SABRES 0311 Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 11 hours ago, rickshaw said: I get the impression that UPL is hurt by what’s happened and a change of scenery should take place. Hurt by what? He was given opportunities and for a while was being built up as the next Sabres starting goaltender. I could understand if one of the other two played equal or worse but he really did get beat out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 3 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said: What’s the trade value? Not saying we absolutely should but it is an option, maybe. For now keep him in the press box and let’s see how the current tandem do. Future considerations at best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 22 hours ago, Thorny said: Could easily be keeping him to hedge their bet on Comrie I think this is it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 Ride the hot hand - let Comrie play until he deserves not to, then UPL should get a shot between the pipes to see where he's at. Levi has been good, but not spectacular, and now he's recovering from an injury. I wouldn't be opposed to sending him down to Rochester for some "conditioning" as he recovers from his injury. I just get the feeling that if we let UPL go that he will surface elsewhere and develop into a quality player. I was surprised to see Jonas Johansson starting for Tampa and maybe he's finally getting there. He played OK against the Sabres. I believe we let him go for a 6th round pick to Colorado, which isn't much, but I think he was going to become a UFA and we had UPL, Levi, and Portillo in the system at the time, so he was likely to leave after the season anyway. I'd hate to give up UPL for that little of return. He's still a young guy with some future potential. Many people on this board were ready to give up on the likes of Mittlestadt and Tage Thompson, and thought Skinner was done, and I'm glad the Sabres brass saw things differently. I think the same could happen with UPL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalonill Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 Who cares Dude is not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHAAAUGHT!!! Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 I hope they trade him for a 3rd/4th round pick (assuming the Sabres would have to send a 6th or 7th back the other way). I think he carries enough value to get picked up if he hits waivers so we should be trying to get value out of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimlach Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 Why are we talking about waiving and trading UPL right now? We still don't know what we have. When you have 3 goalies you don't have a goalie. Pre-season was not enough to sort it all out. In our case we have a rookie in the mix. A real NHL rookie goalie, how many of them step in and do great with no other professional experience? I suspect we will rotate the 3, with Levi getting the majority of the work unless someone else is playing better. Comrie should play again tonight. I would go back to Levi in Ottawa because the game is very important, but if he is hurt then you go with UPL or Comrie. It will take some time to sort this out. UPL will get his chances and when he does he was to earn his next start, they all do. So we get to do this 3 goalie thing and work tirelessly to improve our team defense (an absolute must), and still score enough to be in playoff contention. This is going to be a great hockey season. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 4 hours ago, nfreeman said: I think this is it. You would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 3 hours ago, Buffalonill said: Who cares Dude is not good. Neither were Tage Thompson and Casey Mittlestadt, until they were. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brawndo Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 Looks like he is getting the start versus Ottawa tomorrow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 2 minutes ago, Brawndo said: Looks like he is getting the start versus Ottawa tomorrow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, msw2112 said: Neither were Tage Thompson and Casey Mittlestadt, until they were. If the only basis for declining to ever move on from anybody is, “hey, this other guy bucked the trend!” we’d just find ourselves in an eternal state of movement paralysis we should also list the names of the much longer list of players who DIDN’T pan out. KA’s job isn’t just about deciding who to keep, and the answer being a quote from Gary Oldman’s Leon the Professional. It’s also deciding who to deal for other assets. That’s an equally important part of the job. You actively construct a team, you don’t just run a non-stop drafted players assembly line wherein you stay the youngest team in hockey every season. As appealing as that may seem to many Edited October 23, 2023 by Thorny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irregularly irregular Posted October 23, 2023 Report Share Posted October 23, 2023 2 hours ago, Pimlach said: Why are we talking about waiving and trading UPL right now? We still don't know what we have. When you have 3 goalies you don't have a goalie. Pre-season was not enough to sort it all out. In our case we have a rookie in the mix. A real NHL rookie goalie, how many of them step in and do great with no other professional experience? I suspect we will rotate the 3, with Levi getting the majority of the work unless someone else is playing better. Comrie should play again tonight. I would go back to Levi in Ottawa because the game is very important, but if he is hurt then you go with UPL or Comrie. It will take some time to sort this out. UPL will get his chances and when he does he was to earn his next start, they all do. So we get to do this 3 goalie thing and work tirelessly to improve our team defense (an absolute must), and still score enough to be in playoff contention. This is going to be a great hockey season. I voted for the waiver wire, but you have made an excellent argument(s) to make me reconsider my vote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 Can't see how you get rid of him at this time selling low Levis stats so far this year are at the career averages of both Comrie and UPL whos stats are almost identical (GAA & Save%) UPL is still only 24, if he can stay healthy, he has the ability to be very good, but the issue with him is that injuries keep delaying his development There best option right now would be to put Levi in Rochester and let him force his way back into the NHL by dominating in the AHL rather then potentially stunting his development by having him in the NHL too early. Let Comrie and UPL fight over the #1 spot until theres a market to move one of them, or one of them plays themselves off the team. If they insist on running Levi no matter what as the #1 and need to get rid of one of the others, I would try to move Comrie since he is less likely to develop into anything more then what he is (a #2 with the potential to be a 1B at best) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 12 hours ago, apuszczalowski said: Can't see how you get rid of him at this time selling low Levis stats so far this year are at the career averages of both Comrie and UPL whos stats are almost identical (GAA & Save%) UPL is still only 24, if he can stay healthy, he has the ability to be very good, but the issue with him is that injuries keep delaying his development There best option right now would be to put Levi in Rochester and let him force his way back into the NHL by dominating in the AHL rather then potentially stunting his development by having him in the NHL too early. Let Comrie and UPL fight over the #1 spot until theres a market to move one of them, or one of them plays themselves off the team. If they insist on running Levi no matter what as the #1 and need to get rid of one of the others, I would try to move Comrie since he is less likely to develop into anything more then what he is (a #2 with the potential to be a 1B at best) Welcome back! Disagree about moving Levi to Ra-cha-cha. His stats, including 1 game that he played through while injured, are comparable to Comrie's and UPL's career stats. When healthy, he is significantly better than either. Also, disagree about moving Comrie and keeping UPL. Agree that UPL has more upside, but the goal is to win this season and Comrie gives them a better chance of doing that as the backup because he has the mentality to be the backup. UPL, in his play and in his statements, doesn't have that same makeup. Yes, in 2-3 years they may be missing out on something good; but Adams has put his eggs in the Levi basket and he should be something better. So, UPL wouldn't in all likelihood be getting a starter's action in Buffalo anyway. Can't see keeping him around on the theory that they might get something valuable for him in 3 years; especially when he'll become a UFA in 3 years. My 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 23 hours ago, Thorny said: If the only basis for declining to ever move on from anybody is, “hey, this other guy bucked the trend!” we’d just find ourselves in an eternal state of movement paralysis we should also list the names of the much longer list of players who DIDN’T pan out. KA’s job isn’t just about deciding who to keep, and the answer being a quote from Gary Oldman’s Leon the Professional. It’s also deciding who to deal for other assets. That’s an equally important part of the job. You actively construct a team, you don’t just run a non-stop drafted players assembly line wherein you stay the youngest team in hockey every season. As appealing as that may seem to many It's far from the only basis. Allowing young players to develop is not bucking the trend, it's sound management. Some guys develop and some don't. It's pretty well-known that taller players often take more time to develop (UPL is tall) and that goalies often take more time to develop (UPL is a goalie). UPL was a talented guy when he was drafted and expectations were high, and the Sabres have invested a lot in his development, so I think they want to see where it goes rather than selling him off low for a bag of pucks. Maybe he'll develop into a reliable NHL goalie and maybe he won't, but in the relatively small sample size they have with him, he's flashed at times. He won a lot of games last season playing behind a horrible defense. He also looked like crap a number of times, including the pre-season this year. At this point in time, they are not desperate to fill his roster spot, so the correct play is to hang onto the young goalie and see if he develops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 18 minutes ago, msw2112 said: It's far from the only basis. Allowing young players to develop is not bucking the trend, it's sound management. Some guys develop and some don't. It's pretty well-known that taller players often take more time to develop (UPL is tall) and that goalies often take more time to develop (UPL is a goalie). UPL was a talented guy when he was drafted and expectations were high, and the Sabres have invested a lot in his development, so I think they want to see where it goes rather than selling him off low for a bag of pucks. Maybe he'll develop into a reliable NHL goalie and maybe he won't, but in the relatively small sample size they have with him, he's flashed at times. He won a lot of games last season playing behind a horrible defense. He also looked like crap a number of times, including the pre-season this year. At this point in time, they are not desperate to fill his roster spot, so the correct play is to hang onto the young goalie and see if he develops. No, the correct play is for the young goalie to PLAY at a lower level and to get constant coaching while he does it. The AHL team is for developing your young talent and that's where he should be now and should have been all last year as well. Consider Thompson and Mitts. Both rushed into an NHL line up, both struggled mightily, both went down, learned to play better and then came back better players actually suited to the NHL. UPL needs the same. In this regard I am hopeful that we do not try to rush Benson and Savoie and am also hopeful that with a better roster we keep the players like Kulich and Rosen in the AHL long enough for them to become good NHL ready players in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 Give him the start tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 39 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said: No, the correct play is for the young goalie to PLAY at a lower level and to get constant coaching while he does it. The AHL team is for developing your young talent and that's where he should be now and should have been all last year as well. Consider Thompson and Mitts. Both rushed into an NHL line up, both struggled mightily, both went down, learned to play better and then came back better players actually suited to the NHL. UPL needs the same. In this regard I am hopeful that we do not try to rush Benson and Savoie and am also hopeful that with a better roster we keep the players like Kulich and Rosen in the AHL long enough for them to become good NHL ready players in time. I agree with this 100%, but UPL must clear waivers, so if they send him down, he is exposed to being claimed by any team. He would absolutely be claimed by another team who know that he has potential and wants to take a chance on that potential. That's why they can't and aren't sending him down. I also agree with you about not rushing the other young players, although they have a conundrum with both Benson and Savoie in that neither is eligible to play in Rochester (except for a conditioning stint, as Savoie is getting now). It's NHL for 9 games, then stay up, or go back to juniors. My guess is that Benson will stick, based on how he has performed, and Savoie will go back to juniors. Benson seems to be the more NHL-ready of the 2 and before he got injured, he was holding his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted October 25, 2023 Report Share Posted October 25, 2023 3 hours ago, msw2112 said: I agree with this 100%, but UPL must clear waivers, so if they send him down, he is exposed to being claimed by any team. He would absolutely be claimed by another team who know that he has potential and wants to take a chance on that potential. That's why they can't and aren't sending him down. I also agree with you about not rushing the other young players, although they have a conundrum with both Benson and Savoie in that neither is eligible to play in Rochester (except for a conditioning stint, as Savoie is getting now). It's NHL for 9 games, then stay up, or go back to juniors. My guess is that Benson will stick, based on how he has performed, and Savoie will go back to juniors. Benson seems to be the more NHL-ready of the 2 and before he got injured, he was holding his own. No he wouldn't. I am constantly amazed how many people keep saying "he's garbage" but also "he'd get claimed". It's nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted October 25, 2023 Report Share Posted October 25, 2023 Apparently he just needed to play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmoe Posted October 25, 2023 Report Share Posted October 25, 2023 53 minutes ago, inkman said: Apparently he just needed to play? The eggheads say there were 3.668 expected goals against. UPL let in 4. By that metric, it was not a good start. By my eye test metric, and his long history of not being an NHL caliber goalie, I'm waiving him when Levi is back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Super Fan Posted October 25, 2023 Report Share Posted October 25, 2023 (edited) On 10/22/2023 at 11:39 AM, Porous Five Hole said: At this point, having a third goalie in the mix isn’t accomplishing anything. I realize UPL is on a one way deal so he’s making his NHL salary regardless of where he plays…but he’s not developing any further in the press box. Is it time to risk a waiver claim and send him down? No you don’t waive UPL risk losing all the Buffalo Sabres investment time. The reason you keep UPL on the roster is because Eric Comrie is trade able at the NHL trade deadline potentially if a NHL playoff team needs a third goalie option as insurance especially if it looks like the Sabres miss the playoffs again potentially. If the Sabres ever trade Eric Comrie you have UPL as the backup to Devon Levi so you risk giving up a investment like UPL for nothing there is no reason the Sabres need to do that. Plus there is no point sending UPL to the Rochester Americans they have there goalies set already. Over time in the season if UPL sits too long than the Sabres can send UPL to Rochester Americans for conditioning assignment but no one is risking losing a investment especially goaltending where the Sabres are weak in that position in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo Edited October 25, 2023 by Buffalo Sabres Fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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