Goaltending this season and Beyond

[Thorny]

On 2/12/2022 at 8:12 AM, woods-racer said:

Find a starting goalie for a 3rd round or lower pick that is on a maximum deal of 2 years that you will guarantee is better than UPL/Anderson. If you can't, neither can KA.

Lol right because we have all the access KA does 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Seriously. 

Pay the price required for a goalie in the trade market. Look to the talk about “maybe we lose the Eichel trade but the team wins” etc etc - I don’t care if we “lose” the deal if the net result is a vastly improved team b/c we address goaltending.

Losing a bit in a deal is preferable to the team itself losing a lot 

The funny thing is that we aren’t asking to get Hasek in his prime, all we really need is stability in net for two years while our kids mature.    If you look at the trade market in recent years, middle level goalies can be had for a second.  I’d be happy with Quick if he is willing to come.  

[Thorny]

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The funny thing is that we aren’t asking to get Hasek in his prime, all we really need is stability in net for two years while our kids mature.    If you look at the trade market in recent years, middle level goalies can be had for a second.  I’d be happy with Quick if he is willing to come.  

Asking our GM to shrewdly identify the right guy to trade for appears to be too much to ask. We can’t guarantee a good trade so don’t make one, is what I am hearing 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Thorny

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

What options? 

We did, he just won a game today for the Sabres. 

What is your point? You don't understand what I have been saying about our goalie situation. Anderson winning today reinforces my point, not diminishing what I have been saying. Bringing in the forty year old Anderson to be a primary goalie was a mistake. I have no problem with adding Anderson to the roster. It was the role that he was given that I take issue with. What this game demonstrated is that when he is periodically used, he is effective. A better role for him would have been for him to be our backup goalie and used in maybe a third of the games. At this stage of his career he is not a heavy-duty/workhorse type of goalie who should be your primary netminder. 

[dudacek]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

Right. I’ve yet to see anyone use the Anderson argument in good faith. If it truly was a reasonable move from KA to address the goaltending, and his lack of availability amounts to randomness, then whoever is saying that should have no problem suiting Anderson up as our starter next year, game 1

But I don’t see anyone saying that 

There’s some risk there, some uncertainty. 

Personally I prefer that uncertainty to the certainty we’ll struggle without a move. 

Well said.

No team that is serious about winning starts the season without at least one proven capable NHL starter in goal.

Despite the fact Anderson and UPL have played well, neither were that at the start of the year, and neither is likely to be that when the year finishes either.

I would love to see UPL do his best over the last 40 games to change my mind.

[Digger]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Well said.

No team that is serious about winning starts the season without at least one proven capable NHL starter in goal.

Despite the fact Anderson and UPL have played well, neither were that at the start of the year, and neither is likely to be that when the year finishes either.

I would love to see UPL do his best over the last 40 games to change my mind.

Yes I hope that UPL is going to play some games and convince us that he's capable of holding down one of the goalie spots for next season.  If he struggles (either with the Sabres or Rochester) then we're in the same spot as last off-season (although he at least seems to have progressed this season with the Sabres anyway).  One capable veteran needs to be added for sure for 35 to 40+ games.  Do we sign both Levi and Portillo to split time in Rochester?

I'm guessing that goaltending is going to be the question mark once again going into the 2022-23 season.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Digger said:

Yes I hope that UPL is going to play some games and convince us that he's capable of holding down one of the goalie spots for next season.  If he struggles (either with the Sabres or Rochester) then we're in the same spot as last off-season (although he at least seems to have progressed this season with the Sabres anyway).  One capable veteran needs to be added for sure for 35 to 40+ games.  Do we sign both Levi and Portillo to split time in Rochester?

I'm guessing that goaltending is going to be the question mark once again going into the 2022-23 season.

To the bolded, that's the fear.

[Marvin]

22 hours ago, Taro T said:

To the bolded, that's the fear.

IMHO, GMKA was hoping that UPL would force his way onto the Sabres' roster and that Anderson was to be his mentor.

I really want a surer thing next season.

[French Collection]

I wonder if any teams acquire goaltending depth for the playoff run? I don’t recall seeing it happen much but if some platooning teams are not sold on one or both you never know.

If this were to happen, there could be a couple of goalies available after the capless playoffs are over.

Dallas’ number 1 is Oettinger and I believe they are still carrying Holtby and Khudobin. Plus, Bishop just retired. I don’t really want Khudobin but this is an example of how teams may have an extra goalie available for next year.

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

I wonder if any teams acquire goaltending depth for the playoff run? I don’t recall seeing it happen much but if some platooning teams are not sold on one or both you never know.

If this were to happen, there could be a couple of goalies available after the capless playoffs are over.

Dallas’ number 1 is Oettinger and I believe they are still carrying Holtby and Khudobin. Plus, Bishop just retired. I don’t really want Khudobin but this is an example of how teams may have an extra goalie available for next year.

IMHO, all 6 goaltenders the Sabres had this season are better than Khudobin.  He's fallen that badly.

[French Collection]

UPL with the 3rd star tonight vs the baby Isles. Stopped 32 of 34.

[Eleven]

Harrington's column today is right on:  The Sabres once again are in a situation where they need Lukkonen in Buffalo and not in Rochester.

[North Buffalo]

Question is does it make sense for Sabres future and for UPL?. I dont have an answer, but the yeh the goalie situation is still a shiiteshow until one of the young guns step up.... Anderson is fine for short term spells... but Toko couldnt stop a cold... and with the way the Sabres want to play he is not serviceable,

52 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Harrington's column today is right on:  The Sabres once again are in a situation where they need Lukkonen in Buffalo and not in Rochester.

 

[Taro T]

Just now, North Buffalo said:

Question is does it make sense for Sabres future and for UPL?. I dont have an answer, but the yeh the goalie situation is still a shiiteshow until one of the young guns step up.... Anderson is fine for short term spells... but Toko couldnt stop a cold... and with the way the Sabres want to play he is not serviceable,

 

After he got the puck to the face, Tokarski actually played like he did prior to contracting COVID.

Would still like to see a better option than him.  UPL SEEMS to be a better option, but he's down in Ra-cha-cha.  Which just reinforces the impression that the Sabres brass really don't want to win many games this year.  They want to be competitive in them.  And they want the kids to develop & lines to gain chemistry, should the team ever get healthy again.  But really don't believe they want to win games this year.  (Gee, thanks, that took some SERIOUS sleuthing to come to THAT conclusion, 😉 )

And again, the concern is we end up in this same place next year w/ lousy goaltending hoping to land one of the "big 3" 2023 draftable kids due in part to the mistaken belief that a 40 or so point turnaround will be possible the following year once honest to goodness NHK caliber goaltending is in place that following year & 14 of the 18 healthy skater roles have been cemented during the '22-'23 season.

So, yes, giving UPL another shot makes sense (they're only scratching 2 skaters per night so there's room on the roster for him) if winning games now is a goal.  But really not sure it is.  Not until there's a lot less of this season left at least.  

And maybe there's hope that Tokarski might draw interest at the deadline?  If he & Anderson are both gone, they can look at all 3 prospects after the deadline is past & the NCAA season is a memory.

[North Buffalo]

I am betting Anderson sticks around as a bkup, mentor and possible coach... Granato seems to like his demeanor... may not be a bad thing... I am not sure about strategy for next year... agree though on your analysis of this year... if they can somehow flip one of this year's first rounders for one next year in a deal... I could see that... itll depend though.

[Eleven]

23 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Question is does it make sense for Sabres future and for UPL?. I dont have an answer, but the yeh the goalie situation is still a shiiteshow until one of the young guns step up.... Anderson is fine for short term spells... but Toko couldnt stop a cold... and with the way the Sabres want to play he is not serviceable,

 

 

10 minutes ago, Taro T said:

After he got the puck to the face, Tokarski actually played like he did prior to contracting COVID.

Would still like to see a better option than him.  UPL SEEMS to be a better option, but he's down in Ra-cha-cha.  Which just reinforces the impression that the Sabres brass really don't want to win many games this year.  They want to be competitive in them.  And they want the kids to develop & lines to gain chemistry, should the team ever get healthy again.  But really don't believe they want to win games this year.  (Gee, thanks, that took some SERIOUS sleuthing to come to THAT conclusion, 😉 )

And again, the concern is we end up in this same place next year w/ lousy goaltending hoping to land one of the "big 3" 2023 draftable kids due in part to the mistaken belief that a 40 or so point turnaround will be possible the following year once honest to goodness NHK caliber goaltending is in place that following year & 14 of the 18 healthy skater roles have been cemented during the '22-'23 season.

So, yes, giving UPL another shot makes sense (they're only scratching 2 skaters per night so there's room on the roster for him) if winning games now is a goal.  But really not sure it is.  Not until there's a lot less of this season left at least.  

And maybe there's hope that Tokarski might draw interest at the deadline?  If he & Anderson are both gone, they can look at all 3 prospects after the deadline is past & the NCAA season is a memory.

 

6 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

I am betting Anderson sticks around as a bkup, mentor and possible coach... Granato seems to like his demeanor... may not be a bad thing... I am not sure about strategy for next year... agree though on your analysis of this year... if they can somehow flip one of this year's first rounders for one next year in a deal... I could see that... itll depend though.

I don't like the team learning how to lose and I think Lukkonen could learn from Anderson on the ice.

[GASabresIUFAN]

UPL is in Rochester for three reasons.  1) They aren’t really serious about winning this season.  2). He still is unproven and needs more experience. UPL has only played 40 total AHL games over the last 4 seasons.  He has yet to register a 900 save % in the AHL. 3) To bring him up, they’d need to waive Tokarski. They feel, correctly, he’d be claimed if waived and they don’t want to lose him for nothing with the trade deadline 4 weeks away.

The bigger question is what do they do with UPL at the deadline.  Do they trade Tokarski or Anderson and bring up UPL to finish the season in Buffalo or do they leave the status quo?

Edited February 20, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

UPL is in Rochester for three reasons.  1) They aren’t really serious about winning this season.  2). He still is unproven and needs more experience. UPL has only played 40 total AHL games over the last 4 seasons.  He has yet to register a 900 save % in the AHL. 3) To bring him up, they’d need to waive Tokarski. They feel, correctly, he’d be claimed if waived and they don’t want to lose him for nothing with the trade deadline 4 weeks away.

The bigger question is what do they do with UPL at the deadline.  Do they trade Tokarski or Anderson and bring up UPL to finish the season in Buffalo or do they leave the status quo?

No, they DON'T have to waive Tokarski.  There are only 22 bodies on the active roster.  They can bring up UPL without waiving anybody.

22 minutes ago, Eleven said:

 

 

I don't like the team learning how to lose and I think Lukkonen could learn from Anderson on the ice.

Preaching to the choir.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

No, they DON'T have to waive Tokarski.  There are only 22 bodies on the active roster.  They can bring up UPL without waiving anybody.

Yes they do.  They’d need another goalie in Rochester if they bring up UPL.  

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yes they do.  They’d need another goalie in Rochester if they bring up UPL.  

They have Dell & this kid in Cincy named Houser, perhaps you've heard of him. 😉

 

[Norcal]

I don't expect to see a new goaltender this season unless KA plucks the right feather.

Teams aren't looking to move any so any goalie worth anything would have a better chance of being moved at or after the draft imo and will likely cost assets.

In any event I think they will address the situation in the offseason with atleast one viable starter but not before. 

[Flashsabre]

Problem solved! He is just returning from a knee injury so he will be rusty.😛🤣

”The Arizona Coyotes have placed goaltender Carter Hutton on waivers. In three appearances this season with the Coyotes, Hutton had a 0-2-0 record, 7.76 goals-against average, and .741 save percentage.“

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Problem solved! He is just returning from a knee injury so he will be rusty.😛🤣

”The Arizona Coyotes have placed goaltender Carter Hutton on waivers. In three appearances this season with the Coyotes, Hutton had a 0-2-0 record, 7.76 goals-against average, and .741 save percentage.“

So he is getting better.

[Curt]

8 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Question is does it make sense for Sabres future and for UPL?. I dont have an answer, but the yeh the goalie situation is still a shiiteshow until one of the young guns step up.... Anderson is fine for short term spells... but Toko couldnt stop a cold... and with the way the Sabres want to play he is not serviceable,

 

This turn of phrase needs more workshopping.

[LGR4GM]

9 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yes they do.  They’d need another goalie in Rochester if they bring up UPL.  

Well Devon Levi should be available soon.