Trading Linus Ullmark

[bob_sauve28]

4 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Lol that's insane

He should be our goaltender. And he should be paid, these will be his best years. But, I’m not saying you are wrong, lol 

[Curt]

Just now, nfreeman said:

 

Well, pi can certainly speak for himself, but he might've been thinking of Lehner too, which is fair IMHO even if they didn't trade him.

Yeah, perhaps, though, as you say, they didn’t trade him.  In that case there was certainly a lot more at play than hockey in those decisions.  I definitely see it as a special set of circumstances and not part of a larger trend.

[apuszczalowski]

Sign him as a backup or the 2nd half of a tandem.

He hasn't shown he can be a reliable #1 goalie in this league

He has yet to play more then half a seasons worth of games in a year. He has decent stats but nothing that can't be improved upon which is what this franchise needs to do. They need to look at improving the entire team, even if it means moving out some players that might still take time to develop/reach their ceiling.

He has been 'middle of the pact' at best in the league which is good for the 2nd half of a tandem or backup goalie, but if they have a chance at someone better, he sholdn't be what holds them back from bringing them in. Goalies (especially todays goalies) are very streaky and can turn very quickly from Franchise goalie to being benched. There are very few goalies out there today that appear like they can be the guy for a team for many years. Its not like years ago when you had goalies like Brodeur, Roy, Belfour, etc. who were the top guys for teams for long stretches of their career. Guys now can look great one year and be gone the next. Carter Hart came in last season and looked like he was the answer for the Flyers in net, then this year he gets benched because his team doesn't trust him enough to start against the Sabres. Robin Lehner looked like he finally reaching his potential in Vegas last year and now they are thanking god that they couldn't get anyone to take Fleury this offseason.

 

If Linus wants big starter money, or a guarantee he will get the majority of the starts, I think you let him test the market

If he is willing to sign a short term contract for a decent amount, and is happy being the 2nd half of a tandem, you bring him back.

[GASabresIUFAN]

He deserves hazard pay.

[7+6=13]

I'm really hoping those rumored additions to the FO happen so they can help make decisions like this.  That's where it all has to start for me.  Good hockey minds that build trust with the fans through their decisions. 

Edited March 30, 2021 by 7+6=13

[PerreaultForever]

10 hours ago, dudacek said:

Everybody loves him. I want to re-sign him.

But he is a pending UFA. What do you do if he says he's going to test the market?

 

Unilke Staal, and Hall, and Montour, Linus has been really good. He will — hands down — be the best goalie on the market if we make him available.

Should he be traded? Will he be traded? What kind of return is worth more to the team than him playing out the string and walking to UFA?

You trade ALL the UFAs from this s@#tshow. You can tell him you'd be interested in signing him next year and you can (if he's interested) and if he's not interested he would have left anyway. Better to get something and give him some playoff experience. 

Trade all the UFAs and the core stars. ALL of them. 

Edited March 30, 2021 by PerreaultForever

[Kruppstahl]

Our goaltending plans should involve bringing in a new, real, No. 1 goalie.

Ullmark can be retained as a good No. 2.

Hutton should have been gone before this season.

 

[Drag0nDan]

19 hours ago, OhMyDahlin said:

Winning games this year does nothing for this organization...a 2nd round pick is much more valuable to this team right now.

That would be a perfect bridge to Luukkonen.

i think we got dead last pretty well locked up.  a few wins isn't going to move the needle much

[miles]

8 hours ago, Kruppstahl said:

Our goaltending plans should involve bringing in a new, real, No. 1 goalie.

Ullmark can be retained as a good No. 2.

Hutton should have been gone before this season.

 

I don't understand why they thought Hutton was anything worth keeping. With that said, the Sabres defense is atrocious and more to blame than anyone 

[Ross Rhea]

I don't blame him for leaving, this inept organization tests even the best mentally fit guys. Linus is a good guy good player, he's been good here on bad teams, imagine how good he would be on a good team with a good coach! League leading numbers possibly, who could blame him if he wanted to leave, yet some want to retain him on the cheap, no way, this guy is a good goalie. 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Ross Rhea

[Curt]

57 minutes ago, Ross Rhea said:

I don't blame him for leaving, this inept organization tests even the best mentally fit guys. Linus is a good guy good player, he's been good here on bad teams, imagine how good he would be on a good team with a good coach! League leading numbers possibly, who could blame him if he wanted to leave, yet some want to retain him on the cheap, no way, this guy is a good goalie. 

My dude Linus has been a pretty good goalie.  However, he has never even started more than 34 games in a season.  Would you like to make him one of the top 10 paid goalies in the league?  What kind of contract do you think he can get?

[Ross Rhea]

58 minutes ago, Curt said:

My dude Linus has been a pretty good goalie.  However, he has never even started more than 34 games in a season.  Would you like to make him one of the top 10 paid goalies in the league?  What kind of contract do you think he can get?

Played in 111 NHL games, started 106 and gotten better each year 27 years old

46-46-13 record

.912 save %

2.78 GAA

On some horrible teams with horrible coaches. Someone is going to give him big $$$ and they will be rewarded for it, Linus is good. 

 

[LGR4GM]

10 hours ago, Kruppstahl said:

Our goaltending plans should involve bringing in a new, real, No. 1 goalie.

Ullmark can be retained as a good No. 2.

Hutton should have been gone before this season.

 

A guy playing on the worst team in the league has the 16th best sv% in the league and he's a "good #2"?

[apuszczalowski]

11 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

A guy playing on the worst team in the league has the 16th best sv% in the league and he's a "good #2"?

That would put him in the middle of the league and he has probably played in less games then most of the other 'starters' in the league.

He has never played more then 50% of the teams games in a season. (I believe he has 2 seasons where he played more then 30 and his next closest was 20 games)

His save percentage right now is at around his career average which is middle of the pact type numbers. He has 3 Career shutouts

He is not a guy that is going to carry a team but is someone that could be a valuable asset to a contender as a backup/1B goalie.

[Curt]

42 minutes ago, Ross Rhea said:

Played in 111 NHL games, started 106 and gotten better each year 27 years old

46-46-13 record

.912 save %

2.78 GAA

On some horrible teams with horrible coaches. Someone is going to give him big $$$ and they will be rewarded for it, Linus is good. 

 

Yeah, he is a pretty good goalie.  I agreed with that.  What kind of big $$$ is he going to get?  What salary and term do you think Buffalo should offer him?

Edited March 30, 2021 by Curt

[dudacek]

It will be very interesting to revisit this thread around this time next year when Linus is generating league-wide buzz at 20/10/3 with a .926 SP for Edmonton, or Toronto or Carolina.

[bob_sauve28]

2 hours ago, Curt said:

My dude Linus has been a pretty good goalie.  However, he has never even started more than 34 games in a season.  Would you like to make him one of the top 10 paid goalies in the league?  What kind of contract do you think he can get?

Here is what other goalies are getting. https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/contracts/goaltender/

We are in a bind and might have to pay more to keep him. I like him, we developed him and I just hope they get him signed. He will be 28 in July, so has some years left. 

 

Hope they can get him at a decent price. 

 

[Huckleberry]

In the end its the only NHL goalie option we got.   UPL and Portillo might be our future but who knows with goalies.

I would still not overpay for him though.

[bob_sauve28]

40 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

In the end its the only NHL goalie option we got.   UPL and Portillo might be our future but who knows with goalies.

I would still not overpay for him though.

What would you consider over paying? If you want to share. 

 

Id over pay somewhat, we need a goalie...well...two goalies 

[Sabre fan]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

It will be very interesting to revisit this thread around this time next year when Linus is generating league-wide buzz at 20/10/3 with a .926 SP for Edmonton, or Toronto or Carolina.

totally 100% agree...Linus will be a top goalie with any sort of half decent defense in front of him. Hell he looks good on the Sabres so imagine him with a good team? I cannot believe we are actually talking of getting rid of him too. Odd when he is one of the few bright spots

[Flashsabre]

This is when they need to be talking to his agent, today. Is he interested in staying around? What does a contract going to look like? If the answer is no then you shop him now.  He will return a pretty good piece and teams (Leafs) would be looking for him for a playoff run.  I like him but if he is intent on walking out the door then get an asset for him.

 

If this whole thing is going to be blown up then he isn’t going to stick around or really be necessary if it is rebuild 2.0.

[Curt]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Here is what other goalies are getting. https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/contracts/goaltender/

We are in a bind and might have to pay more to keep him. I like him, we developed him and I just hope they get him signed. He will be 28 in July, so has some years left. 

 

Hope they can get him at a decent price. 

 

Yup, I know what goalie contracts there are.  I’m asking what would you pay to keep him?  And what do you think he can get on the open market?

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

It will be very interesting to revisit this thread around this time next year when Linus is generating league-wide buzz at 20/10/3 with a .926 SP for Edmonton, or Toronto or Carolina.

Definitely. But I also would imagine (particularly with the flat cap) that none of those other teams is going to throw big money at Linus for him to join them.

Wherever he signs (and I hope it's with us) he's not breaking the bank. Because as a GM you'd be foolish to pay a guy big money to be the clear #1 when he's been injured multiple times -- including non-contact knee injuries. Any team that signs Ullmark needs a backup who can potentially play a bunch.

[thewookie1]

We can’t pay Ullmark more than 4mil at max without crippling our team further in other positions. We need a legit backup or 1B which would cost about 2.5 to 3.5 mil. A good goalie budget is under 8/9mil for both.

[DarthEbriate]

5 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

We can’t pay Ullmark more than 4mil at max without crippling our team further in other positions. We need a legit backup or 1B which would cost about 2.5 to 3.5 mil. A good goalie budget is under 8/9mil for both.

I think the Sabres could safely go to 4.25 for Ullmark, which would leave the 2.5-3 range wide open for a quality backup.  Definitely should keep it under $7.5M for the tandem. The good news is that Dahlin and Jokiharju are both playing themselves into bridge contracts that are going to be well below where we would have expected to pay them at the beginning of this season.

The Skinner contract is still a rock tied around this franchise's neck until the combined Seattle/ESPN/NBC & next Canadian TV deals kick in, plus the return of fans to seats, and jump the salary cap up into the $90s. So right when Skinner's skating will fall apart and there's still 3 years left on his deal.