New Backup?

[Bigthuder1636]

It seems to be a widely held belief that no one, Ruff and Regier included, have any faith in Lalime. Many people on these board have advocated trading for another goalie or bringing in someone like Biron. I dont know how I feel about this, but Alex Auld was just released by Dallas today. This is his stat line this year 9-6 3.00 GAA .894 SV% in 21 appearances. Lalime is 3-3 in 10 games with a 3.21 GAA and an .896 SV%. I havent seen any Stars games so i dont know what sort of D was in front of Auld, but I have a feeling that this is the way Regier would go if he really thinks he needs to bring in another goalie. Just based on Auld's time in Boston and Ottawa the last two years I think I would have more confidence in Auld than Lalime, but I don;t know if that is a reasonable or not.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nhl/news/story?id=4942609

[Two or less]

Not sure i'd be more confident with Auld then Lalime. Lalime has played well in like 5 straight games prior to that disaster in Anaheim. You are right though, i don't think Ruff has confidence in him but i don't think they would in Auld. If they get a back-up it's got to be a Roloson or Biron, someone Ruff knows, or go big, and aim for a Turco.

[Stoner]

What do the Sabres have to gain by bringing in a better backup? A few points here and there? Miller gets a game or two more rest? I just don't see the point of it.

[shrader]

Nothing to see here. There will be no new goalie with this team this year.

[TomSmith]

Bring up Enroth and have LaLime play out his contract in Portland.

[darksabre]

No.

[TomSmith]

I doubt that it's even possible for Enroth to be worse then LaLime.

[Bmwolf21]

I doubt that it's even possible for Enroth to be worse then LaLime.

I don't think he would be worse than LaLime, but it doesn't really matter, IMO. Enroth needs to play, not sit. Calling him up so he can rot on the bench isn't likely to help his development.

[darksabre]

I don't think he would be worse than LaLime, but it doesn't really matter, IMO. Enroth needs to play, not sit. Calling him up so he can rot on the bench isn't likely to help his development.

 

Stop it with your logic and sense.

[TomSmith]

I don't think he would be worse than LaLime, but it doesn't really matter, IMO. Enroth needs to play, not sit. Calling him up so he can rot on the bench isn't likely to help his development.

There are a few points to make with this, so lets get started...

Enroth has plenty of AHL experience at this point, what he needs is NHL experience.

 

The sole purpose of having Enroth in the system is to move him into the backup role.

By this point his game has already been developed at the AHL level.

 

The idea that "he has to play" is 'hockey speak', hockey speak are common phrases that fans regularly blurt out in order to sound authoratative.

The problem is they rarely put much thought behind how they apply hockey speak.

 

Me, I don't have any use whatsoever for hockey speak.

 

So as a follow up, could you tell us how many games in the AHL you think Enroth needs to play?

Give us an estimate.

As an NHL backup Enroth WILL be limited in the number of games he plays, that is the very nature of the job that he is in line for!

 

1. LaLime is a failed signing

2. They missed the playoffs last season because LaLime wasn't adequate to do the job.

3. Lalime is on a 2 year deal, which was obviously the time table they had in mind for Enroth to begin with..

4. Keeping last years battle for a playoff spot in mind, 20 less games in Portland at this point isn't going to make or break Enroth

 

What do you think is going to happen if he misses 20 games in Portland replaced by 5 or 6 in the NHL?

Do you think it will ruin his game?

Do you think it will drive him mentally insane?

 

Maybe you don't believe that it's a matter of 20 games, maybe you believe thay're thinking about resigning LaLime for the 'good' job he's done.

Or maybe you believe they're looking to sign another backup and keep Enroth down there for a couple more years, which would put them at risk of losing him to the KHL or some other league.

 

Tell us, I for one would be interested to know.

[rbochan]

Yet another backup goalie is useless.

If Miller goes down the Sabres are done. Period.

[inkman]

Bring up Enroth and have LaLime play out his contract in Portland.

To play the 4-5 games the Sabres will need him for?

 

Even if he did, if the Sabres played the way the do in front of Lalime, they would lose those games as well. Lalime is not the problem.

[inkman]

1. LaLime is a failed signing

2. They missed the playoffs last season because LaLime wasn't adequate to do the job.

When given adequate playing time, Patrick Lalime has aquitted himself to be more than sufficient. After Lindy sits him for lenthy periods of time, he shows signs of rust, prompting Lindy to not play him, which in turn only starts the whole process all over.

 

This has happened with every backup since Miller starting carrying the load. So do you think every backup goalie since Biron has had infinite more success at every stop other than Buffalo because they only sucked in Buffalo?

[tom webster]

There are a few points to make with this, so lets get started...

Enroth has plenty of AHL experience at this point, what he needs is NHL experience.

 

The sole purpose of having Enroth in the system is to move him into the backup role.

By this point his game has already been developed at the AHL level.

 

The idea that "he has to play" is 'hockey speak', hockey speak are common phrases that fans regularly blurt out in order to sound authoratative.

The problem is they rarely put much thought behind how they apply hockey speak.

 

Me, I don't have any use whatsoever for hockey speak.

 

So as a follow up, could you tell us how many games in the AHL you think Enroth needs to play?

Give us an estimate.

As an NHL backup Enroth WILL be limited in the number of games he plays, that is the very nature of the job that he is in line for!

 

1. LaLime is a failed signing

2. They missed the playoffs last season because LaLime wasn't adequate to do the job.

3. Lalime is on a 2 year deal, which was obviously the time table they had in mind for Enroth to begin with..

4. Keeping last years battle for a playoff spot in mind, 20 less games in Portland at this point isn't going to make or break Enroth

 

What do you think is going to happen if he misses 20 games in Portland replaced by 5 or 6 in the NHL?

Do you think it will ruin his game?

Do you think it will drive him mentally insane?

 

Maybe you don't believe that it's a matter of 20 games, maybe you believe thay're thinking about resigning LaLime for the 'good' job he's done.

Or maybe you believe they're looking to sign another backup and keep Enroth down there for a couple more years, which would put them at risk of losing him to the KHL or some other league.

 

Tell us, I for one would be interested to know.

 

 

The other possibility is that Enroth may not be good enough. Its not like he is lit the AHL on fire, although apparently he is playing better of late.

As for losing him, if Enroth thinks he is good enough to be a starter and someone in the KHL agrees, he isn't going to stick around to be Miller's back up in 2 years, he will bolt then. And by the way, he wasn't signed to be a back up, he was signed to develop into a valuable asset, either as Miller's replacement if he proved to be better or as trade material. Darcy believes in drafting a goalie every year because of their even more uncertain development.

[Mbossy]

Taking Auld was a decision that should have been made in the Summer of 2008.

 

2007-08Boston .919 2.32

 

 

and Lalime this

 

2007-08Chicago .897 2.82

 

Darcy sat on his hands and didn't pick Auld up when he was clearly one of the better goalies available that off season. IIRC, Auld went about 20 minutes before Lalime got picked up.

 

Adding Auld now is only insurance, which I don't think DR needs or will, do.

[deluca67]

To play the 4-5 games the Sabres will need him for?

 

Even if he did, if the Sabres played the way the do in front of Lalime, they would lose those games as well. Lalime is not the problem.

They play the same way in front of Miller as they do Lalime. The difference is that Miller makes the big save and Lalime doesn't so it seems they play differently. They give up way too many shots and scoring chances no matter who is in goal.

 

We know that Lalime can't get the job done. So bringing in someone else would be a smart move. If they don't work out nothing has been lost.

[inkman]

They play the same way in front of Miller as they do Lalime. The difference is that Miller makes the big save and Lalime doesn't so it seems they play differently. They give up way too many shots and scoring chances no matter who is in goal.

 

We know that Lalime can't get the job done. So bringing in someone else would be a smart move. If they don't work out nothing has been lost.

We must be watching different teams.

[Bmwolf21]

There are a few points to make with this, so lets get started...

Enroth has plenty of AHL experience at this point, what he needs is NHL experience.

 

The sole purpose of having Enroth in the system is to move him into the backup role.

By this point his game has already been developed at the AHL level.

 

The idea that "he has to play" is 'hockey speak', hockey speak are common phrases that fans regularly blurt out in order to sound authoratative.

The problem is they rarely put much thought behind how they apply hockey speak.

 

Me, I don't have any use whatsoever for hockey speak.

 

So as a follow up, could you tell us how many games in the AHL you think Enroth needs to play?

Give us an estimate.

As an NHL backup Enroth WILL be limited in the number of games he plays, that is the very nature of the job that he is in line for!

 

1. LaLime is a failed signing

2. They missed the playoffs last season because LaLime wasn't adequate to do the job.

3. Lalime is on a 2 year deal, which was obviously the time table they had in mind for Enroth to begin with..

4. Keeping last years battle for a playoff spot in mind, 20 less games in Portland at this point isn't going to make or break Enroth

 

What do you think is going to happen if he misses 20 games in Portland replaced by 5 or 6 in the NHL?

Do you think it will ruin his game?

Do you think it will drive him mentally insane?

 

Maybe you don't believe that it's a matter of 20 games, maybe you believe thay're thinking about resigning LaLime for the 'good' job he's done.

Or maybe you believe they're looking to sign another backup and keep Enroth down there for a couple more years, which would put them at risk of losing him to the KHL or some other league.

 

Tell us, I for one would be interested to know.

Frankly, your assumption that I deal in "fanspeak" is as inaccurate and insulting as your assumption that I have any positive feelings toward Lalime's tenure here. If you had been here longer than 10 minutes you would know that I was pushing for Enroth to stay in Portland for the last year or so - when people here were calling for him to come in and challenge Miller for the starting job when he had just stepped off the plane. I was also underwhelmed about the Lalime signing, and nothing I've seen since has changed my mind. You'd also know that I was hoping for Auld as the backup, and I would still love to see them bring someone else in that Lindy has confidence in, whether it's Marty, Auld, Roloson, whomever.

 

I don't know why you think Enroth is in the system as a backup, but I believe that's incorrect. I think they drafted him as a potential future no.1 goalie, and right now I see him as a 1A-type goalie like a Biron. Better than a backup but not a franchise guy - someone who can play 45-50 games and keep you in it, but isn't likely to play 65+ and carry you through a playoff run.

 

As for right now - Enroth is all of 21 years old and has one and a half seasons of North American hockey under his belt. I hardly call that "plenty" of AHL experience, and I don't believe that he is fully developed at the AHL level. I believe that he needs to show that he can carry the load for 60 games and then see how he handles a playoff run before the Sabres can make an accurate review and a true projection of his potential.

The other possibility is that Enroth may not be good enough. Its not like he is lit the AHL on fire, although apparently he is playing better of late.

While I don't think he's set the AHL on fire, I do believe that he is playing much better than earlier in the year and last year. He's got a 2.38 GAA, 4 SO, and a .919 save percentage.

 

As for losing him, if Enroth thinks he is good enough to be a starter and someone in the KHL agrees, he isn't going to stick around to be Miller's back up in 2 years, he will bolt then. And by the way, he wasn't signed to be a back up, he was signed to develop into a valuable asset, either as Miller's replacement if he proved to be better or as trade material. Darcy believes in drafting a goalie every year because of their even more uncertain development.

This.

[shrader]

Taking Auld was a decision that should have been made in the Summer of 2008.

 

2007-08Boston .919 2.32

 

And what about his games in Phoenix that year? We can't just ignore a quarter of his season. Julien's system in Boston tends to inflate a goalie's numbers (hell, just look at that sieve Tim Thomas). I have a hard time trusting 20 some games there.

[darksabre]

Did people talk about trading Shields this much during the Hasek era?

[TomSmith]

Frankly, your assumption that I deal in "fanspeak" is as inaccurate and insulting as your assumption that I have any positive feelings toward Lalime's tenure here. If you had been here longer than 10 minutes you would know that I was pushing for Enroth to stay in Portland for the last year or so - when people here were calling for him to come in and challenge Miller for the starting job when he had just stepped off the plane. I was also underwhelmed about the Lalime signing, and nothing I've seen since has changed my mind. You'd also know that I was hoping for Auld as the backup, and I would still love to see them bring someone else in that Lindy has confidence in, whether it's Marty, Auld, Roloson, whomever.

 

I don't know why you think Enroth is in the system as a backup, but I believe that's incorrect. I think they drafted him as a potential future no.1 goalie, and right now I see him as a 1A-type goalie like a Biron. Better than a backup but not a franchise guy - someone who can play 45-50 games and keep you in it, but isn't likely to play 65+ and carry you through a playoff run.

The answer to that is too obvious, they have Miller signed to a $6M + no trade contract.

For the foreseeable future Enroth will be a backup.

[shrader]

The answer to that is too obvious, they have Miller signed to a $6M + no trade contract.

For the foreseeable future Enroth will be a backup.

 

Kind of like JS Giguere in Anaheim?

[Two or less]

USA Today's Kevin Allen reporting that Alex Alud is now on re-entry, meaning, any team that picks him up only pays half the price, with the Stars paying the other half.

[deluca67]

Did people talk about trading Shields this much during the Hasek era?

I would love to have a Steve Shields backing up Miller. That guy was tougher than any current Sabre. He didn't need his teammates to come to his rescue when run. He would be the first to drop the gloves.

[2ForTripping]

The blue shirts garbbed him off of re entry waivers