Confirmed with Link: Sabres sign G Devon Levi to a 3 year ELC

[old kummelweck]

Wasn't Miller's AHL career prolonged due to the lockout?

 

[Reddawg]

Excellent!

What's the next thing to worry about?

Getting Matt Savoie an exemption so he can play in Rochester next season instead of wasting another year in the Dub.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Wasn't Miller's AHL career prolonged due to the lockout?

He still had 2 seasons in the AHL prior to 04-05.

02-03 - 47 AHL games, 15 NHL games, 3 AHL playoff games
03-04 - 60 AHL games, 3 NHL games, 14 AHL playoff games
04-05 - 63 AHL games, 0 NHL games, 9 AHL playoff games
05-06 - 2 AHL games, 48 NHL games, 18 NHL playoff games

Prior to the lockout year he still had 107 AHL games under his belt, and 17 AHL playoff games.

 

[Chainshot]

Miller played 15 games in 2002-2003. That detroit meltdown in 2003-2004 wasn't his first pro game

And when did he establish himself as the starter?

 

[Chainshot]

Wasn't Miller's AHL career prolonged due to the lockout?

107 games in the AHL prior to the lockout. Even if he comes out in the lockout year, it took him over 100. Hellebuyck was 88.

 

[dortt]

And when did he establish himself as the starter?

I never mentioned establishing himself as starter. I said he looked like an NHL goalie in 2002-2003

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

How will the reactions be if the kid looks like he belongs in a start or two?



Comrie’s best purpose is to get waived or traded so we can attempt to get a legitimate starting goalie in here this off-season. Want to see a team get frustrated? Trot the same shit out there two seasons in a row.

I wish. I was hollering about a goalie this past summer but it seems like KA et al made their choice.

 

[Chainshot]

I never mentioned establishing himself as starter. I said he looked like an NHL goalie in 2002-2003

The Sabres need a starter, not someone filling in due to injury. That is going to take an adjustment and that adjustment will likely take at least a season if not more. That was the point of my post - people need to temper their expectations that he's going to walk right into the crease in Buffalo. It's highly unlikely that he does.

 

[Zman5778]

I never mentioned establishing himself as starter. I said he looked like an NHL goalie in 2002-2003

I'd add that he looked like an NHL goalie at times that year. It wasn't consistent.

 

[old kummelweck]

Wonder if Levi will connect with the Sabres in Boston. He probably can't travel with them until his immigration is sorted.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

You know they already traded Portillo's rights, right?

Indeed, but they now have four goalies for three spots. Comrie is the obvious guy on the outside. I meant Comire not Portillo.

 

[Chainshot]

Indeed, but they now have four goalies for three spots. Comrie is the obvious guy on the outside. I meant Comire not Portillo.

Comrie's contract may run out before Levi is ready for full-time NHL duty. It's only one more year.

 

[Matt Ress]

Suppose if/when we see him depends on how he looks and feels in practice

 

[Zman5778]

Indeed, but they now have four goalies for three spots.

When? We don't have to worry about the rest of this year, as the rosters are expanded.

Next year, it's highly highly likely that it's Comrie and UPL in the NHL and Levi with a vet in Rochester.

If we happen to acquire a goalie for next year.......then I think it'd be UPL on the block as we could get something for him.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Now it's time to get a starting goalie until he is ready.

I think Adams doesn't add that. I think he still like UPL and Comrie .

 

[5 Minute Major]

When? We don't have to worry about the rest of this year, as the rosters are expanded.

Next year, it's highly highly likely that it's Comrie and UPL in the NHL and Levi with a vet in Rochester.

If we happen to acquire a goalie for next year.......then I think it'd be UPL on the block as we could get something for him.

I think Comrie will be shopped and then probably waived. It will be UPL and they will acquire a known commodity as their starter.

Enough is enough. Levi isn’t going anywhere. Get a guy that has two or three years left or signed to that long. If UPL develops into something better that’s gravy at this point.

Status quo is not nearly good enough until Levi is ready.

 

[Dubi Doo]

107 games in the AHL prior to the lockout. Even if he comes out in the lockout year, it took him over 100. Hellebuyck was 88.

I think people have a tough time grasping how big of a jump it is going from college to the AHL let alone the NHL. It's not only that the quality of competition increases tenfold- it's the grind of a full pro season, too.

I fully expect Levi to play a full season in Rochester next year. I love the idea of him being a starter down there and *hopefully* being the starter of a solid playoff team.

 

[dotcommunism]

I think people have a tough time grasping how big of a jump it is going from college to the AHL let alone the NHL. It's not only that the quality of competition increases tenfold- it's the grind of a full pro season, too.

I fully expect Levi to play a full season in Rochester next year. I love the idea of him being a starter down there and *hopefully* being the starter of a solid playoff team.

Right, even if a goalie gets leaned on super heavily in college, like Levi did, he still doesn't play a number of games that approaches a full starter's load at the professional level. Besides that, NCAA teams play about two games a week (and I'd assume they practice less than pro teams do too)

 

[Sabre the Win]

Didn't Hasek put up some eye watering numbers in his early starts in Buffalo as well before he became the dominator or am I misremembering.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Didn't Hasek put up some eye watering numbers in his early starts in Buffalo as well before he became the dominator or am I misremembering.

Hasek was also 27, had spent time as a backup in Chicago, and had extensive experience behind the Iron Curtain before that. Not really comparable situations.

 

[Zman5778]

Didn't Hasek put up some eye watering numbers in his early starts in Buffalo as well before he became the dominator or am I misremembering.

Yeah, in 92 and half of 93, he wasn't particularly good........

 

[Jim Bob]

How will the reactions be if the kid looks like he belongs in a start or two?

People will have the anointing oil out and want to rush him to the show.

Spencer Knight’s best Save% was in his short stint after turning pro. The Panthers kept him up when the best thing for him was to be patient and send him to the AHL.

And now his development doesn’t look anywhere near as good as it did three years ago.

Sorry if I don’t want the Sabres to potentially ruin Levi by rushing him.

 

[Jim Bob]

I think people have a tough time grasping how big of a jump it is going from college to the AHL let alone the NHL. It's not only that the quality of competition increases tenfold- it's the grind of a full pro season, too.

I fully expect Levi to play a full season in Rochester next year. I love the idea of him being a starter down there and *hopefully* being the starter of a solid playoff team.

People underestimate the jump from playing 30-35 games a season to 50+, too.

Levi has never had anywhere near a pro workload in his career from Bantam on up. His high was 37 GP in his last season of Jr A.

And he’s played 73 games total over the past three seasons.

 

[Waterfowlist]

People will have the anointing oil out and want to rush him to the show.

Spencer Knight’s best Save% was in his short stint after turning pro. The Panthers kept him up when the best thing for him was to be patient and send him to the AHL.

And now his development doesn’t look anywhere near as good as it did three years ago.

Sorry if I don’t want the Sabres to potentially ruin Levi by rushing him.

Literally, nothing with Spencer Knight can be used as a comparison. He has something significant going on off the ice, whatever that may be. We have no idea how that has impacted his development.

I should add though, expectations are wayyyyy too high around here for Levi. Give the kid a few years to develop. We need an immediate answer for the short term.

 

[Jim Bob]

Literally, nothing with Spencer Knight can be used as a comparison. He has something significant going on off the ice, whatever that may be. We have no idea how that has impacted his development.

I should add though, expectations are wayyyyy too high around here for Levi. Give the kid a few years to develop. We need an immediate answer for the short term.

One thing I feel is safe to say is that the fast tracking him to the NHL and all the pressure that put on him was unlikely to help whatever else he had going on. And it could have been a significant factor in what he's dealing with.

Carter Hart is another guy that got rushed to the NHL recently by a goalie needy franchise who has seen his development hit major bumps.

The Sabres absolutely should start Levi in Rochester next season. Full stop. Let him learn and adjust to the pro game away from the scrutiny that will come in Buffalo next season where the pressure to make the playoffs will me immense.