees as the league’s top defenceman. “He wants to get better and he’s a hell of a competitor everywhere.”

And Lyon has been everywhere — almost.

“Every team is different, every organization is different, and it presents a different set of challenges,” he said before adding a phrase that flashed his Ivy League education: “(I’m) a guy who’s been with a bunch of different teams, kind of like an amorphous blob to a degree, where I can fit in different situations and adapt to circumstances.

“I think that’s where my value lies.”

The part where he stops pucks at the most important time of the year doesn’t hurt either.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press