What do you expect from: #1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen?

[triumph_communes]

BUNcH OF DOUBTERS WHY ARE YOU FANs

[Zamboni]

49 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

BUNcH OF DOUBTERS WHY ARE YOU FANs

There is a difference between what  one expects from UPL this season only. Full Stop.

And what one expects from UPL long term. Full stop.

I bet 90% of the votes here Are talking about this season only. I would bet very very few Are thinking long-term when it comes to giving their vote. For this particular poll at this particular time. Snapshot in time. Very very small snapshot in time. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

The poll clearly states ... THIS YEAR

[triumph_communes]

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

There is a difference between what  one expects from UPL this season only. Full Stop.

And what one expects from UPL long term. Full stop.

I bet 90% of the votes here Are talking about this season only. I would bet very very few Are thinking long-term when it comes to giving their vote. For this particular poll at this particular time. Snapshot in time. Very very small snapshot in time. 

That’s not very huge Rochester huge 

[Pimlach]

I voted he starts year in Roch, comes up around mid season and plays the rest of the way.
 

 I just hope he sticks because he is ready and not because the other are terrible. 

[dudacek]

Damn, I was worried that UPL would show enough that they would force him into the NHL roster.

Now I'm worried that he didn't show enough to even consider that as an option.

The organization considers him the goalie of the future, but to my eyes he has done very little as a pro to warrant that status.

He really needs to establish himself as a bona fide AHL starter this year, the same way Linus did five years ago.

It's a crucial year for him and the franchise.

[jsb]

It's hard to evaluate the rest of the team when he's played so horribly. I keep going back to the score and although the defense in front of him has been equally as bad, after these past 2 games I'm not even confident he's AHL ready.

[inkman]

On 9/18/2021 at 3:40 PM, triumph_communes said:

That’s not very huge Rochester huge 

The amount of disdain I have for that deceased blow hard is irrational 

[inkman]

5 minutes ago, jsb said:

It's hard to evaluate the rest of the team when he's played so horribly. I keep going back to the score and although the defense in front of him has been equally as bad, after these past 2 games I'm not even confident he's AHL ready.

He was fine in the A last season. He needs some work but it’s definitely with Rochester.  Good think Portillo and Levi are both in the system so we don’t have to rely on UPL at any point (although I really think Kevyn’s plan was for UPL to take the reigns this season, I guess he still could after some time on the Amerks).

[Digger]

He needs to go down to Rochester with a good attitude and play to the best of his ability.  I said this in last nights game that I think he sometimes gives up too much of the net for a big goalie.  He is still a work in progress.  He shows some good flashes and then some real weaknesses.  Go to Rochester and prove that you deserve a chance in the NHL.

[Weave]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Damn, I was worried that UPL would show enough that they would force him into the NHL roster.

Now I'm worried that he didn't show enough to even consider that as an option.

The organization considers him the goalie of the future, but to my eyes he has done very little as a pro to warrant that status.

He really needs to establish himself as a bona fide AHL starter this year, the same way Linus did five years ago.

It's a crucial year for him and the franchise.

He’s sure not inspiring confidence that he has a future in the NHL.

[Norcal]

I was wrong about UPL. Point blank, Period!

I wanted to believe that he worked on his weaknesses and could come into the season as the #1 if he got hot. 

He's ice cold at this point and should most likely stay in Rochester all season to try and win with what should be a decent team. 

I still believe in his talent but I'll be looking for a new avatar until he re-emerges. 

[bob_sauve28]

On 10/5/2021 at 12:58 PM, Norcal said:

I was wrong about UPL. Point blank, Period!

I wanted to believe that he worked on his weaknesses and could come into the season as the #1 if he got hot. 

He's ice cold at this point and should most likely stay in Rochester all season to try and win with what should be a decent team. 

I still believe in his talent but I'll be looking for a new avatar until he re-emerges. 

You were not the only one hoping he would be ready. 🤨Maybe next year

[French Collection]

I think a large part of a goalie’s success is confidence.

Once he has a few good games and some wins he will have confidence in his abilities. The fundamentals can be worked on every day and improvement will come.

I think the Amerks have a good team and this will help him get on the right path.

[pi2000]

6 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I think a large part of a goalie’s success is confidence.

Once he has a few good games and some wins he will have confidence in his abilities. The fundamentals can be worked on every day and improvement will come.

I think the Amerks have a good team and this will help him get on the right path.

I hope you're right, but I don't see anything in his game that would suggest he's a future NHL starter.... and that's OK, more often than not goalie prospects don't pan out.

[Amerks8796]

This is a guy with a sub .900 save percentage in the AHL, and it’s not even close to .900. Based on his actual play, he hasn’t even earned a backup role in the AHL, let alone a starter. I understand he’s going to get the bulk of the games anyway, and he has a lot to prove. 

[French Collection]

3 hours ago, pi2000 said:

I hope you're right, but I don't see anything in his game that would suggest he's a future NHL starter.... and that's OK, more often than not goalie prospects don't pan out.

It’s why I am happy we have Levi and Portillo in the pipeline.

[Taro T]

41 minutes ago, French Collection said:

It’s why I am happy we have Levi and Portillo in the pipeline.

It's why they should've grabbed 1 of the 2 G studs with that mid-1st round pick.  Having 3 "can't miss" prospects + UPL gives them a much better chance of having goaltending solved for a few years 3 years from now than just 2 "can't miss" prospects give them.

Because "can't miss" prospects often do.

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

It's why they should've grabbed 1 of the 2 G studs with that mid-1st round pick.  Having 3 "can't miss" prospects + UPL gives them a much better chance of having goaltending solved for a few years 3 years from now than just 2 "can't miss" prospects give them.

Because "can't miss" prospects often do.

Spending a 1st round pick on a goalie is bit reckless IMO.   

That said, picking one in the middle rounds every other year or so is prudent.

[Taro T]

15 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Spending a 1st round pick on a goalie is bit reckless IMO.   

That said, picking one in the middle rounds every other year or so is prudent.

Typically it is.  But those 2 guys seem to be the highest touted in a while & we're talking a mid-1st in a draft pool that overall seemed a bit weak. 

And totally get that they felt they'd already addressed the G prospect pool w/ the Reinhart deal but after a near decade of Ullmark being far & away their best goalie; really want to get back to the days of an Ullmark clearly being the 2nd banana.  Having 3 "can't miss" prospects would've been a good thing.  Because UPL seems to be set up to follow the Bailey/Baptiste/Fasching development track, would've been nice to have 1 additional chance to get even better than a Carrier out of 1 of them.  (And don't know that UPL WILL flame out, but have seen nothing to indicate he won't.)

They'll need a TRUE starter & at least an Ullmark.  Get that extra crack at him.  My 2 cents.

And they already had 1 1st & essentially another 1st at the top of the 2nd.  Wouldn't go that route w/ only 1 1st.

[Zamboni]

I’m not categorizing UPL to have a “Bailey/Baptiste/Fasching” future. Not until I absolutely have to. In my opinion there’s just as much of a chance that he continues to develop. Since… After all, he’s not a finished product… By any means. Just like Dahlin isn’t a finished product. He’s Swedish.

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I’m not categorizing UPL to have a “Bailey/Baptiste/Fasching” future. Not until I absolutely have to. In my opinion there’s just as much of a chance that he continues to develop. Since… After all, he’s not a finished product… By any means. Just like Dahlin isn’t a finished product. He’s Swedish.

Hopefully he doesn't follow in their footsteps and he is still young in goalie years.  But has there been ANY indication he won't since he had the hip surgery?

To the bolded, one of me favorite lines from SOAP.  Ingrid Svenson:  Yooouuuu think I'm Fiiinnnishhed?  Jessica Tate:  No, you're Swedish.

[Cheektorado]

4 hours ago, Taro T said:

Hopefully he doesn't follow in their footsteps and he is still young in goalie years.  But has there been ANY indication he won't since he had the hip surgery?

To the bolded, one of me favorite lines from SOAP.  Ingrid Svenson:  Yooouuuu think I'm Fiiinnnishhed?  Jessica Tate:  No, you're Swedish.

I just started rewatching Season 1 of Soap on PLEX.  It's been so long since I seen them.  It still holds up pretty well.

[Pimlach]

I also agree with the sentiment that he is not ready for the NHL.  This is a big year for him in the AHL.   Maybe we will see something better in a late Season call up.  
 

So we have Tokarski and Anderson for a season, which is not inspiring but we all know this is a “build year”.  

Edited October 10, 2021 by Pimlach

[Andrew Amerk]

On 10/5/2021 at 11:23 AM, inkman said:

The amount of disdain I have for that deceased blow hard is irrational 

Can you imagine dying, and your only legacy is saying the word huge in an obnoxious way?