Armchair Scout
92

Colten Ellis

Buffalo Sabres Goaltender

Sixteen games, a .903, and not enough of either to say much.

SeasonGPWLOTLGAGAASOSASV%
2025-2616842442.901455.903
Career16842442.901455.903

Last Season

Sixteen appearances, 8-4-2, a 2.90 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage with one shutout. His first NHL games, at 25.

The Physical Game

Six foot one and 191, which is undersized for the modern position, and like Lyon he answers it by coming out to meet the shot. The technique is compact and the recovery is quick.

Sixteen games is not a sample that supports strong claims in either direction, and it would be dishonest to manufacture them. What can be said is that .903 across them is above the league median of .896, which for a first look is fine.

The Mental Game

A third-round pick who spent five years in the minors waiting, and by the time he arrived the club had two goaltenders ahead of him. He played when asked and did not embarrass himself.

Over his last ten appearances, .897 on 271 shots — a heavy workload for a third man, and a perfectly ordinary result.

The Intangibles

Buffalo has three goaltenders and no settled answer. Luukkonen finished the season stopping .922 over ten appearances; Lyon finished stopping .880 over his; Ellis sits behind both at .897.

He is 25, out of options for hiding, and this season is the one where a third goaltender either becomes a tandem partner somewhere or goes back down for good. There is not enough evidence here to guess which. Ask again after thirty starts.