dudacek

Freddie

I’m no goalie expert, but when a guy is that athletic, that technically sharp and that mentally focused I find it pretty easy to believe he might be for real. I’ve been saying he’s their best prospect for months because this is what I’ve been seeing in him. Now I did not expect him to step in and grab the crease immediately - because goalies don’t do that. But the ability is there and his mental acuity is rare. So I’m not going to dismiss it out of hand. Kevyn Adams just might know more than me.

Yes. But it does seem to happen mostly with more limited guys like a Patrick Lalime or Andrew Hammond comes out of nowhere and gets on a hot streak. Most goalies who combine well-rounded technique with good athleticism don’t have a pronounced weakness for the tape to reveal. When they struggle, it will largely be mental. Also, remember, hockey is chaotic, so, if a goalie struggles in a particular area, the game and the defence has to present opportunities to exploit that area. It’s not like football where you can design a game plan to consistently take away a QB’s strengths.

I expect him to shop around the goalie market, find out that the small group of available goalies on short-term deals either “cost too much to acquire,” or “aren’t significantly better” than UPL or Comrie and let the three of them battle it out in training camp. That’s a battle I expect Levi to win, and Adams does too. Again, it’s not what I would do. I would throw a $6 million AAV two-year offer at an Andersen or Varlamov, or pay the necessary price for a similar-level goalie with a year or 2 left on his contract. I’d fully expect Levi to supplant him - maybe even immediately - but it’s a price I’m willing to pay for the security blanket.

It's not what I would do, but i expect it is what Adams will do. Fingers crossed Devon will justify the faith.

Silver lining things, but if I am reading their personalities correctly, I think this finish — particularly their personal finishes — are going to be very potent motivational fodder for our current core of Tuch, Dahlin and Thompson. I also expect Jack Quinn to take a jump and hope some of Krebs, Peterka, Power, Samuelsson and UPL may follow. I could group Cozens in both this category and the one above. Finally, whether or not he is or should be in the NHL next year, I'm reasonably confident Levi is capable of providing better goaltending than we got this year. So I am expecting this team to be improved regardless of Stillman, Greenway, Savoie, Kulich, Rousek or any other moves we may (and should) make.

Agreed, but has to learn to use his body better for leverage and defending. He's never had to use his size in the way lesser talents are forced to. Nick Lidstrom is what he should be aiming for.

3C (I'm defining that in terms of ice time) will almost certainly be Peyton Krebs. That's the player they think can grow into that role. He's been trained for the defensive part of the role between Girgs and KO for the 2nd half of the season. Hes killing penalties, taking D-zone faceoffs and has been getting 15 minutes a night down the stretch, good for 7th in ice time among the forwards.

Levi's level of play, the way he's been handled, and the way the Sabres have handled prospects in general lead me to believe the plan since last summer was Anderson and Comrie this year while giving UPL every opportunity to shove his way to the front and Comrie and UPL next year, giving Levi every opportunity to push his way to the front. I wonder if that plan still holds.

It's only two games, but it's looking like the plan may very well be to give him the opportunity. Which kinda precludes bringing in a Saros or a Demko. The question then becomes can they find somewhat in a sweet spot of being good enough to carry the load if Levi falters yet disposable enough to gracefully step aside if he doesn't. Because it doesn't feel like Comrie or UPL is that player.

Not hugely meaningful, but fun to dream about: 104 goalies have played in the NHL this year. UPL ranks 80th at .892. Eric Comrie ranks 91st at .886. Levi? He's 3rd with a .942

Losing sucks. My team doesn’t.

It's really incredible how much he's elevated as the season has gone on.

LOL. I was responding to your misinterpretation of my post. Come on man, are you actually telling me that you know what I meant better than I did? 😜

I think that fits nicely under transformation of the player culture

The core of Adams rebuild comes down 3 things, IMO: 1) The transformation of the front office: Karmanos, Ventura, Forton, the increased reliance on analytics and player development, and the implementation of a "team" philosophy where everyone feels heard. Time will tell with the prospects, but generally speaking, player evaluation seems to have taken a significant step forward. 2) The transformation of player culture: focusing on players who want to be here, treating them with respect, and surrounding them with guys like Granato, Appert, Mair and more whose philosophy is all about continuous, positive self-improvement. The development of the players already in the system has been shockingly good. 3) The great sell-off of 2021: Turning the tank core of Eichel, Reinhart and Ristolainen into Tuch, Krebs, Östlund, Greenway, Kulich, Levi, Rosen and a player to be determined in June. Tuch was a better return than we reasonably could have expected given the Eichel situation. The others we shall see.

Feels different. I think I remember this.

Agree on UPL. He seems to have all the tools to be a good goalie and he works hard, he just seems to lack technique, or the focus to maintain technique.

I have not watched much Amerk hockey this year, but I’d love get a scouting report on Rosen from those who have. Sabres Live asked Mike Weber for one word to describe Rosen and that word was “compete”. Shocked the heck out of me. He went on to say that when the play back they tape they can’t be more happy than what they see from him in terms of effort and diligence away from the puck.

Last year, would anyone have had any issues if the Sabres had been in the race when Owen Power arrived, and Mark Pysyk or Jacob Bryson had sat instead of him? Because, to me, Comrie and Luukkonen are the goalie equivalents of Pysyk and Bryson. Levi may not be a first overall pick, but his track record in college and with Team Canada is every bit as dominant as Power's.

The bold was entirely the point of my post you objected to. Thanks for engaging. That fact you had not previously while firing the "don't care about making the playoffs" missile into the discussion was frustrating. You are generally very much in tune with the romance of being a sports fan. Choosing the banality of a .525 finish with Eric Comrie or UPL over the potential of a great story doesn't fit.

Why?

He's been on the left when I've been paying attention. The bolded is interesting. To me, a 3/4 line wing reads as your #10 forward. You certainly can't be paying your #10 what a 50-point scorer makes. But right now, Casey is the Sabres pretty clear #5, as measured by ice time (after Tage, Tuch, Skinner and Cozens). My expectation would be that Quinn overtakes him next year while current #6 Kyle gets phased down or out, leaving Casey fighting off an improving Peterka and Krebs for the 6/7 slot. Ideally, you want a team where most of your lineup is playing a slot below where they belong: that's the definition of depth. I think we can both win with, and afford, a team with Casey scoring 50 points from the #7 slot.

My hot take: “we have 3 goalies who have not got the job done all year, let’s give one of the best goalies in college history a shot.” Yours: “we have 3 goalies who have not got the job done all year, we better play one of them instead of one of the best goalies in college history.” I get repeatedly told I’m giving up on the season. But I’m the obnoxious one?