Cost an arm and a leg, no? But I agree, I would prefer paying the price for Saros over Hellybucyk, if looking for an elite talent is the objective.
Player Discussion All Purpose Goaltending Thread
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Beerz
Registered User
- Jun 28, 2011
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Jim Bob
RIP RJ
I think Saros is untouchable in Nashville as they are reloading and not rebuilding.
MarkusKetterer
Shoulda got one game in
I’m fine with the cost being an arm and a leg. As long as it’s yours. I’m attached to mine
It's not hubris. It is being realistic. Elite talent simply does not play much if at all in the AHL. Besides, Levi has played 3 years in the NCAA. It's not like he is jumping straight from juniors
sabremike
THE RED BULL
For goalies, that simply isn't true. Go look at the AHL/European pro time every veznia winner the last 20 years (except for Price) has gotten.
Unless you think Levi is a better prospect that Carey Price, a goalie taken in the top 10 of the 1st round, then he probably should get some AHL time.
- Jul 25, 2016
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Levi was a 7th round pick. He was not viewed as an elite talent. He was viewed as having tools and athleticism. He has developed well. But he was traded along with a 1st for Sam Reinhart. If he was an elite talent the Sabres would have added a first. There is no reason he should be penciled in to the NHL lineup without seeing a volume of better shots in the AHL. I think it is unfair to him. His NHL comp is Saros who spent 2 seasons in the A before full time NHL status. I like Levi, but he is still a prospect. Getting a vet to man the crease for a few years isn't going to hurt him.
I’m way higher on Levi as a starter next season than some people here. He showed to be definitely better than UPL and Comrie in his stint at the end of last season. The Sabres are fighting for their playoff lives, and who is getting the starts? His athleticism and ability to recover were incredible. It made UPL look like he was moving in slow motion.
He turns 22 during the season, he isn’t some 18 year old straight out of juniors or high school like Barrasso. And I totally reject the “he’ll get lit up, get sent down, and have his confidence crushed” line of thinking. Everybody is different (some would argue goalies are very different), so how would we know what his reaction would be? The kid meditates like a Jedi Knight during commercial timeouts, so who would claim to know what makes him tick?
I fully agree that we should try to bring in some sort of legit vet starter to split time with him though. 1A, 1B situation. UPL and Comrie ain’t it.
He turns 22 during the season, he isn’t some 18 year old straight out of juniors or high school like Barrasso. And I totally reject the “he’ll get lit up, get sent down, and have his confidence crushed” line of thinking. Everybody is different (some would argue goalies are very different), so how would we know what his reaction would be? The kid meditates like a Jedi Knight during commercial timeouts, so who would claim to know what makes him tick?
I fully agree that we should try to bring in some sort of legit vet starter to split time with him though. 1A, 1B situation. UPL and Comrie ain’t it.
Old Navy Goat
Registered User
The entire Levi was a 7th round pick is such a bullshit out with little to no intellectual thought as to the reasoning behind it. He played Jr A not major Junior to preserve his eligibility for the NCAA. So the nontraditional route ie no USHL or BCHL both considered viable pathways with higher competition, coupled with below average size led to his draft status. If he had been passed over and drafted after his D1 season he would of went much higher.
His development has been outstanding. He's stepped up as the competition has improved so if KA and Donnie G feel that he's mentally mature and skills wise good enough to at least provide average NHL goaltending, I'll take them at face value over the histrionics and lamentations of the usual suspects
His development has been outstanding. He's stepped up as the competition has improved so if KA and Donnie G feel that he's mentally mature and skills wise good enough to at least provide average NHL goaltending, I'll take them at face value over the histrionics and lamentations of the usual suspects
sabremike
THE RED BULL
Exactly. My reply when I hear that is to remind people that we once acquired the greatest goalie in NHL history for essentially a ball of lint.
MarkusKetterer
Shoulda got one game in
I really feel the need to add here that 6K had ankle surgery already this offseason. This follows the exact same route that Linus had.
Simply: Linus had double hip surgery followed by knee AND ankle surgery. 6K is now at ankle surgery after double hip surgery.
Simply: Linus had double hip surgery followed by knee AND ankle surgery. 6K is now at ankle surgery after double hip surgery.
To be fair, that ball of lint turned into a great skating, 6'6" powerforward who scored 225 goals... until he hurt his back and sadly became a ball of lint once more
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HaNotsri
Regstred User
- Dec 29, 2013
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And Tom Brady, the greatest athlete ever, was a 6th round pick
One shouldn't use draft position to judge talent. It shows how dumb scouts can be
Mgmt is quite comfortable and confident with Levi as opening night starter. We should all be too
stokes84
Registered User
I’m in favor of trading for Gibson. At worst, he can be a long term backup if Levi beats him out, but you need to get someone with chops for Levi to beat out.
Hopeful? Sure. Comfortable and confident? Uh . . . nope.
Not a ton of better options available. There's a good chance it will work out, but it's not comfortable.
Best goalie we've had since Ullmark. And he is just gonna get better and better and better and better.
I'd prefer a real 1B since I am not confident with UPL.
If Levi gets hurt grab the torches and pitchforks
Fjordsen
Soul Dancing in the Dark
- Jun 20, 2018
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Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
As long as the price tags starts and stops with Jokiharju and VO, I’m all for it. Would not give up anything painful though.
Meichel Kane
My Name Is
- Jun 6, 2006
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If the Sabres do go into the year with Levi and UPL with the potential to add a goalie if it's not working, there's a handful of teams we should be rooting against:
Nashville - Saros only available if they go rebuild mode
Winnipeg - Rental Hellebuyck
Minnesota - Fleury has said he's tiring of moving, but would he OK a deadline move as a rental?
Pittsburgh - I've always liked DeSmith as a 1B guy
Los Angeles - the rare triple pending UFA bonanza
Legit question here. Why is it so important for a goalie like Levi to develop in the minors? What makes the position of goalie more Important than defense or forward where we see 18 year old kids come in and succeed in this league?
Who’s to say Levi isn’t ready? Goalies have done it before. Barrasso was a 1st team All-Star as a teen. Patrick Roy won the Stanley Cup as a 20 year old. Sure, a different era but stopping the puck is stopping the puck In any era.
What I will say is that if Adams rolls with Levi as his go to guy and it fails, there needs to be consequences.
Who’s to say Levi isn’t ready? Goalies have done it before. Barrasso was a 1st team All-Star as a teen. Patrick Roy won the Stanley Cup as a 20 year old. Sure, a different era but stopping the puck is stopping the puck In any era.
What I will say is that if Adams rolls with Levi as his go to guy and it fails, there needs to be consequences.
While it has happened, the happening is rare - the two guys you mentioned were in 1983 and 1986. That is forty and thirty-seven years ago, very much a different era.
Technique, physical preparation, mental preparation all factor into it. The most recent example of a highly touted prospect netminder jumping immediately into the NHL has been met with him leaving for non-substance mental health issues (Knight in Florida). Carter Hart is another and we've seen his development at the pro level stall and perhaps him not be the tender we believed he could be after jumping the line to push into the Flyers lineup.
We know Levi needs work on his rebound control. We'll have to see how he adapts to pro scheduling compared to NCAA scheduling, but that's probably going to be a thing as well. That's normally done a level below, not right in the line of NHL fire.
