RochesterExpat

Nope, the league doesn’t release whether multiple claims were made.

If only the team shared this attitude. We have Schroedinger’s backup. We don’t know if he’s a #2 until we open the box. That’s a fun situation for a team with a 14 year playoff drought. The worst part is it’s still an improvement over Georgiev.

It’s going out on a limb to assume there is a defensive system at all. Also, if the issue is ensuring our own players don’t block his sight line to the puck by playing defensively in front of our own net, I think we’re fine.

Until he dies or we find someone better.

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.

This. Now lets see how he does in the regular season.

I don’t think Lyon is a problem. I have concerns about Georgiev.

Ah, yes, because the pessimism a Sabres fan might have at the moment is entirely due to a single pre-season game, and not related to an established pattern or anything of the sort whatsoever.

Yikes

That's fair. From my perspective, if we're looking for someone to play up into the role during the regular season due to injury, Krebs looked pretty good on Wednesday which admittedly surprised me. I'd like to see him play a second time in that role to see if it was just a fluke or not. I don't really see Quinn going to corners or creating space for Norris/TT in the same way. It's why I think Benson fits on the line well. Just a complimentary role.

I would rather see Krebs repeat his role on the top line than see Quinn. I don’t see Quinn as a fit there. I’d like to be proven wrong.

Norris surprised me. He is as advertised. But, as you said, he needs to stay healthy. I’m happy with Mrtka but he isn’t ready yet. Although, at the rate we are going, he might end up on the opening roster by virtue of being last man standing. How many pre-existing camp conditions can one team have?

On one side you had a bunch of guys who played like they wanted to win and on the other you had the Buffalo Sabres. Feels like November already.

That was a beer league goal.

Geertsen at least plays like he wants to win.

I don’t think he’s playing poorly.

UPL hurt?

It might cripple Samuelsson though.

If he plays well, he isn't blocking Levi. He's replacing him (realistically replacing UPL, but whatever). If he doesn't play well, he's a $1.5m buyout or cap dump. I think you're overthinking this. They will run Lyon and UPL. Lyon is here to put pressure on UPL. If Lyon plays well and UPL's play continues to be terrible, they'll move on from UPL and Lyon bridges to the hopefully-ready-to-be-a-starter Levi. I would suspect that's the actual thinking.

Well, in fairness, Necas is also having a crazy good season and I don’t think that’s due to being on a line with Robinson. Robinson was fine in Buffalo. He was slowed down because he was always paired with Girgs and Okposo. Our current depth is an improvement on those two at a minimum.

Krebs, Lafferty, NAK and Malenstyn have by far the fewest offensive zone starts on the team and it’s not even close. They’re split between defensive zone and changing on the fly. There is a clear top 6 and bottom 6 differentiation. Weird other thing I noticed: among forwards, Malenstyn is second only to Tuch in 5v5 shots blocked, but at shots blocked per 60 he’s at 6.16 to Tuch’s 4.35. Third on the team per 60? Kulich at 2.89. The only other Sabre above 2 is Greenway at 2.11.

Looking at the history of Sabres “veteran presence” acquisitions that were overpaid to get them, can you blame those posters? This certainly appeared a repeat of that.

Clearly for some that answer isn’t 13 years.

Reimer has a better GSAx and GSAx/60 than either UPL or Levi. Not sure who that says more about.

Pretty sure the three game win streak didn’t happen until February