dudacek

Not saying you're wrong, but I've never seen this reported. On the contrary, he is almost universally praised for his hockey IQ, his effort, and for 'playing the game the right way'. I think he dropped for the usual reasons: skepticism as to whether he's big enough, or fast enough to play the game he does at the NHL level.

One option that might work for some is what I’ll call the “Jake Allen” option. This option pre-supposes UPL has value, but is just not a good fit as a #2 behind Levi. It’s for those who trust Levi, don’t trust UPL and don’t want to spend much on a backup. Basically, it means find a team looking for a developmental #2 and find a mediocre veteran who you trust more than UPL. Trade one - directly or indirectly - for the other. If UPL is worth a 2nd or 3rd trade him to a team interested in his upside and flip that asset, or assets of similar value that work better as a safety net for Levi. Im not advocating for Allen but he was the 1st goalie who popped into mind fitting the profile.

I’ve come to realize there is one factor we’ve been overlooking in the goalie conversation: The value of the acquired goalie at the end of next year or the year after. Hart is in the final season of his contract next year, then he becomes an RFA with arbitration rights. If we traded Rosen and next year’s first for Hart to split the crease a number of things could happen: Hart outplays Levi and we have to decide whether to re-sign Hart as our #1 or trade him, likely for a similar or better return for what we paid. Levi outplays Hart and we have to decide whether to re-sign Hart as our #2 or trade him, likely for a similar or worse return for what we paid. Levi and Hart split the duties as most hope and we flip Hart for a similar value than what we paid. Yes, a 4th option is Hart sucks and we have no chance to recoup value. But that is the same risk with any goalie we acquire. It is less likely with Hart than many others. And if it happens, we can qualify Hart and try to rehabilitate his value. Basically, the plan would provide a good safety net for Levi while mitigating loss of asset value in a way you couldn’t with pending UFA Hellebuyck. You could apply a similar thought process to the other options and you might find one you like better.

Entirely fair. But I do think such a move fits the plan. In a lot of ways, last year worked like a final exam for those players who weren’t rookies: Adams wants to build from within, but he also needs to know who is and isn’t part of the puzzle. The guys who didn’t make the grade are being shunted aside: Asplund for Jost was step one, Olofsson and Bryson for Greenway and Stillman was step 2, and I suspect Jokiharju and UPL should be on alert.

To the bold, sure last year was “development,” but it was also “let’s see what we have”. And a good portion of last year’s kids proved they were up to the roles asked of them and don’t need to upgraded. Yes, some - Quinn, JJ, Power, Krebs - will be asked to be better, but it’s not unreasonable to think they can be better. They were rookies, they should get better. And none of them are being asked to move up the lineup, just be more effective in their previous roles. It’s not like the team is moving in another 5 rookies this year. The rest of it -pessimistic or not - is all fair comment. There’s no reason to believe Greenway, Clifton, Levi or anyone else will fix our weaknesses until they do. All they are is acknowledgement that Adams saw what we did and made attempts to fix it.

Personally I think Clifton was acquired to fill the #5 spot and upgrade the PK and the grit factor. Johnson is adding size, experience, depth and defence in a 6/7 role. Joki is going to get flipped as part of the package in a trade for a better number 4 in a move I think Adams is still trying to make.

The other bits that grabbed me were that the Golden Gophers had the best defence in college hockey and he was on the first pair and a key penalty killer. He also went to the Frozen Four two years in a row. These are things I think were overlooked as people called him a meh prospect while they were afraid he was walking. Im happy to have him in the system now, and Novikov and Strbak with him as guys that you can project as having an NHL chance. We don’t need 1st pairing guys coming up, just guys who belong.

I wonder if Kevyn “why would we be interested in a goalie who isn’t any better than the goalie we already have” Adams is interested in John Gibson any more? We know he was a year ago. Things change.

Assuming the Jets want to make a hockey trade as opposed to a futures trade, Hellebuyck for Nylander makes a ton of sense to me.

If we are in the race at the deadline are we going to need him? Seems to me that means status quo worked.

Nice to see Johnson taking a bit of a leadership role at Dev camp. I think people convinced themselves he was walking and tried to forget or minimize his worth as a prospect. He’s still 21 until later this summer, but he has 4 years of college under his belt and is an NHL skater who can extinguish plays and transition pucks. They list him at 6’1” 190 so it sounds like he’s done some filling out. I don’t expect his transition to take too long and he could be a nice complementary player

I thinks he was talking to to Allvin about moving up. The Canucks mandate is to make the playoffs this season. They don’t make it without Demko. I would be stunned if he gets moved.

Except Okposo, Girgensons, Johnson, Clifton, Greenway, Stillman and the developing Samuelsson, Krebs and Cozens. This is what I meant with my post yesterday that people look past what has been happening and continue to see what they want to see on this particular issue. *** I’m surprised people still see “developing” and “making the playoffs” at cross-purposes this year. The Sabres “developed” into a 91-point team last year. If they “develop” any further, they’re in the playoffs.

And I am unreasonably confident that Levi’s going to make a Ryan Miller in 2006 run this year that makes all this talk irrelevant. It just seems awfully risky.

The goal is to get a read on the general board feeling on the situation in net. Subtext is to spark good conversation that points to the best path. I’m not trying to push people to a conclusion I’ve already reached, I’m trying to use the discussion to forge my own conclusion. I”m seeing 3 points of consensus: Levi is going to be this team’s goalie long-term Giving him the keys without a strong support system is a huge risk short-term UPL and Comrie aren’t that support system I don’t know that any of these premises are actually true, but every time I try to pick one apart, I end up deciding I agree with them. So we need a goalie. The next part is what kind of goalie do we want, who is available, and how much should we be giving up? I’m still working through that part, but I actually do see options

Last year, 5 of their 25 picks were NHL regulars. Meanwhile, 8 of the Sabres 20 have hit and a 9th prospect-turned NHLer, Krebs was added through trade. Despite that, the cream of our next wave: Levi/Benson/Savoie/Kulich/Östlund/Rosen still stacks up favourably to their Eidvinsson/Danielson/Kasper/Cossa/Sandin-Pelikka But another issue, like @Randall Flagg points out, is star power: we have Dahlin and Thompson who have broken out as legitimate studs, Skinner and Tuch who are close, and Power and Cozens who legitimately look like they are coming. They have Larkin, who is close and Seider who no one doubts. Not only have we hit on a higher percentage but overall, their ceilings look shinier. Now there is still time for Eidvinsson and Raymond to turn into perennial all-stars, but that is equally true of Levi and Quinn. The develop part matters just as much as the draft and you need a bit of luck as well. So far Detroit seems to be falling short.

However, he is a fan of Comrie’s. Does that give you any hope there?

It’s done. It’s going to drop when fan anxiety over lack of a big move hits its peak, which, judging from what I’ve read here this morning might be coming soon.

In his defence, we did pick 1st twice, but I don’t think the draft hauls are really close. We’ve had 11 firsts and 9 2nds in the past 6 years. They’ve had 10 and 15. 1 Dahlin - 4 Raymond 1 Power - 6 Seider 7 Cozens - 6 Eidvinsson 8 Mittelstadt - 6 Zadina 8 Quinn - 8 Kasper 9 Savoie - 9 Rasmussen 13 Benson - 9 Danielson 14 Rosen - 15 Cossa 16 Östlund - 17 Sandin-Pelikka 28 Kulich - 30 Veleno 31 Johnson - 32 Wallinder 32 Samuelsson - 33 Beggren 33 Poltapov - 35 Tuomisto 34 Peterka - 36 Buim 37 Davidsson - 36 McIsaac 39 Wahlberg - 38 Lindstrom 41 Leinonen - 40 James 45 Strbak - 41 Augustine 53 Kisakov - 42 Gibson 54 Luukkonen - 47 Cleveland — 51 Neiderbach — 52 Buchelnikov — 54 Mastrosimone — 55 Hanas — 60 Johansson

Longest in Colorado sports and he was very open that he had no intention of leaving; it was the team’s choice.

I’m starting to think there are only 2 paths worth taking: pay the price for Gibson, Hart or Hellebuyck, or put all your chips on Levi and use those assets to acquire Pesce/Hanifin. I don’t think a good middle ground option for goalie acquisition exists.

2 games. Didn’t really make an impact.

Not quite. Savoie went to Rochester after the ICE got knocked out. But I think the more important thing was Savoie has been to a development camp, Benson never has. Related, Benson and Ryan Johnson were the only 1st-rounders on the ice today and Kisakov and this year’s pair were the only 2nd rounders.

Just so we’re clear, you know that neither of those guys is a backup, or even a 1B when it comes to the NHL goalie pecking order, right? Jarry is 7th in starts over the past 3 years and is the league’s 12th highest-paid goalie. Hart is 16th and 26th and will be due for a big raise next year. These are bona fide NHL starters by their contracts and track records. Nothing wrong with saying those should be Buffalo’s targets, but this is the backup goalie thread and if you want to acquire them you will not be paying backup goalie prices. It feels like I am seeing a lot of “we just need a guy to break in Levi” and then throwing out names of expensive players who would be the undisputed starters for half the league.

Seems like most people like the signing, but how many think Clifton can be a solid #4 defenceman? I look at him more as a 4/5 - a guy who can play top 4 minutes in a pinch, but is better suited for the 3rd pairing.