Player Discussion All Purpose Goaltending Thread

[Duddy]

No, keep him.

 

[Tender Rip]

No, keep him.

But he leads the league in shutouts! Don’t you want shutouts?!

 

[Jacob582]

Hello Sabres fans.

Just curious, if you have a goaltending issue, and UPL is more like a quality #2… how about Jarry?
I mean, you’d prefer Rinne short term, or Gibson.. or something… but for arguments sake say its Jarry.

Comrie and what?

Some here wanted to sign him last summer as a short term vet.

I wouldn't want to take that contract now though.

 

[5 Minute Major]

UPL is slowly establishing himself as the starter. Let's hope he can keep it up.

But Levi needs to be a starter somewhere too. C'mon, Adams, figure it out.

Enough is enough.

Adams is doing this organization no favors by having Levi sit in the press box and trotting him out every week to 10 days.

The smart move would be to send him to Rochester. The lesser smart move would be to play him at least half the games here.

The worst move is what we are currently seeing. I get Comrie just came back but we all see Levi has shown he is not ready for NHL hockey.

 

[dortt]

Enough is enough.

Adams is doing this organization no favors by having Levi sit in the press box and trotting him out every week to 10 days.

The smart move would be to send him to Rochester. The lesser smart move would be to play him at least half the games here.

The worst move is what we are currently seeing. I get Comrie just came back but we all see Levi has shown he is not ready for NHL hockey.

Levi has been inconsistent. Some really good and bad games.

 

[OldScool]

Levi has been inconsistent. Some really good and bad games.

Exactly why he should be in the AHL. You don't develop in the NHL you should be arriving there as a finished product ready to contribute. Buffalo is doing a great job of ruining this goalie. Anyone with common sense knows that Levi should be in the AHL right now.

 

[dortt]

Exactly why he should be in the AHL. You don't develop in the NHL you should be arriving there as a finished product ready to contribute. Buffalo is doing a great job of ruining this goalie. Anyone with common sense knows that Levi should be in the AHL right now.

Levi also gives us a better chance of stealing games than does Comrie.

Comrie only makes the saves he is supposed to make. Which is why we need UPL getting 55 games and Levi the other 27. We know what we have with Comrie, and we don't have the D for that kind of goalie

 

[SabresFan26]

Levi also gives us a better chance of stealing games than does Comrie.

Comrie only makes the saves he is supposed to make. Which is why we need UPL getting 55 games and Levi the other 27. We know what we have with Comrie, and we don't have the D for that kind of goalie

Comrie is arguably the best goalie. Levi has most potential.

 

[OldScool]

Levi also gives us a better chance of stealing games than does Comrie.

Comrie only makes the saves he is supposed to make. Which is why we need UPL getting 55 games and Levi the other 27. We know what we have with Comrie, and we don't have the D for that kind of goalie

Not according stats he doesn't. Comrie has played better. Buffalo should either trade for a 1A goalie or ride UPL/Comrie and send Levi to AHL.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Enough is enough.

Adams is doing this organization no favors by having Levi sit in the press box and trotting him out every week to 10 days.

The smart move would be to send him to Rochester. The lesser smart move would be to play him at least half the games here.

The worst move is what we are currently seeing. I get Comrie just came back but we all see Levi has shown he is not ready for NHL hockey.

"We see goaltending as a position of strength."

That Adams quote haunts me. I hope it was made just to instill confidence in all 3, knowing that a tough decision would have to be made relatively early in the season.

It's foolish keeping 3 goalies on the roster. It's unfair to them as well. Make a damn decision.

Send Levi down or waive/trade Comrie.

 

[dortt]

Not according stats he doesn't. Comrie has played better. Buffalo should either trade for a 1A goalie or ride UPL/Comrie and send Levi to AHL.

If Comrie had the game Levi had against Boston, many would be crapping on the D and giving Comrie a pass. Just as Comrie got a pass by many Friday night because he made 1 out of 4 big save chances (the breakaway in the first)

Comrie could have stopped the second goal Friday night had he read the play correctly and used his stick to breakup the cross crease pass

 

[Irie]

"We see goaltending as a position of strength."

That Adams quote haunts me. I hope it was made just to instill confidence in all 3, knowing that a tough decision would have to be made relatively early in the season.

It's foolish keeping 3 goalies on the roster. It's unfair to them as well. Make a damn decision.

Send Levi down or waive/trade Comrie.

Given the situation, (league wise cost to acquire an elite goalie and their tentative longterm plan), I think they mostly decided they were going to make due with the three goalies this season.

Given that position, Adams' comments make perfect sense, but probably should be taken in context. It would be self sabotaging to say, "we got three goalies, but we are worried none of them will be up to the task".

He probably did somewhat believe that with the goalie depth, an option would probably be available that was passable. But still it is typical GM speak - the art of painting everything in a positive light and maintaining calm through turbulent situations

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Levi should absolutely go to Rochester for a little bit now that Comrie is back. Levi had his chance to prove he was ready, and he hasn't.

Then if Luukkonen/Comrie are struggling, they always have the opportunity to call Levi back up and give him another shot. Hell, the way our goalies have gone, that could be next week. But that option is always there, sending him to Rochester now doesn't necessarily mean he's there long term.

 

[Gras]

If Comrie had the game Levi had against Boston, many would be crapping on the D and giving Comrie a pass. Just as Comrie got a pass by many Friday night because he made 1 out of 4 big save chances (the breakaway in the first)

Comrie could have stopped the second goal Friday night had he read the play correctly and used his stick to breakup the cross crease pass

Is it really on the goalie to break up that pass or on the D to prevent it.

 

[SECRET SQUIRREL]

Maybe they do plan on sending him down for a bit, but are just waiting until after the road trip and Thanksgiving?

 

[dortt]

Is it really on the goalie to break up that pass or on the D to prevent it.

I'd say both. D should have stopped it, but Comrie should have been able to read the play better than he did. At least understand the only way they could score would be for the backside tap in and get to the other side of the net

 

[RoyalOverNavy]

I'm typing this minutes after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen backstopped the Sabres' 3-2 win over Pittsburgh. My sentiment is the same as it was after Luukkonen's recent performance in the 3-2 win over Chicago.

Luukkonen should be starting two out of every three Sabres games. His sample size this season is large enough for me to declare him the team's best goalie. And I don't think it's close.
Eric Comrie should be the Sabres backup, and start the game(s) that Luukkonen doesn't.
Devon Levi needs to be assigned to Rochester where he'll get regular game repitition against professional players. Two-out-three starts is what the Sabres/Amerks should be targetting.

Full disclosure -- I think Levi will be an excellent NHL goalie. Maybe better than Luukkonen. But he's not right now, and he needs to be starting. And he shouldn't get one NHL start at the expense of Luukkonen (at this time).

 

[sabresfan129103]

It's not like the Amerks are a dumpster fire either. They're a good team this year. It would be a good chance to get Levi playing time against professionals and not be hung out to dry every night. Adams is gonna have to have an uncomfortable conversation with Levi at some point and he's put it off for too long. Just send the kid down so he can get some reps. At this point in his development that's what's most important.

 

[Jacob582]

Now that Vasilevsky is back, maybe Kevyn Adams can sneak UPL to the AHL?

 

[RoyalOverNavy]

It's time to end the madness.
Madness = three-man goalie rotation.
I've typed it on here, and many others have done the same, no need to repeat.

I'm hoping the results of Friday-Saturday-Monday make it clear to Kevyn Adams & Don Granato that the three-man silliness is doing none of the three Sabres goalies any favors.

Another thing I'd like to bring up is the Sabres have played much better all season when Luukkonen starts.
I don't think that's a coincidence or some sporting fluke.

 

[dortt]

UPL play 3 out of 4
Levi gets the remainder

Fire Comrie into the sun. I'd rather have Tokarski as the #3

 

[RecycledEichel]

UPL play 3 out of 4
Levi gets the remainder

Fire Comrie into the sun. I'd rather have Tokarski as the #3

Gotta be this or send Levi down..

I wonder if they want to send Levi down, but they promised to play him in Buffalo to get him to sign and they don't want to break that promise.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Gotta be this or send Levi down..

I wonder if they want to send Levi down, but they promised to play him in Buffalo to get him to sign and they don't want to break that promise.

I would hope Kevyn isn’t that stupid to make such a promise (giving him a fair shake at the starting role? Sure. He’s gotten it and didn’t win it) and Levi isn’t that foolish to think he’s above developing in the AHL.

 

[RecycledEichel]

I would hope Kevyn isn’t that stupid to make such a promise (giving him a fair shake at the starting role? Sure. He’s gotten it and didn’t win it) and Levi isn’t that foolish to think he’s above developing in the AHL.

I hope you're right, but we don't know how desperate he was at the time or if Levi was close to not signing.

 

[Deleted member 346512]

Gotta be this or send Levi down..

I wonder if they want to send Levi down, but they promised to play him in Buffalo to get him to sign and they don't want to break that promise.

The same applies here as for Granato... buddies for life or are you mainly interested in sporting success?
The Sabres, or rather Adams, have to stop taking friendships into account, neither in signings nor in promises. Only the performance is important. If Levi doesn't develop as expected, he doesn't have to make any demands