Would You Want Sabres Sneaking into the Playoffs if it Meant Adams and Staff stick Around With Extensions?

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

There is one way, and unfortunately, it's the way Adams has shortchanged at every opportunity in his tenure until this season (and this season they're running with Luukkonen who is not this guy). They would need elite goaltending. Not "UPL is hot for 20 games" goaltending. Elite goaltending. Hasek goaltending. And they would need it for 55 of the remaining 67 games. It would need to sub-2.00 GAA, .925+ sv% and at least 9 shutouts.

Which is why I wrote "as currently constructed."

The only way we get "elite" goaltending the rest of the way is either Ellis or Levi take over the starting job and thrive.  UPL is a 4+ Gaa guy each night; Lyon a 3+ a night.  Unfortunately, we know that Adams isn't going to give the net over to the kids.

 

[pi2000]

[JP51]

This is like saying, If I can dunk a basketball on a 10 foot net would you let me play in the NBA...  that is a pretty safe bet that isnt gonna happen... I think at this point if Adams can pull a turnaround with this team and get them to the playoffs... sure lol let him stay you can fire him in november of next year ... bottom line we are currently in last place in the conference... again... the hole gets deeper... we are going to need to play like a contender to win the division to make the playoffs... the injuries are insane... I just dont see a path for that to happen...  14 points currently and 6 points out we need to theoretically increase our point production by 43% plus make up the 6 to keep pace and be in a tie for a playoff spot...  coincidentally I would need to increase my leaping ability by the same amount to dunk a basket ball LOL 😄

Edited Friday at 07:49 PM by JP51

[LTS]

Well hell. In High School I could dunk a basketball on a 10 foot net. I wish someone had given me the NBA minimum at the time because I sucked at basketball.  I was barely a decent volleyball player... but I could jump!

[PromoTheRobot]

On 11/10/2025 at 4:02 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Which is why I wrote "as currently constructed."

The only way we get "elite" goaltending the rest of the way is either Ellis or Levi take over the starting job and thrive.  UPL is a 4+ Gaa guy each night; Lyon a 3+ a night.  Unfortunately, we know that Adams isn't going to give the net over to the kids.

 

Levi is not playing at an elite level this season. You should watch a couple games. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Levi is not playing at an elite level this season. You should watch a couple games. 

I never said he was.  I said the only chance (the key word here is "chance") we get elite goaltending is one of Levi or Ellis step up and give us elite goaltending.  So far that hasn't happened and may never happen.  What we know is that UPL and Lyon are what they are and are never going to give us elite goaltending.

[Demoted]

18 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Levi is not playing at an elite level this season. You should watch a couple games. 

Levi isn't an NHL goalie sadly.

[PromoTheRobot]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I never said he was.  I said the only chance (the key word here is "chance") we get elite goaltending is one of Levi or Ellis step up and give us elite goaltending.  So far that hasn't happened and may never happen.  What we know is that UPL and Lyon are what they are and are never going to give us elite goaltending.

I don't think you do know what our goaltending is because you tend to see goals allowed strictly as function of goaltending, and not the end result of team play.

Just like hope, expecting a goalie to win you every game standing on his head while his team does absolutely nothing in front of him, is a sh***y strategy.

6 minutes ago, Demoted said:

Levi isn't an NHL goalie sadly.

Goalies are voodoo. He's in a funk right now. All goalies go through down periods. He has to play himself right.

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I don't think you do know what our goaltending is because you tend to see goals allowed strictly as function of goaltending, and not the end result of team play.

Just like hope, expecting a goalie to win you every game standing on his head while his team does absolutely nothing in front of him, is a sh***y strategy.

I know exactly what our goaltending is or isn’t.  If you have read my posts over the years I have been extremely critical of our defense as well as our goaltending and talked about how our bad defense hurts our goaltending.  Remember I have been calling for years for capable defensive D for this team.  Instead we got guys like Stillman, Clifton and others.  

That said we have years of track record on Lyon and UPL.  Neither is a top flight goaltender.  UPL has had one good pro season between the NHL and AHL and in limited play this season, he looks exactly as he has most of his career; bad.  Lyon has played well decently this season, but it’s not playoff caliber goaltending.  

I’m not exactly sure why you are fighting me on this, it’s pretty clear neither Lyon or UPL pass the eye test and the stats corroborate this.  

[PromoTheRobot]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

I know exactly what our goaltending is or isn’t.  If you have read my posts over the years I have been extremely critical of our defense as well as our goaltending and talked about how our bad defense hurts our goaltending.  Remember I have been calling for years for capable defensive D for this team.  Instead we got guys like Stillman, Clifton and others.  

That said we have years of track record on Lyon and UPL.  Neither is a top flight goaltender.  UPL has had one good pro season between the NHL and AHL and in limited play this season, he looks exactly as he has most of his career; bad.  Lyon has played well decently this season, but it’s not playoff caliber goaltending.  

I’m not exactly sure why you are fighting me on this, it’s pretty clear neither Lyon or UPL pass the eye test and the stats corroborate this.  

It's not "clear" at all. Lyon has been very good. So has Ellis. UPL less so. If we played a modicum of defense, or stopped turning the puck over in our end, we would be above .500 now.

[bob_sauve28]

Just win baby