Pimlach

Well no one else wanted a slightly better goalie. Most of us wanted a proven NHL goalie to pair with Levi. They are all gone. So it’s easy for Adams to say that the goalies out there aren’t better than what we have because he failed to make the trades needed to get one when they were available. What did Adams do? Defense - Replaced Clague and Bryson with Clifton and Johnson. Sure, the defense is better, and the PK should be better, but by how much? Both of these guys were bottom pairings on contending teams Johnson brings experience and a cup and adds depth. Clifton is young and tough I give these moves a C+ for now, and maybe a solid B if Clifton has another level that we didn’t see in Boston. Forwards - he re-signed KO, ZG, and Jost. With Quinn on IR he failed to add a forward so is his plan to backfill with the one dimensional Olofsson? Kulich, Savoie and Rousek will all get a look Nothing was done to address face-offs or adding a solid two-way player on a team that ranked 32 in this category and was poor defensively. He is banking on a healthy first line (didn’t happen last year) and improved play of existing players, one if those key players is on IR. Goalies - Levi, UPL and Comrie are all inexperienced and unproven Levi looks like the real deal but 7 games is not a lot to go with. Anderson was the most reliable goalie on the team last year until Levi arrived, he is gone. Maybe UPL will surprise us? In my opinion Adams is taking a big risk. Are they a playoff team? That is a huge “we shall see”. We have to stay healthy and right out of the gate we lost a 2nd line winger in Quinn. This team is counting on improvement of young players. The core players all need to have another big season and Levi needs to be the very rare true rookie star goalie. They are almost the same team, the defense looks a bit better on paper, so the team improvement must come from player improvement. The players with more significant upside that must improve are Quinn, Peterka, Power, Samuelsson, Greenway, and the new rookies. Dahlin must have another Norris contending year Tage, Tuch, Skinner, Mitrs and Cozens must not slip in production. On top of that we better hope Pittsburgh, the Isles, and the Lightning all continue to get worse and that Ottawa and Detroit don’t make a jump. It’s possible we are a playoff team but if the goaltending doesn’t hold up we finished outside looking in.

... and not letting him sit at the cool kids table at lunch.

OK then, bank on Levi and UPL and hope everyone else stays healthy and gets better - and let the chips fall.

Still need a goalie.

I disagree with this approach, giving up essentially two #1’s for a one year rental is not ideal. Adding one “special guy” for one year may not help the locker room of a young and up and coming team very much either. However, it is probably better than doing nothing at all and going with Levi/UPL/Comrie. A lot can go wrong with the later. This core needs help to start winning consistently and the fan base deserves better than another season with no playoffs.

Thank you, and so true. When is an opening offer ever a best and final offer? The opening offer is typically followed by a counter. I guess the Flames fan with connections missed that part of it.

I have read one comment about that regarding a forward. Apparently the Flames got a better offer?

1. Not sure about next year but in future Levi is likely to be a 1A 2. Yes, get a goalie that can win right now and push Levi, can be short term to keep price down 3. We have the prospects or picks to spare to vault ahead and start winning. One first pick and one expendable player/prospect I want to win right now. We are not going to field all those forward prospects, that is impossible, so go get a goalie.

Yup I know. Which is why I stated this in response to the survey. Someone who can be a 1B, unless he actually plays like the 1A (blasphemy).

We have had terrible goaltending for so long that the fanbase does not even know it anymore.

I will probably be agitated with him.

Some options are gone. I don't think Hellebyuck (sp?) is affordable (since Levi is the plan) and a long term deal seems to be a thing for him. The guy in Nashville, similar thing - cost/term. Jarry from Pitts, Hart from Philly - they both have proven themselves beyond UPL/Comrie. That level of goalie should fit the timeframe and the budget of KA. KA's past tendencies concerning goalies has been to stick with the lowest cost options. So its probably going to be UPL as the #2 if I had to bet.

1. No - don't think we should risk a playoff season with Levi and UPL/Comrie 2. Yes - we need to should add a proven NHL goalie that has had some success. Get out of the bargain bin Kevyn. 3. I think the term "a fair amount" might be more than the survey question specifies, and I stop short of calling it "whatever it takes". I fall in between. I think we need a proven goalie to be brought in. Someone who can be a 1B, unless he actually plays like the 1A (blasphemy). Look at adding him on a 2-3 year contract. Getting the dollar value of the contract to fit the salary cap's projected plan-line (which none of us really knows) is the hard part. Tom Petty said that the waiting is the hardest part. He is right.

There were middle 6 UFAs that we passed on, although rumor has it we pursued one pretty hard but could not reach an agreement.

I think he will be moved after Quinn gets back, probably at the deadline. Unless we package him in a hockey trade somehow in favor of an emerging prospect.

Good on paper but how do they pay Pesce and add Karlsson after adding Orlov?

Rotate him from 3rd pair to 7. Playing him less games will help him at this point.

ROR will party like crazy there.

<speechless>

There is golf or other exercise, there is playing a musical instrument, drawing/painting, gardening/ landscaping, woodworking, volunteering …. you can do these things and many more and your wife might be happy that your not surfing the net or watching senseless TV. Your meatless meatloaf could become a nice juicy rib eye.

Ssshhh. He can hear you.

Looking at Adams past practices would tell me, no extension then no deal. Include an extension and a favorable contract and then yes, I would trade a prospect or pick (not any prospect either). The problem is the contract term and AAV. Add Helle and we are a pretty strong team.

This approach got us Dell and Tokarski in past seasons.

Probably will hang in there fine. Better him than Dahlin or Krebs. Agree. Lucic is a manikin on skates but still capable of dirty stuff. (Still thinking of the Miller hit). When the Sabres start to consistently win you can bet that certain players and teams will try to intimidate them. Close teams that support can overcome this. Having a good power play is nice too.

Clifton has 60 PIM last season, his highest total yet but he only had one fight. Still, he tends to go off with someone. He is tough. He hits and he does not like stuff happening around his goalie. One of the best middle weight fighters in the league IMO.