dudacek

It’s done. It’s going to drop when fan anxiety over lack of a big move hits its peak, which, judging from what I’ve read here this morning might be coming soon.

In his defence, we did pick 1st twice, but I don’t think the draft hauls are really close. We’ve had 11 firsts and 9 2nds in the past 6 years. They’ve had 10 and 15. 1 Dahlin - 4 Raymond 1 Power - 6 Seider 7 Cozens - 6 Eidvinsson 8 Mittelstadt - 6 Zadina 8 Quinn - 8 Kasper 9 Savoie - 9 Rasmussen 13 Benson - 9 Danielson 14 Rosen - 15 Cossa 16 Östlund - 17 Sandin-Pelikka 28 Kulich - 30 Veleno 31 Johnson - 32 Wallinder 32 Samuelsson - 33 Beggren 33 Poltapov - 35 Tuomisto 34 Peterka - 36 Buim 37 Davidsson - 36 McIsaac 39 Wahlberg - 38 Lindstrom 41 Leinonen - 40 James 45 Strbak - 41 Augustine 53 Kisakov - 42 Gibson 54 Luukkonen - 47 Cleveland — 51 Neiderbach — 52 Buchelnikov — 54 Mastrosimone — 55 Hanas — 60 Johansson

Longest in Colorado sports and he was very open that he had no intention of leaving; it was the team’s choice.

I’m starting to think there are only 2 paths worth taking: pay the price for Gibson, Hart or Hellebuyck, or put all your chips on Levi and use those assets to acquire Pesce/Hanifin. I don’t think a good middle ground option for goalie acquisition exists.

2 games. Didn’t really make an impact.

Not quite. Savoie went to Rochester after the ICE got knocked out. But I think the more important thing was Savoie has been to a development camp, Benson never has. Related, Benson and Ryan Johnson were the only 1st-rounders on the ice today and Kisakov and this year’s pair were the only 2nd rounders.

Just so we’re clear, you know that neither of those guys is a backup, or even a 1B when it comes to the NHL goalie pecking order, right? Jarry is 7th in starts over the past 3 years and is the league’s 12th highest-paid goalie. Hart is 16th and 26th and will be due for a big raise next year. These are bona fide NHL starters by their contracts and track records. Nothing wrong with saying those should be Buffalo’s targets, but this is the backup goalie thread and if you want to acquire them you will not be paying backup goalie prices. It feels like I am seeing a lot of “we just need a guy to break in Levi” and then throwing out names of expensive players who would be the undisputed starters for half the league.

Seems like most people like the signing, but how many think Clifton can be a solid #4 defenceman? I look at him more as a 4/5 - a guy who can play top 4 minutes in a pinch, but is better suited for the 3rd pairing.

I think it’s weird that the Sabres draft Benson and we hear a chorus of “too small and soft, can’t win in the playoffs.” Yet when we sign a 6’4” 225-pound Stanley Cup winning mountain, and the most abrasive defenceman on the Bruins, after trading for Greenway and Stillman at the deadline to replace Hinostroza and Bryson we get crickets. People see what they want to see 🤷

You’ve been very consistent in saying that Levi will be a good starter, so why should we pay a bushel to to grab someone he’s going to make redundant anyway? Part of me thinks you’ve got a point.

Bertuzzi is a guy I would have a tough time cheering for and will have an easy time hating in blue-and-white. However, he should be an upgrade for them over Bunting.

Agreed. There was a very noticeable shift in coaching focus from “developing” to “winning” that happened to close out the season. I see no reason for that to shift in the coming year.

Here’s the thing about proven starting goalies: there aren’t very many of them. You want to know how many goalies have played 130 games over the past 3 years, which is only an average of 43 starts? Just 13 You aren’t getting Vasilevskiy, Saros, Shesterkin, Sorokin and Oettinger. And most of you don’t want Hellebuyck, Markstrom, Gibson, Binnington or Bobrovsky given their contracts. I’d say Kuemper and Jarry are both too expensive, and unavailable. And then there’s Fleury who has a no-movement clause and is apparently done with moving. The Venn diagram of goalies who are proven, available and affordable is very small.

I was feeling the same way. Adams says he is recovering from a stress factor in his foot and probably won’t be on the ice.

Is there anyone who is “that good”? Any time anyone proposes a goalie, somebody responds with a version of this. Not pointing fingers at you, it’s something we all seem to be guilty of. Goaltending really does seem to be in the eye of the beholder. My reading of this board is that the only goalie we’d all be happy with Saros, and even then only if we didn’t pay too much.

To be clear, I don’t think Quinn’s injury will prevent Adams from using him as a chip. What I am saying is that prior to the injury, Olofsson did not have a role in the starting 12 and was likely to be moved for futures if he couldn’t be moved in a package for an upgrade. With Quinn’s injury, however, Victor does have a role in the starting lineup. Therefore, I think Adams would rather keep him for the time being than acquiring a draft pick. I think Rousek or Kulich should have to take the roster spot rather than have it freely given. Just IMHO.

Someone who needs to move out a body, thinks the combination of Victor and the other assets constitutes the best offer, and disagrees with your opinion on Victor. I think Adams will have to retain in order to close any deal and I think many GMs would be interested in a 28-goal scorer at $2.3 million, regardless of the other holes in his game.

Feels like one of those group-think echo chamber opinions. A select group comes to a similar conclusion based on a small sample size and the fact they agree and loudly repeat it as fact entrenches an opinion as a fact. It’s basically the heartbeat of Twitter.

Most of you seem to think Olofsson is just being sold off to the highest bidder for futures. I don’t think that’s the case at all. I think he is a chip being floated as part of a package aimed at acquiring a roster upgrade. I think any chance he was being shipped off for a pick vanished along with Quinn’s Achilles.

Johnson looks older and more self-assured than last year’s uncomfortable session. Also had a session with Östlund who doesn’t look 15 any more and says his biggest focus is on getting bigger.

I thought the most interesting thing Adams said today about goaltending was that they could have been in on some goalies but said “why would I do that if they aren’t better than what we already have?” Also said he had UPL over to the house for dinner and had a big heart-to-heart. Said he hopes UPL left with a good understanding of what his opportunity is and what he has to do to seize it.

Compliance buyout that does not affect the cap. Context was last year’s Bishop contract and why it was acquired.

We just watched a season where UPL and Comrie played 52 games and the Sabres were 33 points above the bottom. Think about it.

They’ll be traded or waived. They won’t be paid to play golf.

This poll supposes Levi is going to be a starter or at least split the starting role. In that case, how would you address the other goalie slot and two other goalies we have under contract? Starting goalie poll thread here