Roster review: #33 Chad Johnson

[dudacek]

Next up in the roster review, the only NHL goalie under contract

 

 

#33 Chad Johnson G (1 year left at $1.3 million, age 29)

NY Islanders 8/8/1/3.08/.889

 

Johnson is part of the new trend of slow-brewing goalies. He played a full four years in college, followed by four spent mostly in the minors before finally posting some outstanding numbers two years ago as Tuuka Rask’s understudy in Boston.

 

Those numbers — 17/4/3/2.10/.925 — earned him an NHL contract with the Islanders, but he struggled there, and was sent to Buffalo as a salary dump when Garth Snow attempted to upgrade in the crease by adding Michal Neuvirth. Injured in warm-up, he never saw the ice with the Sabres.

 

As the only goalie under contract at the moment, Johnson may figure into the Sabres’ plans, but it is clear at least one other goalie will be acquired in the off-season and possibly more. What isn’t clear is whether the Sabres acquired him with a specific role in mind, or what that role is.

 

Links to the rest of the series:

 

Anders Lindback: http://forums.sabres...nders-lindback/

Pat Kaleta: http://forums.sabres...patrick-kaleta/

Johan Larsson: http://forums.sabres...-johan-larsson/

Matt Hackett: http://forums.sabres...1-matt-hackett/

Andrej Meszaros: http://forums.sabres...ndrej-meszaros/

Phil Varone, Zac Dalpe, Jerry D'Amigo: http://forums.sabres...e-dalpe-damigo/

Mikhail Grigorenko: http://forums.sabres...ail-grigorenko/

Tyson Strachan, Andre Benoit: http://forums.sabres...han-and-benoit/

Mark Pysyk: http://forums.sabres...w-3-mark-pysyk/

Tim Schaller: http://forums.sabres...9-tim-schaller/

Matt Ellis: http://forums.sabres...-37-matt-ellis/

Cody Hodgson: http://forums.sabres...9-cody-hodgson/

Tyler Ennis: http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/23435-roster-review-63-tyler-ennis/

Edited June 16, 2015 by dudacek

[Drunkard]

Voted the first two options. I think he's mostly an afterthought but since he's technically the only goalie we currently have under contract he'll be given a chance unless some team offers up something for him in a trade. I imagine they are planning on going after a better goalie but he'll be the backup and get his chances to start if he plays well in practice and game opportunities. I'd guess he likely ends up our backup this season though until he gets flipped at the deadline for peanuts.

[Doohicksie]

Who?

[sabills]

Who?

 

You may know him as "Ochocinco"

[Rasmus_]

Back-up.  

[Huckleberry]

If he becomes more than a back up next year, our goalie search is still ongoing.

[inkman]

You may know him as "Ochocinco"

Given his injury history maybe Ouchocinco would be more appropriate

[dudacek]

I see him as being from the grand tradition of Ty Conklin, Andrei Trefilov and Darcy Wakaluk

[Doohicksie]

But not in the same class as Shields or Biron.

[dudacek]

Harrington tweet after the draft press conference:

 

Mike Harrington @BNHarrington

GMTM said afterward he needs 2 goalies: One for #Sabres to pair with Chad Johnson and one to be starter in Roch w/Ullmark out.

 

So it sounds like Chad is expected to be at least the back-up next year.

[dEnnis the Menace]

 

Harrington tweet after the draft press conference:

 

Mike Harrington @BNHarrington

GMTM said afterward he needs 2 goalies: One for #Sabres to pair with Chad Johnson and one to be starter in Roch w/Ullmark out.

 

So it sounds like Chad is expected to be at least the back-up next year.

 

 

:sick:

[shrader]

 

Harrington tweet after the draft press conference:

 

Mike Harrington @BNHarrington

GMTM said afterward he needs 2 goalies: One for #Sabres to pair with Chad Johnson and one to be starter in Roch w/Ullmark out.

 

So it sounds like Chad is expected to be at least the back-up next year.

 

 

 

Is there significance to what I bolded above?  Is Ullmark still not coming over to the US or am I just misreading that?

[LGR4GM]

Is there significance to what I bolded above?  Is Ullmark still not coming over to the US or am I just misreading that?

You are misreading it.  Linus Ullmark had duel hip surgery this offseason that requires a 5-6 month recovery time.  Ullmark is coming to NA this year but may be limited while he recovers from surgery and certainly will not be ready to start the season.

 

 

I am guessing Andre Makarov is going to be in Buffalo then?

[dudacek]

You are misreading it.  Linus Ullmark had duel hip surgery this offseason that requires a 5-6 month recovery time.  Ullmark is coming to NA this year but may be limited while he recovers from surgery and certainly will not be ready to start the season.

 

 

I am guessing Andre Makarov is going to be in Buffalo then?

 

Makarov is under contract. But if it's Johnson and someone else in Buffalo, I doubt Makarov is there too.

Must be the other goalie in Rochester and either Murray doesn't see him as a starter or Harrington's tweet was misleading.

[shrader]

You are misreading it.  Linus Ullmark had duel hip surgery this offseason that requires a 5-6 month recovery time.  Ullmark is coming to NA this year but may be limited while he recovers from surgery and certainly will not be ready to start the season.

 

 

I am guessing Andre Makarov is going to be in Buffalo then?

In that case, he sounds like a guy who very well could benefit from starting out in the ECHL. We've seen a decent number of good goalies now who started out there.

[darksabre]

 

Harrington tweet after the draft press conference:

 

Mike Harrington @BNHarrington

GMTM said afterward he needs 2 goalies: One for #Sabres to pair with Chad Johnson and one to be starter in Roch w/Ullmark out.

 

So it sounds like Chad is expected to be at least the back-up next year.

 

 

Looks fine to me.