Sabres Re-Sign Craig Anderson to 1 Year 1.5 Million AAV Extension

[North Buffalo]

14 hours ago, JohnC said:

So what! There are a number of teams that have goalie needs yet how many of them have completed deals to address that position? Although there have been some player transactions made in the league so far it is a small percentage of transactions that will happen this offseason. It would be foolish to make a quick deal just for the sake of saying you did something when with a little more patience there should be more and better opportunities. As the draft approaches GMs more actively communicate with each other to do the spade work with the other GMs and player agents. Be patient and don't be so nervous. It will come. 

Quick deal he has had over a year...

[JohnC]

Marty Biron recently gave his opinion on the WGR Instigator Show on what he thought KA was going to do in addressing the goalie position. He stated that he felt that if Anderson wasn't going to retire that the GM would sign him in a short deal as a low-worked backup goalie. As we know that is exactly happened. He also stated that the next goalie he brings won't likely be signed for longer than two years---and maybe three years at most. That probably leaves out a goalie such as Campbell who would want a deal that was three years or more. Marty Biron felt that what the GM was trying to do is buy time for his prospect goalies, such as UPL and Levi, to be groomed as NHL players. Marty opined that he wouldn't be surprised if UPL started in the AHL and then was the first call up. His general conclusion/impression is that the GM is investing in UPL taking over the position sooner than many of us thought. It seems that the loquacious retired goalie believes that how everything shakes out revolves around how UPL plays. 

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Quick deal he has had over a year...

I agree with you that KA had it in mind for a long-time that if Anderson wanted to come back, he would be signed as a low usage backup goalie. The GM was waiting on getting an answer from Anderson about what his plans were. Once Anderson gave him an answer that he wanted to come back, he was signed. This option was always on the table. No surprise.

 

[North Buffalo]

12 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I agree with you that KA had it in mind for a long-time that if Anderson wanted to come back, he would be signed as a low usage backup goalie. The GM was waiting on getting an answer from Anderson about what his plans were. Once Anderson gave him an answer that he wanted to come back, he was signed. This option was always on the table. No surprise.

 

Talking about finding a number 1 goalie...

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Talking about finding a number 1 goalie...

The Sabres are likely going to sign a goalie to be their #1 for next season. The goalie they sign is more likely to be a second-tier goalie who would be a short-term option. My opinion is that the goalie they bring in is going to be on a short term and a low to medium cost contract. The GM's horizon is longer than most of our preferred shorter horizon.

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The Sabres are likely going to sign a goalie to be their #1 for next season. The goalie they sign is more likely to be a second-tier goalie who would be a short-term option. My opinion is that the goalie they bring in is going to be on a short term and a low to medium cost contract. The GM's horizon is longer than most of our preferred shorter horizon.

I think in 2 years Adams thinks Devon Levi will be on the Sabres and in 3 years he will be the starter.

[JohnC]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

I think in 2 years Adams thinks Devon Levi will be on the Sabres and in 3 years he will be the starter.

I agree with you about Adams's high view of Levi. Paul Hamilton on WGR just mentioned that Adams brings up Levi's name more than any other goalie, including UPL. As I indicated in a previous post it seems that the GM's goalie strategy is to buy time until either UPL or Levi is ready to take over. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I think in 2 years Adams thinks Devon Levi will be on the Sabres and in 3 years he will be the starter.

So basically if had given Ullmark a 4 year deal that would have bridged the gap.

Now we are scrambling again to even get Ullmark level goaltending.  It may work out, but KA's short sighted work on the goaltending has been his greatest mistake to date and could still crater this rebuild 3.0

He has a chance to fix this, but even signing a Holtby, or DeSmith, or acquiring Varlomov for a year doesn't even get us back to UIllmark level goaltending.  What a mess.

[Curt]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Craig Anderson is barely a capable backup 

I’ll say that he is probably beater as a backup than starter.  He was better early last season, but was then injured and wore down under a starter workload after returning.  I think with a backup workload he is much more likely to stay healthy and perform better.

[LGR4GM]

26 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

So basically if had given Ullmark a 4 year deal that would have bridged the gap.

Now we are scrambling again to even get Ullmark level goaltending.  It may work out, but KA's short sighted work on the goaltending has been his greatest mistake to date and could still crater this rebuild 3.0

He has a chance to fix this, but even signing a Holtby, or DeSmith, or acquiring Varlomov for a year doesn't even get us back to UIllmark level goaltending.  What a mess.

It amazes me that ppl don't realize that Ullmark didn't want to be here.

[GASabresIUFAN]

8 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

It amazes me that ppl don't realize that Ullmark didn't want to be here.

It's a fair statement and one I've made before, but I honestly believe Sabres management (Jbot and KA) had multiple opportunities to get an extension done with Ullmark and failed to do so.  If they weren't sold on Ullmark, coupled with Hutton's failure, they also failed to have an adequate contingency plan.

The failure to retain Ullmark is a symptom of a greater problem.

[North Buffalo]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

I think in 2 years Adams thinks Devon Levi will be on the Sabres and in 3 years he will be the starter.

 Based on his presser agreed, lotta eggs in one basket... especially for a goalie...

[nucci]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

The Sabres are likely going to sign a goalie to be their #1 for next season. The goalie they sign is more likely to be a second-tier goalie who would be a short-term option. My opinion is that the goalie they bring in is going to be on a short term and a low to medium cost contract. The GM's horizon is longer than most of our preferred shorter horizon.

guessing there are a few veterans that don't want to wait 2-3 years before we have a good goalie

[klos1963]

3 hours ago, NJhopelessSabresfan66 said:

When you have a young core of players that are looking up to the leadership of two people in the locker room (Grandpa and Dad) That is worth more then Eichel, Reinhart and anyone else that just has talent. Anderson is more then a serviceable backup. That the team in front of him trusts him speaks volumes. Can we find better? Easily i am sure, but is the fit for the team going to be the same as it is with Anderson in it? Most likely not.

Is Anderson the only goalie that would also be a good locker room guy?  I get he's a good guy with a great story, but at some point, we want to win games. If he plays 30 a year and is subpar, we don't have a chance to make the playoffs, no matter how fun he is in the locker room.

13 hours ago, Norcal said:

Well yeah but i'm looking for a more quality goaltender to start tbh

I would hope so.

41 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

 Based on his presser agreed, lotta eggs in one basket... especially for a goalie...

Doesn't sound like a smart strategy.

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I think in 2 years Adams thinks Devon Levi will be on the Sabres and in 3 years he will be the starter.

Agreed. 

I think he also thinks/hopes UPL emerges as soon as this year as a suitable Ullmark-level bridge

 

 

[Thorny]

Fine w/ this if there’s a legit starter brought in. I’ve seen enough from the strategy to realize chemistry concerns are a bigger concern than in other situations and, knowing CA is good with the group, perhaps his negatives relative to other potentially available back-ups are offset by that positive. 

It’s looking good if Bishop (cap), Anderson are two building blocks this offseason to a larger checklist and not just the plan themselves. 

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Fine w/ this if there’s a legit starter brought in. I’ve seen enough from the strategy to realize chemistry concerns are a bigger concern than in other situations and, knowing CA is good with the group, perhaps his negatives relative to other potentially available back-ups are offset by that positive. 

It’s looking good if Bishop (cap), Anderson are two building blocks this offseason to a larger checklist and not just the plan themselves. 

Good to see you back posting this week.  🍺

Bishop & Anderson are definitely only building blocks.  But, until Adams actually checks off those checkmarks further up the list, he has not gotten one of those GT "must do NOW" items checked off in 3 years of trying.  Stephen R. Covey would not be impressed with him avoiding Quadrant I like the plague (though he would give him marks for the Quadrant II activity: trading for Levi).

[Thorny]

14 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Good to see you back posting this week.  🍺

Bishop & Anderson are definitely only building blocks.  But, until Adams actually checks off those checkmarks further up the list, he has not gotten one of those GT "must do NOW" items checked off in 3 years of trying.  Stephen R. Covey would not be impressed with him avoiding Quadrant I like the plague (though he would give him marks for the Quadrant II activity: trading for Levi).

Ya I mean I’m good with the plan being inclusive of counting on some unhatched chickens,  it just can’t be the whole plan. Not adequately addressing the GT for the “now” term might even affect the likelihood of the future portion being worked in appropriately. It’s good to be confident in what Levi will deliver in 3 years or so but another added benefit of having someone who’s a competent STARTER now is that player representing a solid BACK-UP plan, for then. 

[Thorny]

23 hours ago, dudacek said:

It’s also good GMing.

He is now covered with a fallback and won’t be left scrambling for scraps if he fails when the real action begins.

He’s doing what he failed to do last year and was rightly criticized for.

If he fails to acquire a starter, it’s probably semantics though as we are sitting with the same fallback as last season anyways, simply acquired in advance. From the current perspective, it does looks like improved GMimg. 

But that perspective will take a backseat to the results, by the end of summer. 

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, nucci said:

guessing there are a few veterans that don't want to wait 2-3 years before we have a good goalie

The GM has been candid about how he is going to rebuild this roster. The veterans on the team know that the focus of the GM is on the young players and the future. They are smart enough to recognize that and accept the situation for what it is. If they didn't, they wouldn't remain on the team. Okposo is one of the veterans who knows that the GM is working on rebuilding this roster with mostly young players and prospects within the system. No one should be surprised. 

[Derrico]

6 hours ago, NJhopelessSabresfan66 said:

But he is capable and what he brings to the room is more valuable. Again, i am not saying that we cannot find better, but there are 2 parts to this. First, is walking the line on who we bring in that is going to influence the decisions of Levi, and Portillo. If they see no chance of playing time, they will walk. Second, have a great locker room player is better then overpaying for a mercenary netminder that will only be here a year or two and brings nothing to the locker room then someone collecting a paycheck. 

 

We all get we can have better, but for the overall locker room, this a very smart hire.

Nope.  Sabres have catered to individual players before and it’s blown up in their face.  Sabres come first.  If Levi and Portillo are threatened by someone already in the organization they’re not who I thought they were anyways.

Edited July 1, 2022 by Derrico

[Derrico]

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I think in 2 years Adams thinks Devon Levi will be on the Sabres and in 3 years he will be the starter.

Maybe but that’s putting a ton of faith in a guy who is unsigned and never played in an nhl game before…..

[Thorny]

4 minutes ago, Derrico said:

Nope.  Sabres have catered to individual players before and it’s blown up in there face.  Sabres come first.  If Levi and Portillo are threatened by someone already in the organization they’re not who I thought they were anyways.

Unlike the Chicago Bears 

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Derrico said:

Maybe but that’s putting a ton of faith in a guy who is unsigned and never played in an nhl game before…..

Every NHL goalie was unsigned at one time. As for having faith, there's blind faith and there's having a scouting report that shows what a player is capable of.

[PromoTheRobot]

7 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

So basically if had given Ullmark a 4 year deal that would have bridged the gap.

Now we are scrambling again to even get Ullmark level goaltending.  It may work out, but KA's short sighted work on the goaltending has been his greatest mistake to date and could still crater this rebuild 3.0

He has a chance to fix this, but even signing a Holtby, or DeSmith, or acquiring Varlomov for a year doesn't even get us back to UIllmark level goaltending.  What a mess.

You assume Ullmark would choose to remain a Sabre over getting on a playoff contender.