Sabres Goalie Watch

[darksabre]

Johnson starting tomorrow per WGR. After two good wins in a row, Lehner throws up a clunker and Johnson gets the return nod.

 

Is Lehner on the way out? I think yes.

 

Does Ullmark get a look before seasons end? I hope so.

 

Is Johnson back next year? He lost basically every game he started until January. I'm not sure I put much stock in his recent success.

 

Let's talk goalies.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I also think Lehner will be traded.  Probably at the draft.

 

Ullmark will not likely get a chance with the Sabres this season.

 

Johnson is playing for next year.  Is he under contract past this season?  

 

I hope there is a goaltender controversy that brews the last 20 games.  That would be exciting.

[darksabre]

I don't think the Sabres will be able to trade Lehner. He's an RFA who needs to be qualified at a price higher than anyone will want to pay. He'll become a UFA and get signed for cheaper.

 

Johnson is a UFA so he's playing for his next job for sure.

 

I think we'll be let down on the controversy front.

[Weave]

Johnson as a backup doesn't bother me.  But if Ulmark stumbles, I'll want more than Chad Johnson in the fold.

 

I don't need to see Lehner next season.

 

We are in goalie purgatory right now, I guess.

[Sabel79]

Lehner will 100% be non-tendered.  Nobody's trading for him, nobody's giving him anywhere near this year's salary.  I think there's a decent chance he winds up in Sweden or the KHL. 

 

Barring a pretty big deal for an established started that I don't think will happen, Ullmark starts come October and there will be a non-Chad Johnson backup brought in via free agency/trade.  

[stinky finger]

Lehner - Yet another GMTM gem.

[Randall Flagg]

Grubauer - Ullmark 

 

(Though I guess you need to be wary of goalies coached by that guy in Washington - isn't the rule that they suck when they leave him?)

[TrueBlueGED]

Johnson as a backup doesn't bother me.  But if Ulmark stumbles, I'll want more than Chad Johnson in the fold.

 

I don't need to see Lehner next season.

 

We are in goalie purgatory right now, I guess.

 

This is precisely where I'm at. 

 

 

Grubauer - Ullmark 

 

(Though I guess you need to be wary of goalies coached by that guy in Washington - isn't the rule that they suck when they leave him?)

 

I like this idea, but what do you think it takes to get Grubauer out of Washington?

[Randall Flagg]

 

I like this idea, but what do you think it takes to get Grubauer out of Washington?

I have literally no idea, but he's going to want a starting job at some point and he's not Vasilevskiy, so Washington isn't going to dump 28 year old Holtby for him IMO. So I don't think it' d be too ridiculous. 

[dudacek]

I expect them to be doing what they can to chase playoffs, so I want Ullmark and somebody who can share the crease or fill the gap when he falters.

 

So not Johnson.

 

Lehner may wind up being that guy by default, in that I’d rather pay him his qualifying offer, then give up an asset to pay a similar goalie a similar wage.

 

But I hope not.

 

Pending UFAs: Halak, Ward, Bernier, Hutton, Lack, Raanta, Khodobin.

 

Should be able to sign one of those guys to a short deal for good back-up money.

They should be looking at Buffalo as a place where they could muscle their way into the number one spot.

Edited March 4, 2018 by dudacek

[darksabre]

Johnson as a backup doesn't bother me. But if Ulmark stumbles, I'll want more than Chad Johnson in the fold.

 

I don't need to see Lehner next season.

 

We are in goalie purgatory right now, I guess.

I'd be willing to take a crack at Antti Raanta.

[Randall Flagg]

In 30 games played, Hutton has the highest save percentage in the league.

Beware goalies playing behind St. Louis's defense though.

[darksabre]

In 30 games played, Hutton has the highest save percentage in the league.

 

Beware goalies playing behind St. Louis's defense though.

He's also a little older than I'd want if we're trying for a goalie competition. If we're taking an older goalie I want someone with a lot of NHL experience to mentor Ullmark.

[sweetlou]

I would like to see the Sabres bring up Ullmark for some mid week games the rest of the year.  Let him play any Tuesday or Wednesday games and then send him to Rochester for their weekend games.  This gives Botterill a chance to see him play more in NHL and make a better decision this off season.  He has played one great game this year but I want to see more before I would hand him the #1 role next year.

 

Games Ullmark should start the rest of the year.

 

3/7 home against Calgary

3/15 home against Toronto

3/21 home against Arizona

3/29 home against Detroit

4/4 home against Ottawa

[Jsixspd]

I don't think the Sabres will be able to trade Lehner. 

It wouldn't surprise me if the rumor that Lehner wanted to be traded, and asked to be traded, was true, and basically they couldn't give him away at the deadline. Whether they get anything for him or not, the team will be better off without him.  

[apuszczalowski]

I would like to see the Sabres bring up Ullmark for some mid week games the rest of the year.  Let him play any Tuesday or Wednesday games and then send him to Rochester for their weekend games.  This gives Botterill a chance to see him play more in NHL and make a better decision this off season.  He has played one great game this year but I want to see more before I would hand him the #1 role next year.

 

Games Ullmark should start the rest of the year.

 

3/7 home against Calgary

3/15 home against Toronto

3/21 home against Arizona

3/29 home against Detroit

4/4 home against Ottawa

I would bring him up for next season but as the #2, or maybe a #1b in a tandem

 

Let him earn his way into the #1 role and take it from someone

[darksabre]

Chad Johnson getting the start tomorrow per Bill Hoppe

[Sabel79]

Chad Johnson getting the start tomorrow per Bill Hoppe

(Tents fingers) Excellent...

[nfreeman]

IMHO CJ looked like a much smarter goalie last night than Lehner.

[darksabre]

IMHO CJ looked like a much smarter goalie last night than Lehner.

I think that's really where CJ is a better goalie for this team. He's not going to stop the quantity of shots that Lehner does, but he's arguably the better reflexive goalie of the two and I find he plays a more active game, which our defenders need him to do. He's more involved in the play and I think he processes the needs of his teammates better. He's not the most talented or consistent goalie in the world, but I think he's a savvy veteran with a good mind for the game. And I also suspect the team prefers to play in front of him because he doesn't carry the emotional baggage that comes with Lehner. 

Housley said the key phrase in his post game. Chad "made the big saves when we needed him to". That's Chad vs. Lehner right there. 

[Drunkard]

Chad Johnson has been playing well recently but I still don't trust him to platoon with Ullmark next season. He's been bad more than he's been good this season and his overall stats bear that out. Recency bias is setting in deep around these parts.

[darksabre]

Chad Johnson has been playing well recently but I still don't trust him to platoon with Ullmark next season. He's been bad more than he's been good this season and his overall stats bear that out. Recency bias is setting in deep around these parts.

The rest of the team was also playing terribly, so I suspect CJ should get some slack for that.

 

I like him as a veteran mentor for Ullmark. I think Ullmark has a good mindset and I think he and Johnson could make a nice duo. Two positive, hardworking guys.

[Drunkard]

The rest of the team was also playing terribly, so I suspect CJ should get some slack for that.

 

I like him as a veteran mentor for Ullmark. I think Ullmark has a good mindset and I think he and Johnson could make a nice duo. Two positive, hardworking guys.

 

I'd rather keep Lehner on another one year deal than pin the hopes of next season on a rookie goalie and Chad freaking Johnson. Ullmark was great in spot duty but as (I think it was PA) said, the Sabres were protecting him like a mother grizzly protects her cubs. They won't be able to keep that up over a full season. Johnson is mediocre on a good day. Unless Ullmark stands on his head all year there won't be much chance of playoffs.

[darksabre]

I'd rather keep Lehner on another one year deal than pin the hopes of next season on a rookie goalie and Chad freaking Johnson. Ullmark was great in spot duty but as (I think it was PA) said, the Sabres were protecting him like a mother grizzly protects her cubs. They won't be able to keep that up over a full season. Johnson is mediocre on a good day. Unless Ullmark stands on his head all year there won't be much chance of playoffs.

I'm not paying Lehner $5mil.

[nfreeman]

I don't think either of them will be back.