Player Discussion All Purpose Goaltending Thread

[Sabre Dance]

Go get a #1 goalie for next year. Stop playing around and do it right.

 

[Jim Bob]

Go get a #1 goalie for next year. Stop playing around and do it right.

If only it were that easy.

Edmonton has had similar issues both in goal and with respect to a high event system that is not goalie-friendly.

They spent big on Campbell in UFA this summer.

He struggled in the regular season and lost the crease to Stuart Skinner.

But, Skinner struggled in the playoffs and the small amount of ice time he got, Campbell was much better.

It's not as simple as "go get a guy"...

 

[Sabre Dance]

If only it were that easy.

Edmonton has had similar issues both in goal and with respect to a high event system that is not goalie-friendly.

They spent big on Campbell in UFA this summer.

He struggled in the regular season and lost the crease to Stuart Skinner.

But, Skinner struggled in the playoffs and the small amount of ice time he got, Campbell was much better.

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It's not as simple as "go get a guy"...

How simple is it if you don’t try?

 

[Jim Bob]

How simple is it if you don’t try?

Adams did try last year.

He had one, and reportedly two, goalies turn down coming to Buffalo. It is likely due to the high event system that is not goalie-friendly.

And sure-fire #1 goalies do not get traded often. And when they do, they cost a premium.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Adams did try last year.

He had one, and reportedly two, goalies turn down coming to Buffalo. It is likely due to the high event system that is not goalie-friendly.

And sure-fire #1 goalies do not get traded often. And when they do, they cost a premium.

I don’t mean try to sign them. But if they can’t acquire one then that’s a GM problem.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I don’t mean try to sign them. But if they can’t acquire one then that’s a GM problem.

He traded for Matt Murray last year. Murray said no.

 

[Fjordy]

Trade:

Hellebuyck
Saros
Demko
Hart
Swayman
Samsonov
Vanecek
Vejmelka
Markstrom

UFA:

Jarry
Varlamov
Hill
Raanta
Andersen
Talbot
Korpisalo

 

[Jim Bob]

I don’t mean try to sign them. But if they can’t acquire one then that’s a GM problem.

Is he supposed to hold them hostage until they sign?

Or make another GM trade him a goalie that the other GM doesn't want to give up?

Trade:

Hellebuyck
Saros
Demko
Hart
Swayman
Samsonov
Vanecek
Vejmelka
Markstrom

UFA:

Jarry
Varlamov
Hill
Raanta
Andersen
Talbot
Korpisalo

There are a lot of guys on that list that would look like Campbell in Edmonton if they were playing behind the Sabres.

 

[Fjordy]

There are a lot of guys on that list that would look like Campbell in Edmonton if they were playing behind the Sabres.

Hi Vanga

 

[Jim Bob]

Hi Vanga

I don't know what to tell you besides the fact that I would not expect Samsonov to look good behind the Sabres D.

 

[Fjordy]

I don't know what to tell you besides the fact that I would not expect Samsonov to look good behind the Sabres D.

I'm sorry, but I just don't believe in this nonsense anymore. Anderson looked normal for his age. So far, Ullmark has looked good. Of course, someone from this extended list may not fit, there are dubious options, but I think there are good goalies here who have more good games in the NHL than Comrie and UPL combined.

Half of the Sabres' defense could change, even the game system could change. One of Samsonov's goals and what does he say to me?

 

[TehDoak]

Adams did try last year.

He had one, and reportedly two, goalies turn down coming to Buffalo. It is likely due to the high event system that is not goalie-friendly.

And sure-fire #1 goalies do not get traded often. And when they do, they cost a premium.

This is where we disagree.

Steve Yzerman tried to get a starting goalie. He went out and got Nedelkovic, that didn't work. So he went out and got Husso. That was a little better, but still not ideal. They are probably on the market for a goalie still this summer.

That is trying to solve the goalie issue. Yzerman hasn't been successful yet, but that is trying. Edmonton signing Campbell to a meh contract...that is TRYING to fix the goalie issue, even if its unsuccessful.

Adams has been a GM for 2 full offseasons going into last summer. He knows Buffalo isn't a destination, especially for goalies. So the idea that he 'tried' via UFA and a goalie with a NTC. That'd be like me @'d Taylor Swift and Gizelle on twitter and asking for a date. Technically I could say I TRIED to date them, but I would be laughed at heartily if anyone pressed me for details.

Going out and getting a guy who was a 41 year old taxi squad goalie and a career backup waiver bait goalie to resolve the need isn't trying. That's hoping the goalie situation will just kind of figure itself out.

 

[Sabreality]

ah yes, we're to the summer portion where fans think they can figure out goalies yr to yr while switching teams and playing in new systems, offer some cherry picked hindsight, project what guys will do with their new teams from out their ass...

yes, trying is good, but theres no guarantee your flavor of the summer will fix anything until Granato starts teaching the 'how to play defense' curriculum to the F's, we see more growth from current D and a legit top 4D and better depth D are brought in.

 

[Zman5778]

This is where we disagree.

Steve Yzerman tried to get a starting goalie. He went out and got Nedelkovic, that didn't work. So he went out and got Husso. That was a little better, but still not ideal. They are probably on the market for a goalie still this summer.

That is trying to solve the goalie issue. Yzerman hasn't been successful yet, but that is trying. Edmonton signing Campbell to a meh contract...that is TRYING to fix the goalie issue, even if its unsuccessful.

Adams has been a GM for 2 full offseasons going into last summer. He knows Buffalo isn't a destination, especially for goalies. So the idea that he 'tried' via UFA and a goalie with a NTC.

Adams TRIED to fix the goalie issue by signing Comrie. I think half of this board is forgetting that Comrie was a signing that was met with much applause by the national pundits as a guy that could be a starter. Like Husso was a guy that could be a starter. Like Ned was a guy that could be a starter.
Yes, he got caught with his pants down in 21/22 when Ullmark left. But he made a legit attempt to fix the goaltending issue by signing Comrie.

And frankly -- NO ONE we signed/traded for was going to look good behind what we call our defense. No one.

 

[Sabre Dance]

ah yes, we're to the summer portion where fans think they can figure out goalies yr to yr while switching teams and playing in new systems, offer some cherry picked hindsight, project what guys will do with their new teams from out their ass...

yes, trying is good, but theres no guarantee your flavor of the summer will fix anything until Granato starts teaching the 'how to play defense' curriculum to the F's, we see more growth from current D and a legit top 4D and better depth D are brought in.

All of this can be done in an offseason. I think Granato has a style he wants to play and I’m fine with that.

We can talk system and defense improvements but the goalies have also been inconsistent. If we just had someone consistent in net it would help. It’s unrealistic to expect a vezina type season from a Sabres goalie next year but we need consistency.

 

[Fjordy]

And frankly -- NO ONE we signed/traded for was going to look good behind what we call our defense. No one.

I mean, Anderson looked, at 41, with our defense, almost 91% saves. come on guys.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Adams TRIED to fix the goalie issue by signing Comrie. I think half of this board is forgetting that Comrie was a signing that was met with much applause by the national pundits as a guy that could be a starter. Like Husso was a guy that could be a starter. Like Ned was a guy that could be a starter.
Yes, he got caught with his pants down in 21/22 when Ullmark left. But he made a legit attempt to fix the goaltending issue by signing Comrie.

And frankly -- NO ONE we signed/traded for was going to look good behind what we call our defense. No one.

We’ve tried to find diamonds in the rough. I don’t mind that approach but they need to take a swing.

 

[Zman5778]

I mean, Anderson looked, at 41, with our defense, almost 91% saves. come on guys.

Anderson was average. Not good. Average. No goalie would have looked GOOD behind our defense this year.

 

[Fjordy]

Anderson was average. Not good. Average. No goalie would have looked GOOD behind our defense this year.

Well, I don’t know, if Anderson looked average at that age, then how can we know what Hellebuyck or Hart or Jarry or Varlamov would have looked like and so on. I understand that we had problems with defense and PK, but even with these problems, Anderson was average, and Comrie and UPL looks bad. I just tend to think that Comrie and UPL aren't good enough goalies and don't have that much experience and samples in the NHL.

 

[Zman5778]

I don’t mind that approach but they need to take a swing.

Takes two to tango. @Jim Bob is absolutely right that we're not going to be a primo destination for UFA goalies given how our defense plays. Which is to say -- we play a high event system, both ways. UFA goalies know that Levi is the future so we're not offering much in the way of term. UFA goalies aren't going to take a 1 year deal to see their numbers tank behind a defense that allows the most odd-man chances against and most high-danger chances against.

So that leaves trade. We'll see what happens here.


But I'll say it until I'm blue in the face: Fix the defense and the goalies will fix themselves.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

This is where we disagree.

Steve Yzerman tried to get a starting goalie. He went out and got Nedelkovic, that didn't work. So he went out and got Husso. That was a little better, but still not ideal. They are probably on the market for a goalie still this summer.

That is trying to solve the goalie issue. Yzerman hasn't been successful yet, but that is trying. Edmonton signing Campbell to a meh contract...that is TRYING to fix the goalie issue, even if its unsuccessful.

Adams has been a GM for 2 full offseasons going into last summer. He knows Buffalo isn't a destination, especially for goalies. So the idea that he 'tried' via UFA and a goalie with a NTC. That'd be like me @'d Taylor Swift and Gizelle on twitter and asking for a date. Technically I could say I TRIED to date them, but I would be laughed at heartily if anyone pressed me for details.

Going out and getting a guy who was a 41 year old taxi squad goalie and a career backup waiver bait goalie to resolve the need isn't trying. That's hoping the goalie situation will just kind of figure itself out.

Ned had a grand total of 28 career NHL starts when Yzerman got him, with 23 being his career high.

Comrie had 28 career starts just like Ned did. 19 starts was his career high last season when Adams acquired him.

That is a very similar amount of NHL experience, and yet you praise Yzerman while lambasting Adams for acquiring guys with a similar track record. Why? Because Ned was a year younger? Ned was also passed through waiver by Carolina back in 2021 by the way.

Anderson was also a reliable back-up. Oh! but he was old, he still performed at a level most teams would expect for their back-ups.

As for Husso, he had a single good season which was preceded by multiple poor ones at both the AHL and NHL level.

 

[Zman5778]

Well, I don’t know, if Anderson looked average at that age, then how can we know what Hellebuyck or Hart or Jarry or Varlamov would have looked like and so on. I understand that we had problems with defense and PK, but even with these problems, Anderson was average, and Comrie and UPL looks bad. I just tend to think that Comrie and UPL aren't good enough goalies and don't have that much experience in the NHL.

Most nights Comrie looked quite average -- generally stopped the ones he should have (ignore the 10-goal debacle). UPL looked legit and then not in equal amounts.

 

[Fjordy]

But I'll say it until I'm blue in the face: Fix the defense and the goalies will fix themselves.

And if goalies don't fix it? Why should we take risks?

 

[Sabre Dance]

Anderson was average. Not good. Average. No goalie would have looked GOOD behind our defense this year.

Go get a 28-30 year old Craig Anderson that can play 50 games and give us .910+ save %.

Not too much to ask for.

 

[Fjordy]

Most nights Comrie looked quite average -- generally stopped the ones he should have (ignore the 10-goal debacle). UPL looked legit and then not in equal amounts.

Again, it all comes down to me that we had one average goalie and two bad ones last season. Can UPL improve with improved defense? Probably, but also it may not improve and we will again suck because of the goaliess. I just don't see the point in taking that risk. We have assets and a place in the cap, improve defense and improve goalie, that's all.