Player Discussion All Purpose Goaltending Thread

[HogtownSabresfan]

Over an 82-game season having two decent goalies could be a major advantage worth half a dozen points in standings

 

[Zman5778]

who is starting tonight? I'd assume Levi

Ruff just said UPL.

 

[dortt]

Ruff just said UPL.

UPL had BETTER win tonight

 

[Zman5778]

UPL had BETTER win tonight

Or else what?

It's not like UPL has played poorly. Not his fault that no forward scored on Kuemper.

 

[Fjordy]

Or else what?

It's not like UPL has played poorly. Not his fault that no forward scored on Kuemper.

It's his fault that he didn't score himself.

 

[dortt]

Or else what?

It's not like UPL has played poorly. Not his fault that no forward scored on Kuemper.

doesnt matter. Just get the win or at least outplay your opponent.

While UPL has not been the problem, he also has not outplayed his opposing goalie in his 2 starts, whereas Levi has

 

[MarkusKetterer]

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

The Sabres have been shit in their own end for three plus years...during the time they were actually trying to be a good team again (minus a few decent stretches). Inexperience, lack of commitment, lack of awareness/positioning/stickwork, lack of physicality and engagement. Lack of urgency by KA to do a damn thing about it. So glad Levi can get caved on less starts than he should be getting in Rochester, while UPL gets less starts than he should be getting with Buffalo. Maybe it's good for their mental health though...

 

[NotABadPeriod]

insert spiderman meme

 

[Jacob582]

John Gibson back on the ice for practice today. I wonder if they will carry three goaltenders for a while.

 

[Diaspora]

Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy, and Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln.

What are the odds?

Neither had good goaltending stats. Although both of them stopped shots.

 

[Diaspora]

Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy, and Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln.

What are the odds?

Neither had good goaltending stats. Although both of them stopped shots.

@WiHockeyGuy - What? Too soon?

 

[joshjull]

Adams really can’t help himself trying to force Levi onto the NHL roster. He did it last season and again this one. Let him develop normally and he will figure it out and force his way into the conversation.

It’s got to be annoying for UPL who did actually earn his way to the #1 starter job and a contract. Only to have Levi handed a spot as his equal this season as part of a goalie partnership.

Adams stubbornness on this also costs the organization a good #3 and gave the Amerks subpar goaltending.

 

[dortt]

Adams really can’t help himself trying to force Levi onto the NHL roster. He did it last season and again this one. Let him develop normally and he will figure it out and force his way into the conversation.

It’s got to be annoying for UPL who did actually earn his way to the #1 starter job and a contract. Only to have Levi handed a spot as his equal this season as part of a goalie partnership.

Adams stubbornness on this also costs the organization a good #3 and gave the Amerks subpar goaltending.

and again, we are not going to develop Levi just to give him away.

That is the reality we are facing. Expansion in probably 3 years. We gave up a LOT for Levi. We are going to get everything we can out of him before we have to either trade him or UPL, likely for pennies on the dollar

 

[Dubi Doo]

Adams really can’t help himself trying to force Levi onto the NHL roster. He did it last season and again this one. Let him develop normally and he will figure it out and force his way into the conversation.

It’s got to be annoying for UPL who did actually earn his way to the #1 starter job and a contract. Only to have Levi handed a spot as his equal this season as part of a goalie partnership.

Adams stubbornness on this also costs the organization a good #3 and gave the Amerks subpar goaltending.

Was Levi really handed a spot? He had an incredible regular season in ROC last year and had an equally impressive playoff series. He then comes to camp and looks good in the preseason and was solid up until his last start.

I'm curious how his next start goes. Every goalie has off games. Let's see if he can pick it up again. If he continues to struggle, send him down, and wish Reimer was still here. Adams might have to make a trade or waiver pickup (if lucky).

Time will tell, but Levi did everything you'd hope from him last season into the playoffs and into preseason.

UPL looks great, though. He very well may be taking the net over again.

 

[dortt]

even Dom Hasek himself in his prime had games like Levi's vs Columbus

 

[joshjull]

Was Levi really handed a spot? He had incredible starts in ROC last year, and had an equally impressive playoff series. He then comes to camp, and looks good in the preseason and was solid up until his last start.

Im curious how his next start looks. Every goalie has off games. Let's see if he can pick it up again. If he continues to struggle, send him down, and wish Reimer was still here. Adams might have to make a trade or waiver pickup (if lucky).

Time will tell, but Levi did everythinf you'd hope from him last season into the playoffs and into preseason.

UPL looks great, though. He very well may be taking the net over again.

It’s not about whether or not Levi did enough to be considered for the NHL roster. It’s about what’s best for the team and what UPL has developed into.

We were fortunate to sign Reimer, a good vet backup goalie. His addition gave us good organizational goalie depth. We should have come into this season with a UPL/Reimer tandem in the NHL and Levi as the #1 in Rochester. It’s what would have been best for the organization. It would also allow UPL to get into a starter’s rhythm so he could build on his previous year.

But instead Adams decides to waive Reimer. A decision thats cost us, for the moment, Reimer and our good goalie depth. We may get jammed up at some point this season without it. Hopefully we get Reimer back when the Ducks goalies get healthy.

But why even risk losing good goalie depth when there is no reason to do so? The reason is Adams wants Levi on the NHL roster. Even more than that he wants him to get a shot to be the #1.

Levi has no NHL pedigree yet but was handed a NHL goalie spot as an equal partner with UPL. Someone who just established themselves as a NHL starter. Levi played really well in 1/2 a season in the minors (26gms reg season + 5 playoffs). But thats not nearly on par with the NHL starting goalie workload (54gms) and performance UPL had. Yet they were going to rotate games until one of them grab the #1. It’s completely unearned for Levi to get this opportunity and ended up making UPL have to earn what he probably thought he already had (And he did).

My issue isn’t with Levi. It’s with Adams. He did this last season as well by carrying 3 goalies which was disruptive. His overconfidence in “his guys” is part of why we have such a young top 6 and didn’t add anyone.

 

[Jim Bob]

Was Levi really handed a spot? He had an incredible regular season in ROC last year and had an equally impressive playoff series. He then comes to camp and looks good in the preseason and was solid up until his last start.

I'm curious how his next start goes. Every goalie has off games. Let's see if he can pick it up again. If he continues to struggle, send him down, and wish Reimer was still here. Adams might have to make a trade or waiver pickup (if lucky).

Time will tell, but Levi did everything you'd hope from him last season into the playoffs and into preseason.

UPL looks great, though. He very well may be taking the net over again.

Since they literally gave Reimer no shot in the pre-season, it sure seems like there was no earning of the roster spot and their plan was UPL-Levi from the get go.

Part of that was the weird camp schedule. But, part of that was feeling that Levi had done enough prior to this season.

 

[Jacob582]

James Reimer expected to start tonight against the Devils.

 

[Gras]

James Reimer expected to start tonight against the Devils.

The 4D Chess move to have SJ give him his preseason so he's ready to go for us

 

[Fjordy]

Levi is not playing, Reimer is playing on another team.

Kevyn

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Since they literally gave Reimer no shot in the pre-season, it sure seems like there was no earning of the roster spot and their plan was UPL-Levi from the get go.

Part of that was the weird camp schedule. But, part of that was feeling that Levi had done enough prior to this season.

Then why sign Reimer in the first place?

(That's directed at Adams, not you.)

 

[Jim Bob]

Then why sign Reimer in the first place?

(That's directed at Adams, not you.)

Especially given that Reimer bought a house in Buffalo and talked like he signed to be in Buffalo, how that whole thing played out was just weird.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Especially given that Reimer bought a house in Buffalo and talked like he signed to be in Buffalo, how that whole thing played out was just weird.

The main board assured me that "you can reclaim Reimer when Gibson returns", to which I say:

1. There is zero guarantee for that.
2. Although Reimer probably won't be showered with options, his treatment suggests that Buffalo certainly won't be his first choice.

This was an unforced error by Adams that limits how Levi is developed this season. Even if an NHL backup is acquired so that Levi can be sent down without harming the Sabres, the obvious question for Adams will then be "why didn't you just keep Reimer?".

Maybe this turns into a nothing-burger, but it entails a needless risk from a GM whose competence is increasingly in question afaic.

 

[Weltschmerz]

Seems Reimer isn't all that great anyway.