Granato says goalies will rotate; Levi learned from the "grind"

[PASabreFan]

https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/with-devon-levi-healthy-sabres-will-likely-rotate-goalies/

This sounds like DG making the common sense adjustment in his thinking and protecting his rookie goalie. He makes it sound like playing Levi the first four games was to give him experience. I'd call BS on that. I think they thought Levi was ready and could hold up to the workload.

He's not quite there yet as an NHL goalie. He's third among Sabres goalies in record, GAA and save percentage. And he got hurt. Also the Sabres have gotten themselves back to respectability after losing three of those first four.

I'd be dismayed if I took Don at his word, that to start the season they were in goalie development mode (experience the grind). I don't think that was the case.

In a sign this season IS more about winning, UPL will at least share the crease with DL. He has earned it.

[Shoot da Puck]

Rotate (translation) We don't have a #1

When we find one we will un Rotate 

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/with-devon-levi-healthy-sabres-will-likely-rotate-goalies/

This sounds like DG making the common sense adjustment in his thinking and protecting his rookie goalie. He makes it sound like playing Levi the first four games was to give him experience. I'd call BS on that. I think they thought Levi was ready and could hold up to the workload.

He's not quite there yet as an NHL goalie. He's third among Sabres goalies in record, GAA and save percentage. And he got hurt. Also the Sabres have gotten themselves back to respectability after losing three of those first four.

I'd be dismayed if I took Don at his word, that to start the season they were in goalie development mode (experience the grind). I don't think that was the case.

In a sign this season IS more about winning, UPL will at least share the crease with DL. He has earned it.

I agree with your general sentiment that Levi is not going to be a workhorse goalie. At least not yet. However, I believe that Levi is our #1 goalie while the other two goalies will be vying with one another to be the backup. It shouldn't be forgotten that at the end of the season when Levi signed, he did play in the majority of games at the end of the season when we were competing for a playoff spot. 

It's still early in the season. The goalies on our roster will determine how much they play based on their performances. If one of them standouts, then that goalie will move to the head of the pack. As it stands now, Levi is our #1.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I think he means Levi learned from being run into the ground by his coach.

I don't think either goalie has earned anything.  Levi was handed the job by KA/DG because KA refused to add legit veteran help and Levi was his prized prospect acquisition.  UPL has been given chance after chance and continues to get chances because he is youngish and again KA refused to add legit veteran help despite playing at a subpar level.  

Career Numbers

UPL - 51 games - .898 3.42; Levi - 12 games - .897 3.13 

YTD 5 on 5 save % for the Sabres .901 ---- for the NHL .921

These guys have earned nothing.  Sadly this is the hand that KA dealt the Sabres and Sabres fans.  Expect mediocre goaltending or less the entire season.  If we make the playoffs it will be again on the offense to score 4+ a night.

Edited November 7, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[That Aud Smell]

Levi learned from the grind?

Seems like it was KA and DG who learned lessons.

Edited November 7, 2023 by That Aud Smell

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, That Aud Smell said:

Levi learned from the grind?

Seems like it was KA and DG who learned lessons.

They learned they screwed up going with the 3 headed goalie monster (with 3 inexperienced goalies no less) and handing the crease to a goalie with 7 games of NHL experience and no AHL time.  

[PASabreFan]

9 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I agree with your general sentiment that Levi is not going to be a workhorse goalie. At least not yet. However, I believe that Levi is our #1 goalie while the other two goalies will be vying with one another to be the backup. It shouldn't be forgotten that at the end of the season when Levi signed, he did play in the majority of games at the end of the season when we were competing for a playoff spot. 

It's still early in the season. The goalies on our roster will determine how much they play based on their performances. If one of them standouts, then that goalie will move to the head of the pack. As it stands now, Levi is our #1.

Apparently not.

[Doohickie]

27 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

He's third among Sabres goalies in record, GAA and save percentage.

While I won't disagree, the whole team played like ass during that period so I wouldn't put the losses on Levi as such.  One would hope by midseason he's putting up numbers better than the other two but we'll see.

20 minutes ago, Shoot da Puck said:

Rotate (translation) We don't have a #1

When we find one we will un Rotate 

...which is the smart thing to do.

[PASabreFan]

7 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

While I won't disagree, the whole team played like ass during that period so I wouldn't put the losses on Levi as such.  One would hope by midseason he's putting up numbers better than the other two but we'll see.

...which is the smart thing to do.

Maybe fair. I think the numbers are the best way to evaluate. (I'm sure the analytics people prefer their custom data.) Any other way invites too much subjectivity (he should have had it/he never saw it).

[SwampD]

54 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Levi learned from the grind?

Seems like it was KA and DG who learned lessons.

Why do you say this like it’s a bad thing? We all wanted to know if Levi was a workhorse starter. I’m glad they tried it. I’m bummed it didn’t work out, yet. If they learned from it, great.

Just get better and win now.

[Carmel Corn]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

Levi learned from the grind?

Seems like it was KA and DG who learned lessons.

Seems to me that DG can never admit he's wrong about something.  He may go as far as to say they'll "learn" from something, but that's it.

[Weave]

This was inevitable.

It was apparent to me that the 3 headed monster was the plan all along because the team did not have the confidence in their goalie situation that they indicated publicly. 
 

They leaned on Levi early to see if he was up to the #1 role, but didn’t commit to it and risk losing a goalie to waivers.  They found pretty early that Levi isn’t ready for it and now it is a rotation for as long as it takes to determine if 1 goalie is capable of being a starter.  My bet is none of them establish themselves as a starter before the trade deadline.

We all knew this goalie group was a risk when the plan is playoffs.  GM and Coach are now doing what they can to mitigate that risk.

Another season in goalie purgatory.

What sucks most about this is the team could REALLY use that roster spot for a vet middle 6 forward right about now.

[Doohickie]

12 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

Seems to me that DG can never admit he's wrong about something.  He may go as far as to say they'll "learn" from something, but that's it.

We all hated Krueger's "motivational speak" gobbledygook but every coach does that to an extent.  Part of Granato's lexicon (which I tend to agree with) is that he doesn't dwell in past recriminations and pinning the blame on individuals (including himself); rather, he talks in terms of the "we" that is the entire team and frames mistakes as growth or learning opportunities.  I think that helps especially for a team that's been down, to try to get them to look forward and not wallow in the past.

All that said, I think we're getting to an inflection point of accountability, where the team feeling good about themselves and "playing the right way" is no longer enough.  They need to turn all the positive vibes into results and start winning.

Edited November 7, 2023 by Doohickie

[SwampD]

Am I the only one who doesn’t think the problem with this team so far in the early stages of this season hasn’t been our goalies?

I feel like everyone is walking to the gallows already. Jeebus.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

I agree with your general sentiment that Levi is not going to be a workhorse goalie. At least not yet. However, I believe that Levi is our #1 goalie while the other two goalies will be vying with one another to be the backup. It shouldn't be forgotten that at the end of the season when Levi signed, he did play in the majority of games at the end of the season when we were competing for a playoff spot. 

It's still early in the season. The goalies on our roster will determine how much they play based on their performances. If one of them standouts, then that goalie will move to the head of the pack. As it stands now, Levi is our #1.

I disagree. While I believe Levi's floor is higher than 6K's ceiling, he's not there yet. So far this year 6K has been the better goalie. Today, Levi is not our #1, neither is 6K, I believe rotating them right now is the correct thing to do until one of them forces their way into the crease based on their performance. 

17 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Am I the only one who doesn’t think the problem with this team so far in the early stages of this season hasn’t been our goalies?

I feel like everyone is walking to the gallows already. Jeebus.

No, you're not. 

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Am I the only one who doesn’t think the problem with this team so far in the early stages of this season hasn’t been our goalies?

I feel like everyone is walking to the gallows already. Jeebus.

My initial take is the goalies are failing the numbers test but passing the eye test, but that's not really true either.

They're 17th in a 32-team league in Goals Against; you can't get more dead centre than that.

Individually, the numbers show Comrie has been good, UPL has been fine (the high danger save % really sticks out) and Levi needs to be better.

League wide averages:

• Goals against 3.08
• Save %: .897
• High danger save %: .785

UPL:

• Goals against 3.10
• Save %: .901
• High danger save %: .829

Levi:

• Goals against 3.41
• Save %: .886
• High danger save %: .703

Comrie:

• Goals against 2.45
• Save %: .914
• High danger save %: .808

The Sabres have been an average team, getting average goaltending.

[That Aud Smell]

50 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Why do you say this like it’s a bad thing?

I don't think I did. Seems to me that was an inference on your part.

42 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

Seems to me that DG can never admit he's wrong about something.  He may go as far as to say they'll "learn" from something, but that's it.

Huh?

This is entirely inconsistent with my view of HC DG.

23 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Am I the only one who doesn’t think the problem with this team so far in the early stages of this season hasn’t been our goalies?

I think this is more right than wrong. Our goaltending's been ... okay, nah?

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

The Sabres have been an average team, getting average goaltending.

Bazinga!

This is sort of a bummer, since last year's team made me think "if they can only get average goaltending ..."

Edited November 7, 2023 by That Aud Smell

[Ctaeth]

9 minutes ago, dudacek said:

My initial take is the goalies are failing the numbers test but passing the eye test, but that's not really true either.

They're 17th in a 32-team league in Goals Against; you can't get more dead centre than that.

Individually, the numbers show Comrie has been good, UPL has been fine (the high danger save % really sticks out) and Levi needs to be better.

League wide averages:

• Goals against 3.08
• Save %: .897
• High danger save %: .785

UPL:

• Goals against 3.10
• Save %: .901
• High danger save %: .829

Levi:

• Goals against 3.41
• Save %: .886
• High danger save %: .703

Comrie:

• Goals against 2.45
• Save %: .914
• High danger save %: .808

The Sabres have been an average team, getting average goaltending.

If you told me over the offseason that we would be getting average goaltending this year, I would've taken it in a heartbeat.  Our strength is supposed to be the rest of the team, not the goalies (yet). 

[French Collection]

17 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Bazinga!

This is sort of a bummer, since last year's team made me think "if they can only get average goaltending ..."

Average goaltending while scoring at an elite level, I think is where you were going.

[Radar]

27 minutes ago, Hank said:

I disagree. While I believe Levi's floor is higher than 6K's ceiling, he's not there yet. So far this year 6K has been the better goalie. Today, Levi is not our #1, neither is 6K, I believe rotating them right now is the correct thing to do until one of them forces their way into the crease based on their performance. 

No, you're not. 

Does "6K" have a real name? Asking for a friend.

[GASabresIUFAN]

But we don't have average goaltending.  We have very inconsistent goaltending, that's been below average in most games.

1. save % .867 L

2. save % .897 L

3. save % .903 W

4. save % .889 L

5. save % .960 W

6. save % .889 L

7. save % .895 W

8. save % .872 L

9. save % 1.000 W

10. save % .950 W

11. save % . 737 L

12. save 5 .862 W

We have only had 4 games this season with a save % over .897.  That is below-average goaltending that has been bailed out in 2 of our 6 wins by out-scoring the other team. 

Edited November 7, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Taro T]

So if the goalies are "rotating" that puts UPL between the pipes tonight, right?

Not a fan of that.  Carolina gets a lot of movement wth the puck and UPL is better suited to N-S attacks.  D needs to be really active taking away the backdoor and the cross ice passing.  If they can, UPL might not need that horseshoe.  (But still, much like Linus with his security blanket, hope he remembers it.)

Hopefully the horseshoe is firmly wedged up his you know what and Halak spits the bit in presumably his 1st start of the year.

[Thorny]

48 minutes ago, dudacek said:

My initial take is the goalies are failing the numbers test but passing the eye test, but that's not really true either.

They're 17th in a 32-team league in Goals Against; you can't get more dead centre than that.

Individually, the numbers show Comrie has been good, UPL has been fine (the high danger save % really sticks out) and Levi needs to be better.

League wide averages:

• Goals against 3.08
• Save %: .897
• High danger save %: .785

UPL:

• Goals against 3.10
• Save %: .901
• High danger save %: .829

Levi:

• Goals against 3.41
• Save %: .886
• High danger save %: .703

Comrie:

• Goals against 2.45
• Save %: .914
• High danger save %: .808

The Sabres have been an average team, getting average goaltending.

Is 17 out of 32 a pass? 

If the team is average, is that a pass? 

Actually asking 

30 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Average goaltending while scoring at an elite level, I think is where you were going.

Why did people think the scoring would remain at an elite level, when so much had to be committed to team defence to ensure the goalies could put up average numbers? 

[Thorny]

Nothing was ever going to be “free”, no strings attached. A payment was necessary, a sacrifice, give to get. People were acting like we could simply improve our team commitment to defence, improve the goalies by doing it, and sacrifice none of our offence in the process: It doesn’t work like that. We didn’t have to pay an asset, sacrifice assets to upgrade the goaltending by bringing in talent from the outside, but a price would still need to be paid nonetheless 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Thorny

[pi2000]

Is it better for Levi to be a rotational goalie or learn "the grind" in the AHL?

He needs to be playing and playing a lot at this point in his development.   1 or 2 games a week isn't going to help him.