Pimlach

Good afternoon Teammates,Punch checking in. Go Sabres. Big game. Home game. Goat heads. Young Kids in the building for a Sunday matinee game. Win today. MUSCLE WEIGHT

I thought the Bruins matched our offer for Ulmark and he took it without letting Adams counter? Either way, add this to Adams record on goaltender management since he could have re-sign him prior to that anyway and he waited. He was in love with Levi. Every goaltending statistic out there tells you Vanecek is better than Comrie. By any measure he was more experienced and reliable and way more durable. But he cost $1M more and and extra year - he met the definition of Blocker. Last year Vanecek played 53 games and led his team to the playoffs. He is limited, he is not a true 1, but he is a solid 1B/2 that can bail you out if your goalie goes down. He and Levi would be a better combo than Levi and UPL/Comrie. Adam’s is learning how fragile Comrie is. He played 40+ professional games once - in AHL. There is no defense for Adams handling of our goaltending. He failed his team last year and this year is starting out rough with the same trio.

I agree with some of this, but not all I disagree with your opinion that he didn’t earn the job. First, he literally has coached at every level and has had success at every level. He was an NHL assistant for 3+ years. He took on the interim head coaching position and he clearly did improve the teams level of play enough to get earn a shot. He had a NHL trail period and he passed. I contend that most first time HC’s have far less experience. Lindy Ruff had four years as an assistant in the NHL, then Buffalo took a chance on him as HC. Did he earn it more than Granato? His first full season he had to deal with the dismantling of the team, the trading of his best players. Eichel, Reinhart, Risto, Montour all gone. Adam’s got rid of anyone who doesn’t want to be here - they did a massive cultural change and that’s hard for a coach, yet he built a new Core very quickly, a better Core. He was instrumental in bringing Dahlin out of a funk, resurrecting Skinner, resurrecting Mitts, and in developing Tage. We are seeing a new Greenway. Many young players on this team have learned from him (Cozens, Quinn, JJP, Joker, Muel …) His 2nd full season, with terrible goaltenders, he got them over DeLuca 0.500 and one point from playoffs. So here we are, his 3rd full season. Adam’s says they are all in on playoffs. He brings in Clifton, EJohnson, and a rookie goalie. It is all up to Granato to make the playoffs in a highly competitive conference. Most coaches, and many other hockey people, will say you didn’t do enough Mr GM. Granato operates under the constraints of Pegula’s fairy tale EEE long term hockey strategy. The team has been so bad for so long that they have zero home ice advantage. These little things limit opportunities to plug holes. Players still avoid coming here. My big complaint about DG is when he talks about teaching defense after teaching offense. In the NHL you have 3-4 years to win, if that. You need to get your entire system in immediately. I just don’t understand where he comes from on this. Granato could get fired after this year, or next. Either way he will most certainly have left it better than he found it. This team is a few players away from being very good. It’s really up to the GM to someday finish the rebuild.

He was been out for 10 days and counting. General soreness after 4 games in 9 days to begin the season has me worried. The thought of him playing 50+ as a rookie is just not a smart plan. We shall see.

Sabres replace Bills for Sunday afternoon sports entertainment. I just want a W. It is time for this team to pick it up. Gotta score goals for UPL. Sabres 6 Lanche 4

Hey JohnC, sorry to the hear news and welcome back.

Bringing him in on a team full of young guns and shooters, and putting him on PP1 may be a bit unorthodox. Fourth line minutes usually require hard and gritty work on the defensive side of the game, can he handle it at 19? Kulich has to earn a spot. He didn’t do that in camp or in preseason games. Benson was more of a presence and is still in his evaluation. I prefer we leave Kulich down and let him dominate and build his strength and his game. We don’t need another teenager right now.

Lots of minutes indeed. Maybe we can build a 5-0 lead in the first and then coast to a 6-5 OT win?

I just realized @JohnC has not posted in awhile. Looks like last post was Oct 8th. Anyone know if he is doing ok?

Huh - Who are the four forwards you replace this season to play Kulich, Savoie, Rosen and Benson? How do you replace them? Waivers? Trades?

Well ..... Cam Ward took over the #1 role in his rookie season and he won the Cup for them by having a monster playoff. After that, he had a long career and fine career. He was a legit #1, and he was a workhorse. In 14 seasons he played over 50 games 8 times, over 60 games 5 times, over 70 games 1 time. That is exactly what a #1 is. Career stats: 2.78 GAA; 0.908 Sv %; in 701 NHL games ---> pretty darn good. His teams only made the playoff twice and they won one (grrrrr). His stats in 41 playoff games are also exemplary. The Sabres did not get a shot at that Cup because of injuries to our defense AND Cam Ward.

UPL already does that.

Sure, and given the coaching differences and the lack of emphasis on defense (until now of course), any goalie is better on Boston than on Buffalo. But would Ulmark's 2.7'ish GAA and his 0.915'ish SV% (his stats in Buffalo) be better that what we got from Toker, Dell, Comrie, and UPL? Yes, for sure. We have playing with minor league goaltending for the past few seasons and this needs fixing.

Bummer. I wanted him back for the Flyers on Wednesday.

Benson actually made the team out of preseason. He may not stay here, but he has made it very hard to get sent back to Juniors. If they send him back I am ok with it too. Benson will get stronger and he will be fine. Right now I prefer him over VO. Johnson looked good in preseason. I understand he is doing ok in Rochester so far, but not their best defensemen yet. He might get called because he is waiver exempt.

I hear this type of comment a lot. Mostly it is a defeatist, never ever works for us, type of comment. But given the difference in coaching between Ruff and Granato, I give it some credence. I will also note that Vanecek is a year younger and has much better resume (i.e. NHL stat line).

All Vanecek cost NJ was a swap of 2's and NJ added a 3. I think NJ won that one no matter what he does after that.

You asked who else has 3 goalies. I answered your question. NJ has 2 prospects and a vet. I agree that neither prospect is as compelling as Levi, but that is what they have. I have no idea if they will make it someday either. What is interesting , and it blows the “Adams tried hard” argument apart, is that NJ added a NHL vet for a very low cost, at the same time we were looking for one. Last year, in the same lean market that Adams had, Fitzgerald got Vanecek ($3.5 for 3 years) for a swap of seconds and a third. Essentially he paid nothing. They rode him for 53 games into the playoff, then they went with Schmid. Vanecek is not the long term answer, but they looked at him as an enabler, not a blocker. I am using Adams words in relation to Ulmark - a blocker. So NJ has 2 prospects and a vet, with Schmid the closer prospect. Now look at Schmid and Daws AHL record, they are much better than UPLs. Levi has no AHL record, which is a separate discussion on how to handle him. In that same off season Adam’s got Comrie who was more economical and less of a blocker, 2 years at $1.8M, but far less proven. Look at the two teams results. Look at their goaltending records. I don’t have to tell you who else Adams could have got, he could have got Vanecek last year, but he covets his picks and prospects way too much. This off season there were deals to be made but since I’m not sitting in his office I can’t answer your question. Its not my job and not anyone else’s job on this board. I don’t give credit to Executives for trying. I give credit to Executives for performing. Adam’s gets credit for a lot, but not for his handling of this teams goaltending. I agree that better team defense will help, your TBL example is a good one. Granato is teaching it this year according to his own comments. Apparently part of a 3 year hockey system installation plan. off topic comment: Mike Peca just got to learn how to put a new system in by working one off season with Laviolette. I have never, ever, heard of a NHL team teaching offense first because it’s harder. I have heard of drafting offensive talent because it’s harder to get … but you teach a complete hockey system that includes defensive zone play to all players and positions. There is no defense if you don’t play team defense.

So much for hoping Levi can go. Poor Comrie. He was doing ok. Hope the Sabres have learned enough “team defense” by game 9 to support UPL. (sarcasm intended)

I liked Clifton but he really looks like a 3rd pair at best, a 6/7, just like in Boston. The notion he could be top 4 is wrong. I liked the toughness. I liked that he moved people out off of the screen. I though he was solid on PK. I liked the fact that opposing forwards were getting hit. Some of those deflected goals off of him are just bad luck, as was the uncalled trip. Now we go back to Bryson doing stick checks but with no reach at all. Pick your poison. Pray that EJ can cover for him. Why? Preseason play is over. Let him work and get good in the AHL.

Good to see Benson back, maybe he can break out with Tage and Greenway. Don’t like VO with Cozens but it has to be for now I guess. Assuming Clifton gets suspended, If Muel can’t go we are already tapping Rochester by game 9.

Yes and no. You need to have a real NHL #1 goalie to compete in this league. You play that goalie while you are developing others. You develop them in the AHL and bring them up for looks here and there. You watch to see that goalie excel in the AHL first. See: Ryan Miller. You don’t rely on a 21 year old rookie with 7 games if professional experience to take you to the playoff. If that works you are probably lucky. You don’t purposely “not block” a prospect and force him in before he is ready. Make him beat out a NHL player to earn a NHL slot. Again, look at New Jersey, last season they hired a reasonably capable NHL vet at an affordable contract for three years while their two top goalie prospects develop. He didn’t block anything, he actually helped them win last year.

It’s still early and they are starting slow. I am not throwing in the towel. I said it before, we need to see what we have have by about Christmas time. I do feel KA took a huge risk going with Levi/Comrie/UPL. I also do not give him points for trying. He gets graded on results. I see some on ice improvement in team defense, especially the PK, and also from certain players such as JJP, Greenway, the addition of E Johnson, even Clifton has brought some good attributes (ducks while saying Clifton). I read the fancy stats and they are all down from last year. Looking only at the W/L it looks like they are not improved. Look at the home game performances, nothing improved there either. So yes, it’s hard to see much improvement. The current angst comes from Levi hurt, Comrie hurt, and UPL left standing. Maybe Levi is ready to get back? Last night was a game that an improved Sabres team would have taken to OT once Cozens tied it up, they would have got at least 1 point on the road. Look at the Huala GWG and how long he stood on the crease line in front of UPL. Maybe Clifton clears him out, it’s one attribute he does bring that we need, and we needed at that specific moment. Instead he camps out there and gets a flukey redirect and UPL is the bad guy.