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Connor wants to stay. He’s the one who directed this contract and him only. Bowman is the recipient. CM is giving him two years extra to get them over the hump. If he doesn’t do it, McDavid is so gone after this extension. I don’t think this is a big wow on the GM. If CM wanted to be highest paid player, he’d be that. He’s driving this to help them get better.

It would appear that, once again, hope is a strategy in Buffalo.

Lyon is a decent backup that must somehow break out as a starter. UPL is starting the season injured and somehow must return to the form he showed in the good season that he had two years ago. Georgiev's play has slipped a lot the past two seasons. Levi and Ellis - two promising AHL goalies Does it look like there is a combination here that can take a perennial loser to the playoffs? Stay tuned to the Buffalo Sabres 2025-26 season to find out.

Was isn’t Levi up with the Sabres

Is Donnie Edwards available?

In hindsight. Are you really thinking that waiting till now to get a goalie to replace UPL was a better idea? You don't expect your projected #1 to tell you he has an owwie 5 minutes before camp starts. Signing an experienced keeper like Georgiev was the move that made sense at the time.

It would be nice to be the team that sends out a rando goalie who has a one off unreal season.

I wonder if he makes more or less than Matthews, with Matthews probably getting a lot more 'local money' being in Toronto vs Edmonton...with Toronto's metro population and wealth/GDP being...maybe 4 or 5 times what Edmonton is?

Love this response!

While the NHL team has a bunch of backups and unproven goalies.

Why does a sad part of me think this is mostly about what he did in his last 5 appearances? It’s Isak Rosen’s U18s all over again.

yeah - it’s way beyond his prime would be my point.

He's only on a PTO. And from the sounds of things they're not signing him. I'm not sure if the Sabres can outright offer him a contract while he's on the PTO, but I think any player is taking the guaranteed money.

Because goalie development is so weird, he's not really what I would call a "career AHLer" but from a purely literal standpoint that's a true statement. As for the bit about UPL competing, I'm sort of a "ride the hot hand" fan. If he ends up getting games and posts consecutive shutouts, I'm all for letting him run the table. But as for the career AHLer bit, he turned 25 yesterday, did his full QMJHL experience, and then went to play ECHL with AHL call-ups over the last four seasons. Last season specifically he was given the starting job in the AHL and he was going back to be the starter a second season. That's honestly a pretty normal track for a non-elite goalie. Normal teams don't carry more than two goalies. The Blues aren't going to waive Binnington and Hofer signed a contract extension in June and has played as Binnington's backup for 30 and 31 games the last two seasons respectively (and, funny enough, posting better numbers than Binnington), so he's not getting waived either. The reality is Ellis doesn't have a shot at cracking the roster without an injury. He's just untested. It's worth mentioning each season he showed progression while playing for a terrible team. You need only look at his playoff line last season to see how much he was carrying Springfield: 3GP, 1-2, 2.32 GAA & .933 SV%. The only thing we should be asking is whether or not Georgiev is worse than a 25-year-old goalie who has never played an NHL game. His preseason wasn't bad. He got a shutout again Chicago (didn't play the full 60) and got a shutout against the Stars (again didn't play the full 60). From a purely numbers standpoint, he was their best goalie in the preseason. So I'm honestly okay keeping him as the backup and waiving Georgiev.

I’d love to know how much the best player on the face of the earth makes in endorsements. If there’s anyone who can afford to leave money in the table, it’s that guy. The only real shocker there is that he just signed on to be the second highest paid player on that team.

Exactly this x 1000

I’m not sure why there is any concern or even any thought going into Georgiev. He’s not sticking with this team and no one is going to claim him.

I mostly just consider him an idiot Terry certainly doesn’t have “a lot goin’ on” up there

The last time I watched Corner Gas.

One can only hope. But someone still needs to be Pegula's yes-man next year. Adams POHO, Ruff Senior Consultant, Jarmo or Forton as GM. Appert as HC. It's all the same. Naturally, you then extend the assistant coaches for continuity. And because they're the cheapest coaching staff in the league. All this after a very thorough search and interview process at each position.

“Nonetheless, ease and peace had left this people still curiously tough. They were, if it came to it, difficult to daunt or to kill; and they were, perhaps, so unwearyingly fond of good things not least because they could, when put to it, do without them.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, Concerning Hobbits

Toronto picked up Cayden Primeau on waivers, so I’m thinking Reimer didn’t stick.

Not seeing any indication Ellis is considered an NHL goalie in waiting, but he’s youngish and has had AHL success. I would think the plan was this: UPL carrying the load in Buffalo, backed up by Lyon. Levi carrying the load in Rochester backed up by Leinonen (or Ratzlaff) Uncertainty over UPL’s health prompted them to sign Georgiev as insurance. Georgiev’s play prompted them to pick up Ellis. I would think both Ellis and Georgiev are on roster survivor: play well or get waived. They may have already decided to waive Georgiev. When UPL is back, one of them will probably back up Levi, the other will be out of a job, probably loaned to another minor league team. Looks to me that Levi in the NHL is a bullet they don’t intend fire until circumstances warrant it.

Or a team with a distinct chance at the playoffs, or at least one that didn't jettison him at the end of preseason, and then let him walk after he was their best goalie.

Unless you consider Terry Pegula as a 'fan'. In his first few years of ownership, to me he was certainly acting more like a typical 'fan' than a rational owner/member of management.