I like the mentality that a lot of starts would benefit a player as they get older and not younger. If anyone can physically handle a large workload it's going to be the younger in prime athlete.
Rookies by nature are inconsistent, Power, Quinn and JJ have been inconsistent this year, a goalie slump is not really something you can try and play though in the NHL like a normal skater can.
I didn't see Power slumping, bad game? Yes, long stretches? No,. Rookie goalies perform very well without slumping. UPL is a rookie and he got better as the season went on and never had a slump. He wasn't great to begin with but he never had a slump.
I always think of Meloche before Hextall. he was a Flyer, for Christ sake. I wore a home Golden Seals jersey in HS, and it was in honor of Meloche.
Eh, my eye test for Power was different. After roughly the February break he regularly looked noticeably slower / weaker / fatigued. Definitely lacked "jump" and "burst" which was there earlier in the season. Seemed to rebound toward the end, similar to the rest of the Sabres during their playoff push. I don't know if that was related to lugging Joker around the ice when Henri went over a cliff like an Acme anvil (#10) tied to the Roadrunner (#25). Whether my opinion is valid or not, I think re: Levi that BUF should pursue a legit #1A/#1B to pair with him. Some have suggested Saros, of which I'm supportive. If it's one of UPL / Comrie, I think Comrie is the less risky option, but still a question mark.
Bringing in a starting goalie which the sabres have failed to do for 10 years means giving up on UPL(Which is fine but is Adams ready to do that?) It also means giving up a 1st and a high end prospect and for someone like Saros probably 2 1sts and a prospect or 1st and 2 high end prospects.
It would also be a crazy take if you said Levi would sign and play 5 straight games including back to back starts. You would probably be laughed at. From my understand Levi said he would sign knowing he could skip the AHL. That was from Dregger so take it for what its worth. I think its realistic so see Levi in the NHL next year it matches everything Adams has preached about the team growing together.
I assume any trade for a non-UFA goalie like Saros involved either of Comrie / UPL going back to the Preds (another team). But your point about the Sabres needing to add remains, but likely (hopefully?) not as much as you envision (i.e., one 1st, not two).
Odds are that Levis agent had some leverage and required the Sabres to play him a few games to burn a year of his ELC or else he wouldn't have signed the deal. Its usually how negotiations go.
He only has to play one game so your statement about a few is false and playing back to back games is unique for a goalie in his situation.
Lehner cost a 1st, Schneider cost 1st you think you gonna get Saros for just 1 1st rounder? Comrie holds no value going back the other way and I can't imagine UPL having more than 2nd round value tops. Saros is one of the best goalies in the league they aren't going to let him go for a 1st and a small prospect. Its gonna take Savoie or Kulich.
He only HAD to play one game to burn a year of his ELC but probably was told he would get a few games. Bottom line is he should be in the AHL next season.
You are still trying to squeeze into some sort of narrative to suit your needs. No one saw him playing 5 straight games and back to back but I guess you did right.
I should have been clearer. A prospect, yes, regardless, but not also two firsts with UPL or Comrie going back the other way.
Not when the other goalie options are total shit.
