Is the bad goaltending now ruining the Amerks season as well?

[GASabresIUFAN]

The last couple of games, we have watched bad goaltending in Rochester doom the Amerks.  The bottomline is that the goaltending in Buffalo and Rochester is terrible as expected.  Not really a surprise given how all of these goaltenders performed last season.  Sadly, as I feared in the off-season, both teams' terrible goaltending is destroying the chances of both team to compete.  Yes, we have received some good night from Anderson (now injured), from Tokar and the Amerks have received a few good nights from UPL.  However the numbers below are awful.

Tokarski: NHL 2020-21 3.54 .904; 2021-22 3.07 .909

Dell: NHL 2020-21 4.62 .839; 2021-22 3.76 .861

UPL:  AHL 2020-21 3.60 .888; 2021-22 3.61 .878

Houser AHL 2020-21 2.33 .924; 2021-22 3.12 .881

Admittedly some of this is small sample size, but when it's a continuation of the same terrible play like Dell and UPL with Tokar being only marginally better, the trends don't look good.  KA really needs to do something, but probably won't.   

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[bob_sauve28]

 

 

Not sure how this situation gets better soon. Goalies don’t grow on trees and lots of teams are in the market for a goalie. We do have draft picks to trade but the price will probably be high. The lottery ticket strategy of getting  lucky and finding someone on waivers or something is that might work, but probably not. 

Toker has been good, I don’t blame him for last game at all, the defense just has to play better. 

[Huckleberry]

At this rate we might have to try out Levi next year already 😞

[Gatorman0519]

From what several fans I’ve talked to say, UPL is a near disaster. 

[Eleven]

26 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

At this rate we might have to try out Levi next year already 😞

I have no problems with this.  Hockey East is not a challenge for him.

[tom webster]

Goaltending is a tough position to figure out. Everyone thought Seattle pull off a huge coup with their tandem and the two of them are among the worst in the league this year. For that matter, our old friend Linus isn’t much better. 

[bob_sauve28]

8 minutes ago, tom webster said:

Goaltending is a tough position to figure out. Everyone thought Seattle pull off a huge coup with their tandem and the two of them are among the worst in the league this year. For that matter, our old friend Linus isn’t much better. 

Yup, and look at how the best goalie in franchise (league?) history fell into our lap

[Amerks8796]

UPL will absolutely sabotage the Amerks season if he continues to play as much as he has. They’ve clearly given him the opportunity to be the clear cut 1 and run with it, and he’s blown it. There’s no justification for keeping Dell on the bench when he returns. They’ll have to play UPL less. This could have playoff implications, and those games are important for the real prospects. 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

 

 

Not sure how this situation gets better soon. Goalies don’t grow on trees and lots of teams are in the market for a goalie. We do have draft picks to trade but the price will probably be high. The lottery ticket strategy of getting  lucky and finding someone on waivers or something is that might work, but probably not. 

Toker has been good, I don’t blame him for last game at all, the defense just has to play better. 

Could have had Nadelkjovic for a 3rd so I don't think the price is crazy high, especially if it's for AHL help. 

I'm now wondering if Levi and Portillo get signed and it's a free for all to see who gets the jobs. Best 2 get starter in Buffalo and Rochester respectively. 

[LabattBlue]

Part of the problem is the GM’s approach to the goaltending situation in the off-season.  One part of his solution was signing a 40 year old goalie. Go figure…he breaks down in the 1st month of the season, and now the trickle down effects both teams goaltending. 
 

On paper, it looks like Adams did the best he could with shipping out the old core this offseason, but this is two years running he has $hit the bed in terms of goaltending within the organization. 

Edited November 21, 2021 by LabattBlue

[LGR4GM]

18 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Part of the problem is the GM’s approach to the goaltending situation in the off-season.  One part of his solution was signing a 40 year old goalie. Go figure…he breaks down in the 1st month of the season, and now the trickle down effects both teams goaltending. 
 

On paper, it looks like Adams did the best he could with shipping out the old core this offseason, but this is two years running he has $hit the bed in terms of goaltending within the organization. 

... no it isn't. How is it Adams fault Ullmark was injured all year? This year sure, blame him. 

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

... no it isn't. How is it Adams fault Ullmark was injured all year? This year sure, blame him. 

Everybody & their dog knew the Sabres needed a reliable guy to pair w/ Ullmark last year.  Hutton was not that guy.  Even Adams knew it & came close to working out some deals, but in the end couldn't pull the trigger on any.  Going into last season w/ the goaltending they had was a recipe for a failure & that baked up beautifully.

The lack of goaltending 2 years running is 100% on the GM.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I couldn’t agree more.  Everyone knew Hutton sucked and Ullmark has a long injury history.  To only bring in Tokarski and not upgrade Hutton was a huge mistake.

This year is all on KA, and now his goaltending failure in Buffalo is now endangering Roch season as well.

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

23 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I couldn’t agree more.  Everyone new Hutton sucked and Ullmark has a long injury history.  To only bring in Tokarski and not upgrade Hutton was a huge mistake.

This year is all on KA, and now his goaltending failure in Buffalo is now endangering Roch season as well.

Don't see how unless you think Dell is significantly better than Upl

[Amerks8796]

25 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Don't see how unless you think Dell is significantly better than Upl

He is head and shoulders better. 

[Pimlach]

I have been harping on the importance of goaltending since I came here.  You need decent goaltending to keep the games close during a rebuild.   Your young players have to feel they have a chance, and that their inevitable mistakes could be covered at times.  
 

UPL is the first key. It is still early in the season yet.  Hopefully he stays in Rochester and starts to improve so that next year he is ready.  But Hope is not a plan.  Given that, I can see Adams having to trade for a legit NHL vet to compete for time next season.  We cannot give the job to any of the current roster incumbents.  The bar must be raised. 
 

I don’t think we should rush Portillo and Levi either.  
 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

Hauser has looked better of late then UPL. I think we all assumed the Amerks would the playoffs so they couldn't play in Buffalo late. But would it be so bad if the Amerks core all got called up to finish the season in Buffalo?

[bob_sauve28]

14 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I have been harping on the importance of goaltending since I came here.  You need decent goaltending to keep the games close during a rebuild.   Your young players have to feel they have a chance, and that their inevitable mistakes could be covered at times.  
 

UPL is the first key. It is still early in the season yet.  Hopefully he stays in Rochester and starts to improve so that next year he is ready.  But Hope is not a plan.  Given that, I can see Adams having to trade for a legit NHL vet to compete for time next season.  We cannot give the job to any of the current roster incumbents.  The bar must be raised. 
 

I don’t think we should rush Portillo and Levi either.  
 

 

I just wonder what a trade would look like. We have all those draft picks but can you get a starting goalie for a first round pick? Would we have to give up Mitts or Olli to get a good goaltender? 

 

I get people are down 9n Adams, and that might be justified, but the market for goalies isn't great and the price will be high, I would imagine. 

 

Now watch, we will send a fourth rounder to some team for a nobody who will turn into the next Vezina winner 

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I just wonder what a trade would look like. We have all those draft picks but can you get a starting goalie for a first round pick? Would we have to give up Mitts or Olli to get a good goaltender? 

 

I get people are down 9n Adams, and that might be justified, but the market for goalies isn't great and the price will be high, I would imagine. 

 

Now watch, we will send a fourth rounder to some team for a nobody who will turn into the next Vezina winner 

If you have a good staff you can sometimes find a Diamond in the rough.  
 

All I’m looking for is a decent stop gap for next year.  

[LGR4GM]

10 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

If you have a good staff you can sometimes find a Diamond in the rough.  
 

All I’m looking for is a decent stop gap for next year.  

Looks at Devin Levi, nods. 

[Pimlach]

19 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Hauser has looked better of late then UPL. I think we all assumed the Amerks would the playoffs so they couldn't play in Buffalo late. But would it be so bad if the Amerks core all got called up to finish the season in Buffalo?

Best scenario is they make the playoffs and get that experience.  That does not have preclude a few call ups but there is value in the youngsters sticking together and having success down there.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Don't see how unless you think Dell is significantly better than Upl

KA signed Dell and Anderson to be in Buffalo and for Tokarski and UPL to play in Rochester.  Tokar, who is a steady hand in the AHL, was great insurance if UPL continued to stink (which he has).  However Dell sucked in pre-season (no surprise) and 40 year old Anderson got hurt (no surprise).  That left Tokakski, a AAAA goalie, as the starter in Buffalo with the terrible Dell as his backup.  Sadly Dell has outplayed UPL in the AHL.  Now AHL is saddled with a failing prospect in UPL whose numbers are actually worse then last year (if that was possible) and ECHL vet Houser.   Now KA's failure to bring in at least decent goaltending in Buffalo has also left Roch without at least decent goaltending, likely taking Rochester playoff chances down with it.

All of this was foreseeable and obvious to this board, the media, and any observer with half a brain, except apparently KA.  

Its great that Levi and Portillo are doing well in college, but it's likely years until either player makes the NHL.  If this latest rebuild is to work, KA is going to have to spend some assets to bring in upgrades in goal.  He could have grabbed Nejelkovic off of waivers last year and picked up Vanacek for a 2nd this year.  It's time to stop giving KA a pass here.    

[steveoath]

If we assume no help incoming via trade, what about the UFA route this off season?

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-agents/2022/goaltender/ufa/

I guess a lot depends on how we end up doing this season.

[bob_sauve28]

1 minute ago, steveoath said:

If we assume no help incoming via trade, what about the UFA route this off season?

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-agents/2022/goaltender/ufa/

I guess a lot depends on how we end up doing this season.

Wow, there's some pretty bad goalies on that list! 

 

Carter Hutton again makes the list! For the last time I would assume 

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, steveoath said:

If we assume no help incoming via trade, what about the UFA route this off season?

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-agents/2022/goaltender/ufa/

I guess a lot depends on how we end up doing this season.

Hopefully Kuemper & Vanacek are both on their radar.  Offer a ridiculous $/yr to keep the term reasonable.  This team will be so far below the cap ceiling that there is no reason not to spend on a ST goaltending fix.