Prospect Info: Devon Levi, G, Northeastern University (obtained in Reinhart deal) - Signed 3/17/23, Assigned 4/3/24

[Jim Bob]

I'm not saying completely change it up. like instead of pads that are at 100/100 hardness (giggity), I mean switch it up so they're 95/100.

It's still the end result that you seem to want (rebounds that stay closer to the goalie so they can cover them up) is not what modern goalies and coaches want (rebounds being kicked out beyond the "danger zone").

 

[Dingo44]

but not when it mattered the most.

If you want to blame Levi for a desperate mad scramble in front of the net where Hagel is left alone to bang away at the puck, go ahead.

What the heck.

 

[TageGod]

If you want to blame Levi for a desperate mad scramble in front of the net where Hagel is left alone to bang away at the puck, go ahead.

What the heck.

Didn't start out as a scramble. It's OKAY I still think Levi has played well but his rebound control needs work, he's a rookie relax.

 

[jd1970]

If you want to blame Levi for a desperate mad scramble in front of the net where Hagel is left alone to bang away at the puck, go ahead.

What the heck.

That was entirely Thompson's fault.

 

[OldScool]

If Buffalo management has a clue they send Levi down today to join the AHL team and start the season over.

 

[KeyserSoze81]

If Buffalo management has a clue they send Levi down today to join the AHL team and start the season over.

Don't the Amerks already have 3 goalies? Maybe we can do a Settlers of Catan style trade; 4 lousy goalies for one mediocre one? Then package 4 mediocre goalies for a good one?

 

[OldScool]

Don't the Amerks already have 3 goalies? Maybe we can do a Settlers of Catan style trade; 4 lousy goalies for one mediocre one? Then package 4 mediocre goalies for a good one?

You give Levi the bulk of the starts at the AHL and send one of them to the ECHL. No big deal there. Messing up this kids development is an absolute joke....buffalo being buffalo. I get giving him a few games last year as Levi had leverage to sign or not to sign but there is no way he should be in the NHL right now. So dumb.

 

[DapperCam]

For better or for worse, I think the team is going to let him work through whatever issues he has in the NHL. Maybe Comrie and UPL will get more starts, but I would be very surprised if he gets sent down.

The only goal last night I thought was really bad was the 4th one. Total softie that cost us the game. Clearly something mental was going on where he lost his focus and confidence at that point. You could see that with the rink-long almost goal.

- Goal 1: Deflected by Dahlin directly in front of him. Lost the puck. Should have slid back into position right away probably, but I think he didn’t want to kick it in if it was underneath him or behind him.
- Goal 2: Went underneath the body of a sliding Clifton 5 feet in front of him, which acted as some sort of strange screen. Positioning could have been better.
- Goal 3: Essentially a 3 on 1 with a perfect shot off the post and in.

He also stopped 2 clean break aways and a 2-on-1. FWIW, I think Vladar was just as bad.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

You give Levi the bulk of the starts at the AHL and send one of them to the ECHL. No big deal there. Messing up this kids development is an absolute joke....buffalo being buffalo. I get giving him a few games last year as Levi had leverage to sign or not to sign but there is no way he should be in the NHL right now. So dumb.

They’re not messing up his development - it’s all mental and you don’t even know the kid. You can’t determine what’s better for him without knowing him. You’re just trolling.

They are throwing their season away though, which is the real concern.

 

[Fjordy]

If Buffalo management has a clue they send Levi down today to join the AHL team and start the season over.

And who will be our goalie? They don't even trust the other two goalies, how the hell does that sound like a good plan?

 

[OldScool]

They’re not messing up his development - it’s all mental and you don’t even know the kid. You can’t determine what’s better for him without knowing him. You’re just trolling.

They are throwing their season away though, which is the real concern.

I am trolling? Then why do 99.9999% of all goalies spend a season or two in the AHL? Askarov, Knight, Wallstedt, etc are all in their 2nd year of the AHL. Levi is being rushed. Fact. You don't develop in the NHL - you should be a finished project at that point. He has a .892....thats not good and mentally he looks lost already. Ask any GM and the proper development path is AHL for him. Buffalo is dumb and will pay for it.

And who will be our goalie? They don't even trust the other two goalies, how the hell does that sound like a good plan?

Any goalie with a .892 would be similar. Toss in Comrie or UPL and you would get similar results and stats all while Levi would be developing and learning the pro game. You guys all think UPL sucked last season but guess his save percentage last season? Yep. .892 the same that Levi has now.

 

[Jim Bob]

I am trolling? Then why do 99.9999% of all goalies spend a season or two in the AHL? Askarov, Knight, Wallstedt, etc are all in their 2nd year of the AHL. Levi is being rushed. Fact. You don't develop in the NHL - you should be a finished project at that point. He has a .892....thats not good and mentally he looks lost already. Ask any GM and the proper development path is AHL for him. Buffalo is dumb and will pay for it.


Any goalie with a .892 would be similar. Toss in Comrie or UPL and you would get similar results and stats all while Levi would be developing and learning the pro game. You guys all think UPL sucked last season but guess his save percentage last season? Yep. .892 the same that Levi has now.

There is still time to learn lessons from the past...

 

[Fjordy]

Any goalie with a .892 would be similar. Toss in Comrie or UPL and you would get similar results and stats all while Levi would be developing and learning the pro game. You guys all think UPL sucked last season but guess his save percentage last season? Yep. .892 the same that Levi has now.

Just now a sample of four games, where Levi played well in two of them. Last season, Levy was above 90%, while Comrie and UPL were 88% and 89%. Our coach does not trust UPL and Comrie. I don't believe in them either. And I believe in Levi, but we needed another goalie who could take on the main load while Levi quietly developed in Rochester or Buffalo as a backup. But we don’t have this goalie, so it’s logical to bet on Levi. Our attack and defense are also far from ideal.

 

[OldScool]

Just now a sample of four games, where Levi played well in two of them. Last season, Levy was above 90%, while Comrie and UPL were 88% and 89%. Our coach does not trust UPL and Comrie. I don't believe in them either. And I believe in Levi, but we needed another goalie who could take on the main load while Levi quietly developed in Rochester or Buffalo as a backup. But we don’t have this goalie, so it’s logical to bet on Levi. Our attack and defense are also far from ideal.

Honest question - why should the coach trust Levi? No reason to based on this sample either...

 

[Fezzy126]

I've been a pretty big supporter of Levi jumping straight to the NHL, I just don't subscribe to the theory that something should be done because that's the way it has always been done. The variables around lower level development, coaching, equipment, training, etc have all evolved substantially over the last 30 years.

That being said, there is a world of difference between deploying a kid in a timeshare vs trotting him out everyday as an undisputed #1 goalie. I think four straight starts is complete nonsense. you're carrying three goalies, FFS play one of them at least every 3rd game unless Levi is so hot it would be stupid to take him out.

My only guess is that they want to push him hard early on to see how much he can handle and he responds to the load
If that's the case (and that's a big if), I completely disagree with the approach.

 

[DapperCam]

Honest question - why should the coach trust Levi? No reason to based on this sample either...

UPL and Comrie were bad last year and Levi played better in his starts at the end of the year. I assume he outperforms them in practice also. It isn’t rocket science. If anybody has a gripe, it should be that they didn’t trade Comrie, waive UPL and bring in a better veteran goalie to split with Levi.

It’s hard to look at the UFA list and see who could have been signed. All of the good vets re-signed with the teams they were already with. The only notable goalie that changed teams was Korpisalo. It’s possible there were zero UFA options.

So I guess maybe we should have traded for a goalie, but who knows who was available and at what price. The Lightning are stuck with Johansson at starter and can’t seem to find a deal.

 

[Gras]

View attachment 755215

There is still time to learn lessons from the past...

We need a lockout season where there is only the AHL?

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I am trolling? Then why do 99.9999% of all goalies spend a season or two in the AHL? Askarov, Knight, Wallstedt, etc are all in their 2nd year of the AHL. Levi is being rushed. Fact. You don't develop in the NHL - you should be a finished project at that point. He has a .892....thats not good and mentally he looks lost already. Ask any GM and the proper development path is AHL for him. Buffalo is dumb and will pay for it.


Any goalie with a .892 would be similar. Toss in Comrie or UPL and you would get similar results and stats all while Levi would be developing and learning the pro game. You guys all think UPL sucked last season but guess his save percentage last season? Yep. .892 the same that Levi has now.

You really have no idea what you’re talking about. You completely ignored my point because you are not familiar with how these decisions are made. You’re using useless data points and metrics that none of the teams use themselves to make these decisions.

Whether you’re a troll or just dumb and bored, same results.

 

[Chainshot]

I've been a pretty big supporter of Levi jumping straight to the NHL, I just don't subscribe to the theory that something should be done because that's the way it has always been done. The variables around lower level development, coaching, equipment, training, etc have all evolved substantially over the last 30 years.

That being said, there is a world of difference between deploying a kid in a timeshare vs trotting him out everyday as an undisputed #1 goalie. I think four straight starts is complete nonsense. you're carrying three goalies, FFS play one of them at least every 3rd game unless Levi is so hot it would be stupid to take him out.

My only guess is that they want to push him hard early on to see how much he can handle and he responds to the load
If that's the case (and that's a big if), I completely disagree with the approach.

Well they pushed him into being day-to-day. I've disagreed with handing him the reins since it became clear that was their only plan. While individual development should be taken into account, it is almost never without need for work not just because "it's always been done this way" regarding goaltender development.

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[Jim Bob]

We need a lockout season where there is only the AHL?

No, you can send a rookie straight out of college to the AHL after trying to hand him the starter job in the NHL and it not going great.

 

[OldScool]

You really have no idea what you’re talking about. You completely ignored my point because you are not familiar with how these decisions are made. You’re using useless data points and metrics that none of the teams use themselves to make these decisions.

Whether you’re a troll or just dumb and bored, same results.

Yeah bud, Levi is doing great. All the analytics and stats are wrong and you are right.

 

[Fjordy]

Honest question - why should the coach trust Levi? No reason to based on this sample either...

Because he is a promising goalie who was good at all levels where he played, also because our other two goalkeepers were terrible and have almost no experience. Again, if we had at least an average goalie then the coach would have a choice, but we don’t have one, this is the job of the GM, not the coach.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[WeDislikeEich]

Wtf is the point of having 3 goalies on the roster if they don’t trust 2 of them to even get spot starts as a backup?

 

[Fjordy]

Wtf is the point of having 3 goalies on the roster if they don’t trust 2 of them to even get spot starts as a backup?

Zero sense