Miller's goaltending flaw

[Rabbit151]

Watch the 2nd goal he gave up to Montreal. He gave one just like that up to Ottawa too I think.

 

I do not like the way he plays so deep in his crease, on the line basically when the puck is at the point. He should be at the top of circle, AT LEAST. He doesn't see the puck work it's way through a maze of players and once he picks it up, he can't react. he's a postion goalie who needs pucks to hit him. He needs to make the opponent execute a perfect passing play to beat him, not let in these softies from the point. The only way you should get beat from the point is on a deflection.

 

I cannot for the life of me understand why he isn't out cutting down the available scoring space when he knows a defenseman has the puck on the blue-line, and may be able to throw a puck through the bodies and get it on net. That second goal of Montreal was the true killer

[tom webster]

Watch the 2nd goal he gave up to Montreal. He gave one just like that up to Ottawa too I think.

 

I do not like the way he plays so deep in his crease, on the line basically when the puck is at the point. He should be at the top of circle, AT LEAST. He doesn't see the puck work it's way through a maze of players and once he picks it up, he can't react. he's a postion goalie who needs pucks to hit him. He needs to make the opponent execute a perfect passing play to beat him, not let in these softies from the point. The only way you should get beat from the point is on a deflection.

 

I cannot for the life of me understand why he isn't out cutting down the available scoring space when he knows a defenseman has the puck on the blue-line, and may be able to throw a puck through the bodies and get it on net. That second goal of Montreal was the true killer

 

While i agree he seems deep in his crease at times, on that second goal the puck was deflected less than a foot in front of him, I don't think anyone is reacting to that. Another reason for staying deep in the crease may be the d's inability to clear the front of the net.

[Corp000085]

I think he plays deep in part because he has no confidence in his defense. Miller plays his best when he has confidence. This defense is terrible and he knows it. He plays deep because he rarely, if ever, has any help. Ryan Miller and Jim Corsi aren't the problems. The problems are 2/3 of the defense and james patrick. IMO, Kalinin needs to walk, they need to shop tallinder and/or lydman, and they need to bring in a new coach. Maybe with the amerks affiliation ending, cunneyworth can be brought up to the NHL level as an assistant coach. I loved patrick when he played for us, but its time for him to leave. If you remember correctly, we "had the best defense from top to bottom" all the way up to the beginning of this year. When your goalie goes from all star one year to subpar the next, its coaching.

[LabattBlue]

I don't think the Sabres have much choice but to sign Miller in the off-season and hope his play improves next year. If I had my druthers, I'd try to sign him to 3-5 years instead of 6 or 7 just in case he can't raise his play to the next level.

 

Also, I'd fire the goaltending coach Jim Corsi.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I think he plays deep in part because he has no confidence in his defense. Miller plays his best when he has confidence. This defense is terrible and he knows it. He plays deep because he rarely, if ever, has any help. Ryan Miller and Jim Corsi aren't the problems. The problems are 2/3 of the defense and james patrick. IMO, Kalinin needs to walk, they need to shop tallinder and/or lydman, and they need to bring in a new coach. Maybe with the amerks affiliation ending, cunneyworth can be brought up to the NHL level as an assistant coach. I loved patrick when he played for us, but its time for him to leave. If you remember correctly, we "had the best defense from top to bottom" all the way up to the beginning of this year. When your goalie goes from all star one year to subpar the next, its coaching.

 

I agree.

[Bmwolf21]

I think he plays deep in part because he has no confidence in his defense. Miller plays his best when he has confidence. This defense is terrible and he knows it. He plays deep because he rarely, if ever, has any help. Ryan Miller and Jim Corsi aren't the problems. The problems are 2/3 of the defense and james patrick. IMO, Kalinin needs to walk, they need to shop tallinder and/or lydman, and they need to bring in a new coach. Maybe with the amerks affiliation ending, cunneyworth can be brought up to the NHL level as an assistant coach. I loved patrick when he played for us, but its time for him to leave. If you remember correctly, we "had the best defense from top to bottom" all the way up to the beginning of this year. When your goalie goes from all star one year to subpar the next, its coaching.

Agreed on the confidence in the defense part. His play down the stretch (to me) indicates a player that feels he has to do it all himself, because when he relies on the D - see Montreal's first goal - they don't come through for him. He's much better when he's playing under control and can concentrate on his angles and positioning (like most goalies.)

 

I don't think the Sabres have much choice but to sign Miller in the off-season and hope his play improves next year. If I had my druthers, I'd try to sign him to 3-5 years instead of 6 or 7 just in case he can't raise his play to the next level.

 

Also, I'd fire the goaltending coach Jim Corsi.

I'd be fine with 3-5 years. I'd much rather go 3-5 years, because by the halfway point - 2-3 years in - we'll know if Enroth is the real deal or if he was just another hotshot prospect who didn't pan out. I'd go 6-7 years only if a) we waited to re-sign him until after next year and had no choice if we wanted to keep him and/or b) he played elite-level lights-out hockey for much of next season, which is unlikely without a change in defense, system or both.

 

Corsi - I'm not sure about. I'm not exactly brimming with confidence at the direction some of our young goalies' development has taken - Biron's an iffy no.1 guy who is bordering on losing his no.1 spot for the second time in his career; after a very promising rookie campaign, Miller's development has slowed; Noronen never developed past the AHL, but I don't think that was based on talent - that was the numbers ahead of him and the lack of opportunity to show what he could do on a regular basis - so I wouldn't be opposed to Miller and next year's backup getting a fresh perspective from a new coach.

[tom webster]

I don't think the Sabres have much choice but to sign Miller in the off-season and hope his play improves next year. If I had my druthers, I'd try to sign him to 3-5 years instead of 6 or 7 just in case he can't raise his play to the next level.

 

Also, I'd fire the goaltending coach Jim Corsi.

 

 

I hear what you are saying, but if you were Miller, would you sign for less than six?

[stenbaro]

For some reason I dont think the Sabres will resign Miller...I wouldnt be shocked if they dealt him Just like Campbell..Past history has shown the unwillingness of Galisano to pay Big money for a long term contract..

[rbochan]

I don't think the Sabres have much choice but to sign Miller in the off-season and hope his play improves next year...

He also needs to put on about 30 lbs. Without his pads, he looks like Peters' x-ray.

 

Also, I'd fire the goaltending coach Jim Corsi.

No argument there.

[hopeleslyobvious]

He also needs to put on about 30 lbs. Without his pads, he looks like Peters' x-ray.

No argument there.

 

How exactly would putting on 30 pounds make him a better athlete?

[stenbaro]

How exactly would putting on 30 pounds make him a better athlete?

lol...

[carpandean]

For some reason I dont think the Sabres will resign Miller...I wouldnt be shocked if they dealt him Just like Campbell..Past history has shown the unwillingness of Galisano to pay Big money for a long term contract..

Depends how you look at it. They were willing to pay big money long term for Drury but mucked up the deal a bit. I'm not sure we've had another player recently that they didn't give big money long term to who actually deserved big money long term.

 

They have given decent money long term to two guys who deserved it -- Roy and Hecht -- and, while they were forced into the terms, they did sign Vanek long term for big money. Right or wrong, it certainly showed they are willing.

[Saudi Arabia Rob]

For some reason I dont think the Sabres will resign Miller...I wouldnt be shocked if they dealt him Just like Campbell..Past history has shown the unwillingness of Galisano to pay Big money for a long term contract..

 

Then who do we sign? Miller may have some flaws as pointed out, but I don't see anything out there in FA or in the farm system to even give us a chance. There are about eight-ten teams out there who are a crap shoot because their goaltending is iffy at best. Miller's had a couple of bad games, but if you look at the 74 or so he's played, for the most part he's done his job.

[Corp000085]

Depends how you look at it. They were willing to pay big money long term for Drury but mucked up the deal a bit. I'm not sure we've had another player recently that they didn't give big money long term to who actually deserved big money long term.

 

They have given decent money long term to two guys who deserved it -- Roy and Hecht -- and, while they were forced into the terms, they did sign Vanek long term for big money. Right or wrong, it certainly showed they are willing.

 

I hate to totally go off on a tangent with you, but in hindsight, i'd have loved to have briere... However, they gambled with connolly, signed roy, signed hecht, signed vanek, rolled the dice with campbell this year. I expect the sabres to sign miller long term and make him the cornerstone to the franchise, along with pominville. Say what you want, but they've not let any young guy walk. Obviously, this team won't make it this year, whether its regular season or a long playoff run, but they are close, and they are young. My confidence is about shot for this year, but even though management has made all of us scratch our heads, i think they'll get it done with the younger guys and let it ride.

[Bmwolf21]

Then who do we sign? Miller may have some flaws as pointed out, but I don't see anything out there in FA or in the farm system to even give us a chance. There are about eight-ten teams out there who are a crap shoot because their goaltending is iffy at best. Miller's had a couple of bad games, but if you look at the 74 or so he's played, for the most part he's done his job.

There's really no one out there in free agency this year. The top-2 UFA's are going to probably be Jose Theodore in Colorado and Cristobal Huet in Washington, and while I don't know their exact situations, I wouldn't be shocked if they both get re-signed/extended before July 1.

 

There are a couple names that may garner some interest on the RFA list - Marc-Andre Fleury, Kari Lehtonen, Pascal Leclaire (Columbus) Jaroslav Halak (Montreal's young backup) and Jimmy Howard (the maybe/maybe not heir apparent in Detroit.)

 

EDIT:

Link to NHLNumbers.com's UFA goalie list.

 

LINK to the RFA list.

[rbochan]

How exactly would putting on 30 pounds make him a better athlete?

Miller is getting his ass kicked, mostly because of the swiss cheese defense, and getting pummeled by players in the crease, and it's been taking its toll. If the mismanagement of the team continues, Miller won't get much help yet again. Having some reserves in your body helps immensely over the long haul, mentally as well as physically, like this season that's been thrust upon him. Just take a look at the ever popular 'Frozen Moment' that's been making the rounds lately. He's utterly spent. He looks like a junkie that's been on the nod for 3 months. Even a smaller guy like Wade Dubielewicz has got 30+ pounds on Miller, but he's 4" shorter, and hasn't had the grueling schedule.

[MarkAF43]

Miller is getting his ass kicked, mostly because of the swiss cheese defense, and getting pummeled by players in the crease, and it's been taking its toll. If the mismanagement of the team continues, Miller won't get much help yet again. Having some reserves in your body helps immensely over the long haul, mentally as well as physically, like this season that's been thrust upon him. Just take a look at the ever popular 'Frozen Moment' that's been making the rounds lately. He's utterly spent. He looks like a junkie that's been on the nod for 3 months. Even a smaller guy like Wade Dubielewicz has got 30+ pounds on Miller, but he's 4" shorter, and hasn't had the grueling schedule.

 

 

 

Umm for someone who has been a goalie most of his life, to me that looks like a goalie who is not spent but looks frustrated at the lack of support he just got on the goal he gave up....... nothing more than that

[Bmwolf21]

Umm for someone who has been a goalie most of his life, to me that looks like a goalie who is not spent but looks frustrated at the lack of support he just got on the goal he gave up....... nothing more than that

What the heck would you know about it? ;)

[inkman]

Galisano

It's no wonder nobody says his name correctly, if nobody spells his name correctly.

[inkman]

For some reason I dont think the Sabres will resign Miller...

Stupidity?

[DR HOLLIDAY]

He also needs to put on about 30 lbs. Without his pads, he looks like Peters' x-ray.

No argument there.

 

8-10 pounds of muscle would help out, but nothing more then that.

[PromoTheRobot]

Watch the 2nd goal he gave up to Montreal. He gave one just like that up to Ottawa too I think.

 

I do not like the way he plays so deep in his crease, on the line basically when the puck is at the point. He should be at the top of circle, AT LEAST. He doesn't see the puck work it's way through a maze of players and once he picks it up, he can't react. he's a postion goalie who needs pucks to hit him. He needs to make the opponent execute a perfect passing play to beat him, not let in these softies from the point. The only way you should get beat from the point is on a deflection.

 

I cannot for the life of me understand why he isn't out cutting down the available scoring space when he knows a defenseman has the puck on the blue-line, and may be able to throw a puck through the bodies and get it on net. That second goal of Montreal was the true killer

And yet Miller had no problem doing this in years past. I think Miller's problem is realizing Quinn and Golisano are chickensh*ts and all the sweat and blood he gave for the Sabres was wasted. He's as good as gone. You watch.

 

PTR

[MarkAF43]

What the heck would you know about it? ;)

 

 

thats right, i forgot about that.... it's all just a dream, none of it is real..... :unsure:

[X. Benedict]

And yet Miller had no problem doing this in years past. I think Miller's problem is realizing Quinn and Golisano are chickensh*ts and all the sweat and blood he gave for the Sabres was wasted. He's as good as gone. You watch.

 

PTR

 

Because when Tim Thomas makes a save he is thinking - "that's for you Jeremy!"

 

And when DiPietro does it he's thinking, "That's another one for Wanger and Snowy!"

 

Hockey players play for each other - sometimes even for the coach.

[Bmwolf21]

thats right, i forgot about that.... it's all just a dream, none of it is real..... :unsure:

It's all a bad dream right now... :unsure: