Thorner

4 points back

Like I said about 50/50 now

50/50 86/87

Hurricanes tie it up with caps Sabres are more likely to make the playoffs than miss after today

Need Caps and Wings to lose

Playoffs

Must win

We should probably just make the playoffs, considering the cut off is going to be about 81 points What do we have, 6 games left? 2–2-2 should get it done 2-3-1 maybe: I could see the caps and flyers misplacing a point or two we actually might already be in a playoff spot

*Samuelsson was assigned the contract upon being born

I don’t mean to claim it’s not a justifiable risk: merely that’s it’s not such a sure thing, “only real option available, or worth considering” that if it doesn’t work, Adams isn’t amendable to result. It’s justifiable, but it’s also justifiable to want to bring in a more veteran back up so we have 2 kicks at the G2 can in training camp. Going with UPL/Levi is defensible right now, in the moment, but that doesn’t stop it from being judged purely based on the results it yields. Exactly. Like I said, “no stone unturned”. Our only difference is what we’d pay to bring in that competition, I guarantee it

No, you are talking strategy. It’s not the same strategy, I get it. I said principle: the idea a victor will emerge from competition. I was just using the theory of that principle to illustrate my point. Haggling over straw man, here: “competition breeds results” that old thing that’s all I’m saying

I guess so, if you don’t count Levi. Will he play more Rochester games this year or Buffalo games? To me if he’s more so an AHLer than NHLer this year he can only be classified as a prospective NHLer

Adams employed this exact principle (to the detriment of the team, but eventual emergence of a candidate) this very season. 3 long shots led to one emergence. I’d give Levi some healthy competition for G2. I just wouldn’t enter into the season with 3 on active roster But if they actually use training camp to get this team off and running as if their fans’ fandom depends on it (and it does), a nice healthy camp battle between Levi and a backup candidate better than, checks notes…Comrie is something I’d like to see Yes, it’s not going to happen. I understand we have anointed him a spot. Adams is the “don’t block” guy not the “healthy competition” guy, in general. I get the idea he only defaulted to the “let these 3 duke it out” situation in net last year because Levi didn’t seize the role to the extent he thought he would I also appreciate the fact I have to argue strenuously to support the idea that counting on a *20 year old* with all of 20 starts in his career, in year we HAVE to make the playoffs, to provide 30-35 quality starts MIGHT provide a bit of reason for pause…but such is the nature of the Adams’ era If the best we can do in year 5 of a GM’s tenure is, “well, it might work out, we might make the playoffs, I don’t really see any less risky bets” then I suppose that’s the bed he’s made that he needs to lie in But just because other options were also risky doesn’t mean he’s not amendable to the results of his equally risky bet. His job is to choose the course of action that yields the desired results, not merely make defensible decisions by prism of moment. It’s not a “what could even have been done?” situation if it doesn’t work out.

No, I don’t see that as the fundamental disagreement. I more less share your analysis of Levi. Our fundamental disagreement is in the prioritization of next season. Hypothetically, if we could bring in a guy we adjudged to have a 45% chance of providing the goaltending we need for G2 relative to Levi’s 50% likelihood, I bring in that guy to increase the odds and hedge the bet, and see how they look in camp I’d rather have a bird in hand for G2, too: I take your meaning. But I’d also rather have 2 birds in the bush than 1 bird in the bush

I’d kill to be a team with a terrible prospect pool full of washed up has beens (not saying OVI is that) at least we’d “have been”

The context has changed both ways. We have UPL, but the pitfalls of missing the playoffs and thus urgency in addressing any issue we can should be going way up. It’s both more likely Levi succeeds as G2 and, at the same time, even more disastrous if he does not My willingness to pay is a reflection of the fact the GT *has* to work out. I’m actually assuming UPL DOES work out. We absolutely cannot afford to manually torpedo that because the guy taking the other 30 starts isn’t good enough

I’m not convinced we have a single problem on the roster by the prism of this logic lol What do you want to do, zoom out as far as Jupiter so we can divide goalies into “Hellebuyck (who no one wanted, anyways haha) or question mark” when in reality perfect need not be the enemy of good. If you don’t think we can find a net minder who at least provides a reasonable amount of competition in camp to a guy with 20 nhl starts of mediocre play, we’ll just have to disagree. If you don’t think it’s worth paying for Levi to have to beat that player out, we just don’t have the same priorities. This franchise has bent over backwards to anoint Levi a spot: this doesn’t need to be argued - they granted him a spot this year when objectively he proved not yet ready. I do agree with you it’s very unlikely they bring in a player who provides an obstacle to him seizing G2. But your overall stance has moved much more in line with KA’s than apart over the course of this year’s likely playoff miss

I was kinda hoping he got it, but if he has to hold his team hostage to do it, as he seemed to be earlier in the year, it just cheapens the whole thing so it sorta tarnishes it. But he’s been picking it up of late

I think we mathematically had a pretty good shot How many of those 19 were in a row, you ask? All of them. He’s never not been point a game

- - - I think about missing out on Sid way way more than McDavid. We’d have titles.

There’s absolutely a moratorium on “crow eating” if it takes 5 years. Can we go ahead and get that out of the way, now? “See? I called it! Kevyn Adams is great!” receipts expire after missing the playoffs this year If we make the playoffs next year it’s, “ok, you can keep your job”

20 nhl starts doesn’t make a solution. It represents only a potential one. The problem exists until it’s solved, not until it hypothetically could be I saw the quote as less relevant re Donny and more relevant re the goaltending

I’d be willing to spend quite a bit. Because, A) we have it B) we absolutely have to be right, here Have you heard the phrase “no stone unturned”? That’s my philosophy in terms of approaching talent upgrades and failsafes for augmenting a playoff team next season ymmv This. I’m sort of done with, “well, there’s a reasonable argument this could work.” They need to put things into a position where we are saying “it’s not reasonable to think it won’t” - - - do we want to have true expectations, or not? People were saying this offseason, “don’t run and hide from having expectations this year. It’s time. Anything short of playoffs is a disappointment.” If we fall short of that, how could playoffs NEXT year be anything short of a mandated, “do what’s necessary to get it done”? No stone unturned. Next season is the priority, not the nameless future and not the “process”