How does the keeping Miller over Biron plan look now

[Claude Balls]

Bring back the Dominator, even at ~40 he is still putting up better numbers than Miller..

This is not a good point. I would have a winning % if I were Detroits goalie. Their D is stout, even with all the injuries.

[RuffMuff]

This is not a good point. I would have a winning % if I were Detroits goalie. Their D is stout, even with all the injuries.

LOL, that it? thats the only point you find fault with? = Don't worry Razor.... This management team will for surely screw things up. They will probably re-sign Miller for something like Vanek numbers and we will be stuck with his softies for another 8 years at 7 Mil and we will be so broke we wont be able to afford anyone else.

[Bmwolf21]

Carolina Hurricanes... Gerber was the man at first and was yanked and then Ward settled in after a little round and round...

 

No?

I don't think Carolina was doing what you suggested - that year, Gerber started 57 while Ward struggled through 25 regular season starts (14-8-2, 3.68, .882), but in the playoffs Gerber struggled and Laviolette benched him for Ward. It definitely wasn't a 1a/1b platooning-type situation.

 

I suggested keeping Biron and trading Miller last year! Oh, Biron has been sucky of late and Miller has been "hot", but he has hardly "won" any games for us this year. As usual he only lets 1-2 goals in when we score 5+, like the last few games. He SUCKs in the SO.... Plus, I would say we HAD a better D in front of Miller, esp w/ Soupy here. Here's the stats..

 

GA

20th Ryan Miller 2.56

27th Martin Biron 2.7

 

Save %

11th Martin Biron .913

18th Ryan Miller .911

 

Wins:

8th Ryan Miller 32 of 68 win % of .47

18th Martin Biron 25 of 55 win % of .45

 

SO

21st Martin Biron 3

15th Ryan Miller 3

 

Both have 3, not sure while Biron listed 21st and Miller 15th, especially since Biron has played like 15% less games and has just as many.

 

Seems to me, Biron there are really similar with two big differences on Biron's side. A, as is stands now, his team in the playoffs, Buffalo isn't. B, His team has him signed for a few more years at a more affordable salary.

 

Not sure of his details (3-4 mil a year?), but word is Miller is looking for 5-6-7 Mil a year... For WHAT? Biron type #'s?

 

I say trade him unless he starts stopping the soft goals....... Bring back the Dominator, even at ~40 he is still putting up better numbers than Miller..

Aside from the "he has hardly won any games for us this year" stuff that has been beaten to death - most goalies will only steal a handful of games per year, if that, and Miller has stolen several wins (off the top of my head - 1-0 wins over TO and FLA when we were badly outplayed and a 2-1 win over the Isles in December) and a handful or OTL points that we didn't deserve, there are huge differences between the style of play that the Sabres play in front of Ryan and the Flyers play in front of Marty.

 

The SO? Yes, he's struggled this year. No doubt. He was also phenomenal in the SO last year (80%) and the year before that (71%) so dipping to a 50% save percentage is a concern, but I am sure he is working to get back to the level he was at last year.

 

You can spin the numbers any way you want (and some of those numbers have been spun hard) but here's some numbers why the Sabres would have been idiots to keep Biron and cut loose Miller.

 

Career wins:

Marty: 165 W in 371 GP over portions of 10 NHL seasons; winning percentage of .444

Ryan: 108 W in 197 GP over portions of 5 NHL seasons; winning percentage of .548.

 

Playoff numbers:

Ryan - 34 GP, 20-14, 2.40, .915, two ECF appearances

Marty: Umm, err...0 games played

 

I'll gladly overpay for a goalie whose numbers are inline with the system his team plays and finds a way to win, over a guy who might put up similar or slightly better numbers but never gets you anywhere.

[X. Benedict]

I don't think Carolina was doing what you suggested - that year, Gerber started 57 while Ward struggled through 25 regular season starts (14-8-2, 3.68, .882), but in the playoffs Gerber struggled and Laviolette benched him for Ward. It definitely wasn't a 1a/1b platooning-type situation.

I think that's right. Ward did win the Conn Smyth.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I don't think Carolina was doing what you suggested - that year, Gerber started 57 while Ward struggled through 25 regular season starts (14-8-2, 3.68, .882), but in the playoffs Gerber struggled and Laviolette benched him for Ward. It definitely wasn't a 1a/1b platooning-type situation.

 

Okay... 1967 Leafs... Sawchuk and Bower

 

:D ;)

 

Moog and Fuhr too...

 

I am stretching though, IMO we need more selfless goalies!

 

;) ;)

[tom webster]

I don't think Carolina was doing what you suggested - that year, Gerber started 57 while Ward struggled through 25 regular season starts (14-8-2, 3.68, .882), but in the playoffs Gerber struggled and Laviolette benched him for Ward. It definitely wasn't a 1a/1b platooning-type situation.

Aside from the "he has hardly won any games for us this year" stuff that has been beaten to death - most goalies will only steal a handful of games per year, if that, and Miller has stolen several wins (off the top of my head - 1-0 wins over TO and FLA when we were badly outplayed and a 2-1 win over the Isles in December) and a handful or OTL points that we didn't deserve, there are huge differences between the style of play that the Sabres play in front of Ryan and the Flyers play in front of Marty.

 

The SO? Yes, he's struggled this year. No doubt. He was also phenomenal in the SO last year (80%) and the year before that (71%) so dipping to a 50% save percentage is a concern, but I am sure he is working to get back to the level he was at last year.

 

You can spin the numbers any way you want (and some of those numbers have been spun hard) but here's some numbers why the Sabres would have been idiots to keep Biron and cut loose Miller.

 

Career wins:

Marty: 165 W in 371 GP over portions of 10 NHL seasons; winning percentage of .444

Ryan: 108 W in 197 GP over portions of 5 NHL seasons; winning percentage of .548.

 

Playoff numbers:

Ryan - 34 GP, 20-14, 2.40, .915, two ECF appearances

Marty: Umm, err...0 games played

 

I'll gladly overpay for a goalie whose numbers are inline with the system his team plays and finds a way to win, over a guy who might put up similar or slightly better numbers but never gets you anywhere.

 

The playoff numbers are the big thing. Marty had two years to lead the team into the playoffs and always came up just short. The same thing is about to happen again. I'm not sure if Buffalo gets in, but I'll take any bet that Philly does not.

Biron is the quintessential do just enough to get you beat goalie

[Campy]

Is that all you have to do get sympathy around here!!! I thought you guys would feel for me being mentally handicapped the way I defended Campbell , all that got me was higher blood pressure and no sympathy

 

I'm a Campbell fan too.

 

And I've been critical of Miller, too many untimely softies and he went from one of the best breakaway/one-on-one goalies last season to stunningly mediocre this season. That said, I'd never prefer Marty over Ryan, unless I was looking for a good quote.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I'm a Campbell fan too.

 

And I've been critical of Miller, too many untimely softies and he went from one of the best breakaway/one-on-one goalies last season to stunningly mediocre this season. That said, I'd never prefer Marty over Ryan, unless I was looking for a good quote.

 

He seems like he is just "missing" on those SO's and things are finding thier way in... Like the one that got in against the Rangers...

[Bmwolf21]

He seems like he is just "missing" on those SO's and things are finding thier way in... Like the one that got in against the Rangers...

Yep - he seems like he is just a little off this year in the shootout, and that little bit is the difference between being dominant and being average.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Yep - he seems like he is just a little off this year in the shootout, and that little bit is the difference between being dominant and being average.

 

 

Again... Exactly... I brought up the Rangers winning goal... I mean man! He did the splits and had that skate almost covering that post... Somehow, it went in a split second earlier!

 

Same thing with the Crosby goal and Briere one... WTF? How are they finding their way in?

 

I do cringe everytime the opponent takes an outside shot...

 

Is it really reflexes for a goalie... Because man, a guy like Brodeur has them all beat by a 100th or more of a second when he processes stuff.

 

Maybe size too? I just wish he was a little bigger... Who knows what that puck would "catch" on?

[X. Benedict]

Again... Exactly... I brought up the Rangers winning goal... I mean man! He did the splits and had that skate almost covering that post... Somehow, it went in a split second earlier!

 

Same thing with the Crosby goal and Briere one... WTF? How are they finding their way in?

 

I do cringe everytime the opponent takes an outside shot...

 

Is it really reflexes for a goalie... Because man, a guy like Brodeur has them all beat by a 100th or more of a second when he processes stuff.

 

Maybe size too? I just wish he was a little bigger... Who knows what that puck would "catch" on?

 

Miller is an incredibly smart goalie. If anything, Miller gives the team a chance to win almost every night - and that is what you ask from him. His greatest strength is reading the play - so what you get from him is rarely on the highlight reel - you often see Biron and Dipietro on the highlights because they are behind the play and when they try to catch up the saves look spectacular because they floated out of position or over-committed.

 

I think the only team that beat him recently by getting him to move post to post is Montreal.

That's it. So with Miller you are rarely getting the free chance, or the floating goalie (Emery), and his rebound control is also very good.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Buffalo D pinches more than just about any other team

so he is often on an island. Sometimes even doing everything right you may get beat or one that you just don't see. That's the game.

 

Shootouts? Who knows. I would be worried if he was getting beat consistently on one thing- like the glove side or something like that. It is a crapshoot.

[carpandean]

Again... Exactly... I brought up the Rangers winning goal... I mean man! He did the splits and had that skate almost covering that post... Somehow, it went in a split second earlier!

 

Same thing with the Crosby goal and Briere one... WTF? How are they finding their way in?

Snow drift?

 

Briere, as much as it pains me to say it, flat out beat him. He sold the backhand very well, got Miller moving and took it back to the back hand. It was the old triple deek. The winning goal in the Ranger's game and the first goal in the Pens game (Kennedy, I think), he was out further than he thought/should have been, made the splits right, but his skate reached the post a half second late. Hopefully, he will make some adjustments now that they have a few days off for practice.