Friedman:Sabres are looking for Goaltending Help

[Doohickie]

4 hours ago, Taro T said:

So, you believe he lied to Adams when he said that he'd stay in Buffalo unless the deal they'd worked out was beaten?

I believe he didn't burn his bridge until he had a new deal in place.  If you're looking for another job but it hasn't come through yet, you treat your current job as though it was permanent.

[Berg]

38 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Guessing the concussion rumor might be true in that case. If Tokarski actually has COVID and isn’t just a contact then he could be out a couple weeks as well. I’d hope Adams will go get Holtby from Dallas if he’s available for a reasonable price because I never wish to see Dell play another game here. 

And who will defend Dallas net if they trade him to us?

[Doohickie]

2 hours ago, SabresVet said:

I also don't expect to announce the plan at all positions, but need to see some results from a guy who hasn't served in a front office before I start blindly accepting that there is a good plan.

I didn't say it was a good plan.  But he has a plan and seems to be sticking to it.

I'd love to see the Sabres winning more games and competing for a playoff spot this year.  But if this season is more about getting our young players experience in NHL pressure situations and getting them used to it, even if that means more losses, well, at least there's method to the madness.  For instance, I think our power play is suffering with Dahlin playing at the point.  If we were trying to win now, Granato would have changed things up already.  But he keeps putting Rasmus out there, even after two turnovers leading to two SH goals in a single period, even with other teams pressuring him greatly.  Why?  Because Donny wants Dahlin to learn how to handle that challenge.  In the long run if it makes sense for Dahlin to run the power play, let him learn now.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, jad1 said:

Who agreed to a season with zero expectations?   

The NHL is a pretty brutal league.  Franchises with zero expectations usually get chewed up and spit out.

Who? Just about every pundit.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’m hearing Devyn Dubnyk is on KA’s radar.

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I’m hearing Devyn Dubnyk is on KA’s radar.

From?

35 years old, currently a free agent. "Will you accept a $750K deal? Welcome to the Sabres!"

Edited December 3, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

From?

Joke!

[Weave]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

Guessing the concussion rumor might be true in that case. If Tokarski actually has COVID and isn’t just a contact then he could be out a couple weeks as well. I’d hope Adams will go get Holtby from Dallas if he’s available for a reasonable price because I never wish to see Dell play another game here. 

Unless there is another long term injury KA is done with goalies this season.

[PromoTheRobot]

8 minutes ago, Weave said:

Unless there is another long term injury KA is done with goalies this season.

So Toker and Subban with UPL in a pinch?

[klos1963]

3 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

So Anderson is month-to-month?? What happened? There may well be another goalie deal coming.

 

Same team doctor treating him that wouldn't let Eichel have his surgery?

[PromoTheRobot]

43 minutes ago, klos1963 said:

Same team doctor treating him that wouldn't let Eichel have his surgery?

Maybe Anderson is getting ADR done like all the cool kids are.

[Mustache of God]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Maybe Anderson is getting ADR done like all the cool kids are.

At the end of the day Craig Anderson has to look out for Craig Anderson.

[Taro T]

7 hours ago, nfreeman said:

@Taro T -- just to be clear, do you think the Sabres offered Ullmark $5MM x 3 years at the trade deadline and he turned it down, and the Sabres should've offered him $5MM x 4 years at that point?

 

Not positive what the offer was, thought it was $4x3, but might be misremembering the rumored deal.

But, yes, the Sabres should've offered him $5 (or close to it) for 4 years.

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

How many years (or weeks) does Adams get to fix things? Everyone says they are patient but are they really? For a season with zero expectations there are sure a lot of them.

I am not a fan of the pace of the rebuild.  It is obvious that there are some decent young players on the team, a competent rookie HC, and surprisingly they can compete most nights.  I like the pipeline of prospects that KA is accumulating.   The goaltending is KA’s biggest shortfall and it is hurting the team and it’s fan base worse than it has to.  He can and should do better.  

Edited December 4, 2021 by Pimlach

[Eleven]

20 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

That is why it is too bad things happened they way they did with Ulmark.

Is getting paid $5 a year for 4 years probably too much for how he is playing? Maybe.  Is he playing great in Boston? No.  Would have have stayed with Buffalo if they matched the Boston offer? Maybe not.  BUT, the way he played with this team last year...and even this year with a GAA under 3 and a Save % around 910, he would have been a great fit for this team and probably have the Sabres close to a .500 club now.

They'd be in a playoff spot with Ullmark.

[Eleven]

20 hours ago, Weave said:

We need at least a Marty Biron because there are no guarantees that one of the guys developing ever becomes another Marty Biron.

The one with six shutouts so far this year is looking pretty good.

[sabresouth]

KA has had a couple of off-seasons and trade deadlines to fix the goalie problem. A simple fix for making the playoffs.

[PromoTheRobot]

9 minutes ago, sabresouth said:

KA has had a couple of off-seasons and trade deadlines to fix the goalie problem. A simple fix for making the playoffs.

Okay, if say so.

Edited December 4, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[sabresouth]

5 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Okay, if say so.

It's his job. I think given a couple of years any competent gm could have fixed this. 

[JohnC]

53 minutes ago, Eleven said:

They'd be in a playoff spot with Ullmark.

The Sabres would have a better record if Ullmark was our primary goalie. Few people would argue otherwise.  But I'm not convinced that this would be a playoff team because the defensive coverage is atrocious. It's obvious why so many are fixated on our goaltending deficiencies. It's a problem that is starkly evident.  However, when you have below average backstopping along with weak defensive coverage then your goaltending deficiency becomes exponentially worse. When mediocre goalies constantly get bombarded with ripe scoring chances then you get this repeated flurry of goals in short periods. The Florida game, among other games, was an example of this. How many people truly believed that after the Sabres scored the first three goals that the Sabres would coast to a victiory? I didn't. 

This team has a number of issues that go beyond the goalie issue related to the overall talent level of its roster. I just don't see this front office willing to expend resources to significantly upgrade the position this season. It's going to be a tough year. 

[Eleven]

16 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The Sabres would have a better record if Ullmark was our primary goalie. Few people would argue otherwise.  But I'm not convinced that this would be a playoff team because the defensive coverage is atrocious. It's obvious why so many are fixated on our goaltending deficiencies. It's a problem that is starkly evident.  However, when you have below average backstopping along with weak defensive coverage then your goaltending deficiency becomes exponentially worse. When mediocre goalies constantly get bombarded with ripe scoring chances then you get this repeated flurry of goals in short periods. The Florida game, among other games, was an example of this. How many people truly believed that after the Sabres scored the first three goals that the Sabres would coast to a victiory? I didn't. 

This team has a number of issues that go beyond the goalie issue related to the overall talent level of its roster. I just don't see this front office willing to expend resources to significantly upgrade the position this season. It's going to be a tough year. 

The main reason I wasn't confident with a 3-0 lead against Florida was Aaron Dell, not the defense.  This defense isn't good, I can acknowledge that, but even a decent goalie, like Ullmark, makes saves and directs rebounds well enough that this team's scoring would have it in the top 8 in the conference.

[PromoTheRobot]

34 minutes ago, sabresouth said:

It's his job. I think given a couple of years any competent gm could have fixed this. 

Obviously. Anyone could do better.

[PromoTheRobot]

10 minutes ago, Eleven said:

The main reason I wasn't confident with a 3-0 lead against Florida was Aaron Dell, not the defense.  This defense isn't good, I can acknowledge that, but even a decent goalie, like Ullmark, makes saves and directs rebounds well enough that this team's scoring would have it in the top 8 in the conference.

Folks always say "so-and-so has to make that save." But ignore all the tough saves that do get made. Funny how the one you let in is always the save that should have been made. I'm not defending Dell per se. He was gambling all night coming out way too far to challenge shooters because he didn't want to get beat on the first shot, but left many high-potential rebounds. But he made those "gotta have" saves in the first period against the Panthers while the Sabres defense were chasing their tails. Turns out that only postponed the inevitable. The truth is both goaltending and play in our own end stink.

[JohnC]

18 minutes ago, Eleven said:

The main reason I wasn't confident with a 3-0 lead against Florida was Aaron Dell, not the defense.  This defense isn't good, I can acknowledge that, but even a decent goalie, like Ullmark, makes saves and directs rebounds well enough that this team's scoring would have it in the top 8 in the conference.

You can have an upgrade in net and still be scored upon. Whether you have mediocre to bad backstopping it becomes even more exposed with inadequate defensive coverage. I'm not arguing which issue is more important because they are linked. The Sabres currently have insufficient staffing at the goalie position. That's obvious.  It becomes even more manifested when you have a sieve defense. There are just too many glaring coverage mistakes that lead to opportunities that are easily converted. A goal by deflection is one thing but an easy tap in because a player is uncovered is a major problem. It happens too often. 

[Archie Lee]

36 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The Sabres would have a better record if Ullmark was our primary goalie. Few people would argue otherwise.  But I'm not convinced that this would be a playoff team because the defensive coverage is atrocious. It's obvious why so many are fixated on our goaltending deficiencies. It's a problem that is starkly evident.  However, when you have below average backstopping along with weak defensive coverage then your goaltending deficiency becomes exponentially worse. When mediocre goalies constantly get bombarded with ripe scoring chances then you get this repeated flurry of goals in short periods. The Florida game, among other games, was an example of this. How many people truly believed that after the Sabres scored the first three goals that the Sabres would coast to a victiory? I didn't. 

This team has a number of issues that go beyond the goalie issue related to the overall talent level of its roster. I just don't see this front office willing to expend resources to significantly upgrade the position this season. It's going to be a tough year. 

I agree with this.

Without Dell in net our save % is .908.  If we had a .908 in the games that Dell played that would be a difference of 8 goals; factor in the empty net goals that occur when you are trailing late and it perhaps works out to a 10-11 goal swing in the positive direction.  That likely makes us around a .500 points % team or slightly better.  I don't think it makes us a playoff team.

The reasonable debate is over what impact losing has on a team and in particular on young players. We do have some experience with this.

Is the development of young players negatively impacted by losing?  In the long run, will the high draft pick we get this year because of losing have a more positive impact than the impact that could be gained from us being a more  competitive team now (if not a playoff team)?

I suspect it has more to do with the leaders in charge (Adams/Granato v. Murray/Blysma v. Botts/Housley/Krueger) than with the short-term win/loss outcomes.  Here is hoping Adams, Granato and the rest of the hierarchy know what they are doing.