Goaltending must be upgraded...

[LabattBlue]

Hutton needs to go, Ullmark is at best a middle of the road starter/above average backup, Johansson is a career NHL/AHL tweeter and UPL is 1-2 years away from the NHL...even as a backup. 
 

So...who is brought in as a starter to upgrade the position for at least two years, and hopefully make this a playoff team?

[LaLaLaFontaine]

I totales agree, subpar goaltending cost us too many points.

 

Lehner is playing well. Maybe he would be willing to come back?

[CallawaySabres]

I would love Lehner for 2 years

[Weave]

If I am Lehner I don't know that I want to go back to the place where I had my darkest hour.  That seems like a bad idea.

 

And yes, we need a real, bonafide starter.

[dudacek]

I tend to agree with Weave on Lehner, but Holtby, Markstrom and Matt Murray are all UFAs and clear upgrades. I’d kick the tires on all three and hope for a buyers’ market.

Crawford, Howard, Anderson, Griess, Talbot, Halak, Khudobin and Mike Smith are some of the other UFA options.

 

[KC Scouts]

I understand we can’t spend money that we don’t have, which really was the case this year. But they absolutely need to pick up a QUALITY,  RELIABLE keeper next season for there to be any hope

[Randall Flagg]

Woah. That's a good list.

we need to end up with one of those guys. 

[bob_sauve28]

26 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Woah. That's a good list.

we need to end up with one of those guys. 

Might just be a buyers market this year 

[Randall Flagg]

Specifically I'd like one of those big three mentioned first, or one of Anton, Halak, Greiss

[3putt]

20 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Specifically I'd like one of those big three mentioned first, or one of Anton, Halak, Greiss

Halak and Greiss have had less than favorable experiences in Buffalo.  Doubt they are options. I like Markstrom, Anton or Murray.  But I think all are going to be costly, buyers market or not.

[Randall Flagg]

Just now, 3putt said:

Halak and Greiss have had less than favorable experiences in Buffalo.  Doubt they are options. I like Markstrom, Anton or Murray.  But I think all are going to be costly, buyers market or not.

What happened with Greiss?

[3putt]

2 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

What happened with Greiss?

Heard through some Hawks contacts that he has had issues with either someone in the current management or prior. Coach GM they wouldn’t say.

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, 3putt said:

Heard through some Hawks contacts that he has had issues with either someone in the current management or prior. Coach GM they wouldn’t say.

Well, he was in Pittsburgh in 2015...

[3putt]

7 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Well, he was in Pittsburgh in 2015...

Dunno.  One of my coaching buddies is wired in to the Hawks development staff.  Said there is a history.  It came up in a discussion of Lehner who he said became very friendly with Greiss.  Again dunno.

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, 3putt said:

Dunno.  One of my coaching buddies is wired in to the Hawks development staff.  Said there is a history.  It came up in a discussion of Lehner who he said became very friendly with Greiss.  Again dunno.

Hear anything you can share about Kahun and Jokiharju?

[Zamboni]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I tend to agree with Weave on Lehner, but Holtby, Markstrom and Matt Murray are all UFAs and clear upgrades. I’d kick the tires on all three and hope for a buyers’ market.

Crawford, Howard, Anderson, Griess, Talbot, Halak, Khudobin and Mike Smith are some of the other UFA options.

 

I’m very allergic to paying stupid money to goaltenders ... but Holtby intrigues me. I wouldn’t mind taking a stab at Greiss and Markstrom.

[3putt]

19 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Hear anything you can share about Kahun and Jokiharju?

They paid for Matta with Kahun.  Felt they were pretty set with Kubalik and Debrincat.  Stan wanted Nylander and against some opposition made Joker available.  Colliton wanted more offense from Joker and felt he was in the way of Boquist and Mitchell.  The guy(s) thought highly of both guys.  Kahun was referred to by some as baby Marian.  Similar tenacity and awareness, obviously not as skilled.  My eye test has always liked the way Kahun plays. Moves the puck to high danger areas consistently. Hopefully that doesn’t get beaten out of him in the current low to high system.  Ironically the team is still high on Alex. Feel it was an even swap despite the numbers currently.  Bowman is as polarizing as our gm.  All I got.  

[Eleven]

Lehner.

[Kruppstahl]

4 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

Hutton needs to go, Ullmark is at best a middle of the road starter/above average backup, Johansson is a career NHL/AHL tweeter and UPL is 1-2 years away from the NHL...even as a backup. 
 

So...who is brought in as a starter to upgrade the position for at least two years, and hopefully make this a playoff team?

I agree, but we were in this position last year.  For most of last season I was posting that neither Ullmark or Hutton are the way forward, and they aren't.  Why wasn't anything done leading to this season?  

Hutton can't be on the team next year.  Ullmark can stay as #2.  We need to find a #1 starting G in the off-season IMO.

Upgrading save % significantly, if we can do it, is one of the single easiest ways to increase our point total next year. 

3 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

I would love Lehner for 2 years

 

3 hours ago, Weave said:

If I am Lehner I don't know that I want to go back to the place where I had my darkest hour.  That seems like a bad idea.

 

And yes, we need a real, bonafide starter.

I feel like bridges have been burned between Lehner and this organization.  

I don't see him coming back here.

 

 

[Marvin]

Fans' treatment of Lehner was flat out horrible because of the price GMTM paid to get him.  It would not be healthy for either him or the fans.  IMHO, you can also cross out any close friends he had among goaltenders around the league.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

The magnetic poles don't match up between Lehner and the Sabres.

[LTS]

No goaltender will fix the defensive zone coverage problems the Sabres are currently exhibiting.  It's the same poor coverage during their losing streak earlier this year. They are losing coverage on guys behind the play.  Those are easy tap-ins.

[Weave]

5 minutes ago, LTS said:

No goaltender will fix the defensive zone coverage problems the Sabres are currently exhibiting.  It's the same poor coverage during their losing streak earlier this year. They are losing coverage on guys behind the play.  Those are easy tap-ins.

Biron laid out pretty plainly yesterday that they stopped getting into passing zones as well.  Completely abandoned thee defensive system they have.

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

Lehner.

Lehner had over a 3.00 GAA playing for a bad Black Hawks team.  He also looked to still have a lot of the same flaws he had in Buffalo when the Sabres played him in Vegas.  He let a point shot get through him 5 hole and he got JUST enough of it to graze the outside of the pipe.  He flailed and fell keeping the puck out on 1 where if any Sabre was close to the crease, the rebound would've been in before he found it.  He could've given up 3 wrap around and finally did give 1 up late.

There are going to be several goalies available this off season.  While the redemption story of him coming back has compelling components to it, just saw too much of the old Lehner in his game to want anything to do with him.  Really would rather have a better guy picked up.  (Though, if the plan is to expose him next year rather than Ullmark, might be able to get on board with it.)

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

I tend to agree with Weave on Lehner, but Holtby, Markstrom and Matt Murray are all UFAs and clear upgrades. I’d kick the tires on all three and hope for a buyers’ market.

Crawford, Howard, Anderson, Griess, Talbot, Halak, Khudobin and Mike Smith are some of the other UFA options.

 

If JBot is still here Matt Murray might be the guy given JBot's history with Pitt. Vancouver will re-sign Markstrom imo and I doubt Holtby would go from near the top to us unless the pay was vastly too much.

Lehner? Not a chance. Way too much downside risk for us and him. If he isn't brilliant here he can spiral back into his issues quickly and how bad do we look if he sucks again coming back here? If that happens nobody will ever sign here again. The narrative will be it's Buffalo, not the player in question (if it isn't that already).