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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.

Also, I note that the posters here that are objecting to this deal are from provinces near to Alberta. Well, Manitoba is somewhat near. I guess Saskatchewan is somewhat in the way, but really, when is the last time anyone thought about Saskatchewan?

No reason for debate: the strategy was ass I supported it at the time as a misguided child. Learned a lot from it tbh

That is not the action I meant, and I do not think management takes instructions from fans. But an unfavorable, stupid, and ultimately unproductive action was advocated here by a good majority of posters: the firing of Lindy Ruff, when really, the roster was the problem. The decision did not pay off, obviously, and this isn't the thread in which to debate it.

It also means the coach doesn't really have full input into setting the roster. They have to keep guys they traded for and drafted/paid in their spots. The lack of real competition/opportunity will not help in attracting players to want to come here. But it is what it is and that's the roster. If healthy (big IF) it looks slightly better than last year but as always much depends on young players being better than they were and of course the goaltending which is, as always, marginal at best.

It’s scares me that this was probably Adams’ chief employed strategy, here: “prove to me he CAN’T be another drastic anomaly. See, you can’t.”

Sure, yes instead of Georgiev, but did he want to play here? Who is to say they didnt try? He signed a PTO in Toronto so maybe he wanted the opportunity to play with the team that brought him up

Reimer plays for Toronto now

I mean sid signed at 8.7 one year ago He’s not in his prime but certainly well below market value

I’d imagine Edmonton retreats right back into the igloo if McDavid escapes them - the difference between buffalo and Edmonton is merely the bounce of those balls - - - management didn’t get the idea to tank from the fans come on now. We merely concocted it into a potentially viable strategy, in theory, after the fact for them because putting more thought into their strategies than they do is what we do around here. If the team employed the level of passionate thinking to their strategy dudacek does after the fact, in the first place, we’d instead be benefiting from his explanations for why it DID work

The smarter play would be to just sign Reimer to a one year deal.

I am more confident in a guy who was one of the best goalies in the AHL last year with great numbers then Georgiev who was awful awful awful last year. Plus there is a small chance we could catch lighting in a bottle here. Ellis was is a year older then Levi so right at that key time where goalies catch fire! This could be a sneaky good pick up! And lets face it there is not any options out there other then this, is Hellybuck available? Is Tampa trading Vasilevsky? Is the Islanders trading Sorokin? No! These players dont get moved almost ever! This has a real chance to be an improvement. I know we all like to ***** on KA for everything he does but this is an improvement. Ellis is better then Georgiev right now, full stop. What this also allows is it allows Levi to stay as the starter in Roch, cause if they are done with Georgiev (which I will bet my left nut that they waive him tonight) Then someone needs to back up Lyon and that would have to Levi, and maybe he sits on the bench for too long. This way we bring a goalie that is better then Georgiev but still allows Levi to develop. And maybe we catch lightning in a bottle here. It is more likely that Ellis becomes something then Georgiev suddenly becomes good again. Sorry for ranting, I just do truly think the team is better with this player on it, not substantially, ill be honest. But better, with a chance to be really good.

He's essentially the same age as Binnington was when he was loaned to San Antonio because he was so far down the depth chart they didn't even want him as their primary AHLer and ended up gettting recalled to the parent club and won the SC. Goalies are weird; this is a goalie in St. Louis' system and they are even weirder about goalies than goalies are. And w/ all that said, not expecting much of anything from him except ensuring Georgiev never sees a RS game in Sabre blue and gold (nor Sabre red and black, for that matter 😉 ).

Right. But when he signed that deal, what was its share of the team's total cap? Sheesh. This actually makes me think that there must've been one of those Kahwi Leonard side agreement / no show deals for Brady.