Prediction time: Sabres goalies

[Zamboni]

35 minutes ago, Curt said:

It’s probably wise not to truly count on any young goalie prospect.  

However, hip surgery like UPL had is becoming more and more common for young goalies.  Did Ullmark not have the exact same surgery?  I think it’s a result of the fact that a lot of people’s hips are just not well engineered to do the things that goalies do.  I don’t think it will be an issue for UPL going forward.

 Exactly… I’m surprised more fans who follow hockey semi-regularly don’t know that already… That goalies have hip surgeries very frequently. It’s very common. 

[erickompositör72]

6 hours ago, Zamboni said:

 Exactly… I’m surprised more fans who follow hockey semi-regularly don’t know that already… That goalies have hip surgeries very frequently. It’s very common. 

It's the butterfly thing. The best way to stop pucks just happens to go against the physiology of the body.

Kinda like ballet. The most beautiful motions are actually destroying your joints...

[PerreaultForever]

If Ullmark does not rise up and play as a legitimate starting goalie we are dead in the water. Having said that, I think he will, and having a better defensive system will make both of them look better than last year. 

[North Buffalo]

Hutton is what he is... a backup... Sabres need Ullmark to step up and or get lightening to strike again with Hamburglar or UPL develops quick... Either way need massive improvement.

[triumph_communes]

Ukko is in the system, no need to trade for anything.  Current goalies are very low cap-hit, and are in a good situation, even if they aren't performing above league average.  St Louis just won a cup with an average/below average goaltender who looked phenomenal behind a good team and system.  Nothing to fret about.  Too many overpaid goalies are ruining team's cap structures out there these days.

Edited September 26, 2019 by triumph_communes

[dudacek]

UPL won’t be here this year or next.

And he probably won’t be the answer for another five.

[darksabre]

13 minutes ago, dudacek said:

UPL won’t be here this year or next.

And he probably won’t be the answer for another five.

I'm not sure my timeline for him is that long. I think he's fundamentally more sound.

I'm also not worried about his hip surgeries. So many goalies get this work done now. 

[LGR4GM]

UPL timeline is 2 years. Maybe 3. If he is in Rochester for 5 years and isn't NHL ready, he won't be. 

Edited September 26, 2019 by LGR4GM

[dudacek]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

UPL timeline is 2 years. Maybe 3. 5 is laughable. If he is in Rochester for 5 years and isn't NHL ready, he won't be. 

That’s not what I’m saying.

He’ll be in the NHL in 2 or 3 years, but he will be 24 or 25 when he arrives as a upper echelon starter.

This is a typical path for even the elite young goalies: AHL starter, AHL stud, NHL backup, emerging NHL starter, the answer

[LGR4GM]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

That’s not what I’m saying.

He’ll be in the NHL in 2 or 3 years, but he will be 24 or 25 when he arrives as a upper echelon starter.

This is a typical path for even the elite young goalies: AHL starter, AHL stud, NHL backup, emerging NHL starter, the answer

I don't see that as his progression. Year 2 in the NHL, we will know what he is. Actually we should know in year 1. 

[dudacek]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't see that as his progression. Year 2 in the NHL, we will know what he is. Actually we should know in year 1. 

So he’s going to arrive as a clear-cut number one faster than Gibson and Vasilevskiy?

Hope you’re right.

[LGR4GM]

16 minutes ago, dudacek said:

So he’s going to arrive as a clear-cut number one faster than Gibson and Vasilevskiy?

Hope you’re right.

Gibson has been good since he was 22. Vas since he was 23. 

[dudacek]

27 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Gibson has been good since he was 22. Vas since he was 23. 

 Both have been "good" their entire hockey life. Gibson became the clear-cut #1 in his 5th season, Vas in his 4th.

 

Gibson

1st year pro: AHL 45 games, NHL 3

2nd year: AHL 11, NHL 23

3rd year: AHL 13, NHL 40

4th year: NHL 52 (Bernier 38)

5th year: NHL 60

 

Vasilevskiy

1st: AHL 25, NHL 16

2nd: AHL 12, NHL 24

3rd: NHL 50 (Bishop 32)

4th: NHL 65

 

And these guys are exceptional. Legitimate starting goalies under the age of 25 are rare in today's NHL.

UPL emerging late in his 3rd year as our number one is possible. UPL carrying our goaltending load in the next two or three years is unlikely.

Edited September 26, 2019 by dudacek

[#freejame]

How does UPL compare to Carter Hart? Is it unrealistic to hope for a similar trajectory? 

[pi2000]

6 minutes ago, #freejame said:

How does UPL compare to Carter Hart? Is it unrealistic to hope for a similar trajectory? 

Goalies are an enigma.   Some of the best prospects in history turned out to be trash, while late round picks or undrafted FA's become hall-of-famer's.

So much of goaltending is mental.   It's difficult to predict how these guys will adjust mentally to the speed and stresses of tending goal at the highest level, with enormous amounts of pressure on them.