UPL signed to 2 year extension

[Zamboni]

20 minutes ago, MattPie said:

Bold: yeah, but Barasso came into the league on fire; Buffalo will accept nothing less now, lol.

I do think Hasek and Miller have poisoned the fan base a bit, if the Sabres get even decent play it still looks mediocre after seeing some elite seasons.

See,I always found Miller to be slightly above average for the majority of his time in Buffalo. With one year exception where he was pretty elite or near elite.

Maybe its just me.

[Marvin]

10 hours ago, Zamboni said:

See,I always found Miller to be slightly above average for the majority of his time in Buffalo. With one year exception where he was pretty elite or near elite.

Maybe its just me.

IMHO, Miller was very good here.  He stole games where the Sabres were shelled.  He let in the odd soft one in, but my perception was that it was far and away the exception than the rule.

[DarthEbriate]

Miller was a very good, very consistent goalie. Other than his Vezina year I don't think you'd ever rank him in the top 5 starting goalies of a season, but he'd almost always be in that next echelon -- say top 12. Basically, if you had a competitive roster, he'd backstop you to the playoffs, no problem; he just wasn't going to be the one to drag your middling roster into the playoffs on his back.

Miller only had 2 seasons above .918% in his career, likewise he only had 5 seasons below .911% and those included age 22/23/39/40 and some very limited games played. He had one poor-ish season his entire career and it was the season after losing Briere/Drury when the entire team was rebuilding on the fly.

[Doohickie]

16 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I’m surprised that so many of you have given up on a G prospect that is still only 23.

UPL posted a 2.74/.917 in 9 NHL games last season, but people are high on a G that was 2.58/.920 in 19 games and is 27. Their numbers weren’t far off, and UPL is still learning. 

This from a fanbase that didn’t see Hasek and Miller break through until they were 28 and 26…

In the natural progression of goalies I think Comrie replaces Ullmark.  Nothing more, nothing less.

[Trettioåtta]

Miller also allowed the Sabres to play a very aggresive, defense pinching heavily style. I think this impacted his numbers a lot. Miller was very close to being the perfect goalie in the cap era - by which I mean, never that expensive (because he wasn't a Price-level goalie), super consistent, clutch and absolutely solid enough to backstop a team through the playoffs (if the team was good enough). There were / are better goalies - but if I have Miller on my roster, I am not remotely worried about the goalie position, and I have enough money to upgrade the rest of the skaters.

[Thorny]

17 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

This from a fanbase that didn’t see Hasek and Miller break through until they were 28 and 26…

As good an argument as any for why we can’t wait around on Levi, either 

[Thorny]

6 hours ago, Marvin said:

IMHO, Miller was very good here.  He stole games where the Sabres were shelled.  He let in the odd soft one in, but my perception was that it was far and away the exception than the rule.

Agree. 

We haven’t won around here in so long we forget a little about the stuff you look for when you are: a little less raw data, a little bit more it’s about the big moments. The players who come up big when you really need it. 

The Ottawa series in 2006. The best series win we’ve seen since.......?? It’s remembered a lot for the high octane offence.

I think about game 2 a lot. The 2-1 victory where Miller stopped Spezza on an in close break, late. The second road victory in that series. Sandwiched by the first win, and also our 3rd win in the series, on home ice, that were both in won in OT. Miller was sensational in game 2 and who knows how the series goes without that vintage performance, our only regulation win in the series. 

Edited September 5, 2022 by Thorny