GDT - 4/19/22 Thunderbirds @ Amerks 7:05 AHLTV

[WhenWillItEnd66]

2 Things..... Great win!!! Mets win, Amerks win, LA wins, and Preds win!!! 

 

UPL may not be the next coming as we all thought a year ago, but i believe he will still be a good NHLer. Right now he has ZERO defense in front of him and their system there is lacking. Give him the Sabres top 4 and i think he will do great things. 

[Taro T]

48 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Lol, doing victory laps after a team wins a shootout is something. 

The guy who gave up what 2 goals last night and only 5 in the last 3 games? That upl?

Leave it to you to think that was taking a victory lap.

Merely pointing out that it isn't a guarantee that they'll miss the playoffs by not sending the guys that a couple here would like to see sent down.  They're actually in a playoff position as of this morning.  Obviously that could change again before next week is through.  And, just as it isn't a guarantee that they'll miss by not sending those guys down; it isn't a guarantee they'll make it by sending those guys down.

And what happens to their psyches should they get demoted and fail?  Which would be a genuine possibility were Adams to send any or all of the Ra-cha-cha 3 back down; they are afterall only 3 of 18 skaters.

It was IMHO a bad idea to send them down after the Bellville game when the Amerks dropped out of a playoff spot & it still is now that that have, at least for the moment, clawed back into one.  Fortunately, management seems to agree.  And, whether they get in or not, that opinion won't change.  Kinda expectin' they will get in, but wouldn't put any money on it either way.

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Leave it to you to think that was taking a victory lap.

Merely pointing out that it isn't a guarantee that they'll miss the playoffs by not sending the guys that a couple here would like to see sent down.  They're actually in a playoff position as of this morning.  Obviously that could change again before next week is through.  And, just as it isn't a guarantee that they'll miss by not sending those guys down; it isn't a guarantee they'll make it by sending those guys down.

And what happens to their psyches should they get demoted and fail?  Which would be a genuine possibility were Adams to send any or all of the Ra-cha-cha 3 back down; they are afterall only 3 of 18 skaters.

It was IMHO a bad idea to send them down after the Bellville game when the Amerks dropped out of a playoff spot & it still is now that that have, at least for the moment, clawed back into one.  Fortunately, management seems to agree.  And, whether they get in or not, that opinion won't change.  Kinda expectin' they will get in, but wouldn't put any money on it either way.

I don't think it is a guarantee, instead I think it's trying to improve the odds

If their psyches are so fragile they don't understand being sent to Rochester to help them, trade them immediately. 

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think it is a guarantee, instead I think it's trying to improve the odds

If their psyches are so fragile they don't understand being sent to Rochester to help them, trade them immediately. 

Reminds one of the old Guinness commercials.

[CallawaySabres]

So in regards to UPL. Wasn't he supposed to be this huge goalie prospect that was starting to look like a can't miss? Now, it seems all that attention has been pointed towards Levi (if he signs here). What are expectations of UPL right now? Is he projected to be goalie #2 on the Sabes next season? Are we still thinking he has a shot to be the starter? I don't watch Rochester but it seems as though all the hype air has been let out of the UPL balloon. 

[Taro T]

8 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

So in regards to UPL. Wasn't he supposed to be this huge goalie prospect that was starting to look like a can't miss? Now, it seems all that attention has been pointed towards Levi (if he signs here). What are expectations of UPL right now? Is he projected to be goalie #2 on the Sabes next season? Are we still thinking he has a shot to be the starter? I don't watch Rochester but it seems as though all the hype air has been let out of the UPL balloon. 

IMHO, his ceiling is Biron (good backup, poor man's starter).  Hasn't been the same since the elective hip surgeries, again IMHO.

Adams hasn't given up on him and seems to think that the better structure he'd have in front of him will allow him to be one of those handful of guys that are better in the NHL than in the AHL.

Unless they bring in 2 veterans (which is possible, Adams has talked of bringing back Anderson and also of getting a bridge upgrade, not positive whether they are mutually exclusive or not) expect UPL as the backup.

No idea as to whether Tokarski is in the mix next year as well.  Sort of expect him to move somewhere where there's a more open opportunity to be the backup, but who knows what his plans are either.  W/ no Levi nor Portillo until April at the earliest, there's a need for 3 bodies besides UPL.  So, there's room for him, but hard to see him in the picture as he did (thankfully) block UPL this season.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

Yep. That’s the one. I’ve watched nearly all his games this year. He has his moments. So does Dell. And his D certainly doesn’t do him any flavors most nights. But good goalies make the big save more often than not, regardless, and he just doesn’t seem up to the task imo. I’m not pinning any hopes on him being our long awaited goalie messiah. 

UPL doesn’t fail the eye test like Dell and Tokarski do with the lunging and the odd stances and the getting turned around.

He presents a big solid front, is extremely good down low and in tight and is athletic post-to-post. He looks like a modern NHL goalie. And then shots from well out that he is ready for just go through him. It’s strange.

He’s certainly good enough to play in the NHL, but until he fixes that flaw, I’m not sure he can be the guy.

[inkman]

34 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

So in regards to UPL. Wasn't he supposed to be this huge goalie prospect that was starting to look like a can't miss? Now, it seems all that attention has been pointed towards Levi (if he signs here). What are expectations of UPL right now? Is he projected to be goalie #2 on the Sabes next season? Are we still thinking he has a shot to be the starter? I don't watch Rochester but it seems as though all the hype air has been let out of the UPL balloon. 

 

16 minutes ago, Taro T said:

IMHO, his ceiling is Biron (good backup, poor man's starter).  Hasn't been the same since the elective hip surgeries, again IMHO.

Adams hasn't given up on him and seems to think that the better structure he'd have in front of him will allow him to be one of those handful of guys that are better in the NHL than in the AHL.

Unless they bring in 2 veterans (which is possible, Adams has talked of bringing back Anderson and also of getting a bridge upgrade, not positive whether they are mutually exclusive or not) expect UPL as the backup.

No idea as to whether Tokarski is in the mix next year as well.  Sort of expect him to move somewhere where there's a more open opportunity to be the backup, but who knows what his plans are either.  W/ no Levi nor Portillo until April at the earliest, there's a need for 3 bodies besides UPL.  So, there's room for him, but hard to see him in the picture as he did (thankfully) block UPL this season.

 

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

UPL doesn’t fail the eye test like Dell and Tokarski do with the lunging and the odd stances and the getting turned around.

He presents a big solid front, is extremely good down low and in tight and is athletic post-to-post. He looks like a modern NHL goalie. And then shots from well out that he is ready for just go through him. It’s strange.

He’s certainly good enough to play in the NHL, but until he fixes that flaw, I’m not sure he can be the guy.

As Taro pointed out, his injuries have set him back.  Not sure if it’s still lingering or his post healing abilities just aren’t as good. The air has certainly been released from all the tire pumping we all did when he was the can’t miss goalie prospect. Goaltending is part witchcraft. You just never know who is gonna have it and who won’t. 

[PromoTheRobot]

Belleville and Toronto play each other a couple more times. Not sure what helps the Amerks more? I guess Belleville sweeping the Marlies is best.

[JohnC]

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

Quinn had a quiet game but he was money in the shootout.

Springfield played a very stifling game. UPL looked very good for most of his 65 minutes, but long shots continue to plague him. 

A few days ago on WGR Biron was talking about UPL too often being flummoxed by long shots. He simply concluded: You just can't have that vulnerability at the NHL level. In that same segment he went through a list of all the goalies that KA might consider to bring in this offseason. He shredded the players on the list. The troubling reality is that the options are limited. And even when there was a good option on the list there were contract $$$ and no trade clause considerations that made the potential acquisition less likely.  

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Belleville and Toronto play each other a couple more times. Not sure what helps the Amerks more? I guess Belleville sweeping the Marlies is best.

According to Marty and Duffer, that’s the simplest path.

[inkman]

He meant 10 points out of their last 12 points available not games remaining. 

Edited April 20, 2022 by inkman

[Taro T]

20 minutes ago, inkman said:

He meant 10 points out of their last 12 points available not games remaining. 

Yep, if Bellville would be nice enough to sweep the Marlies in regulation both games, then the Amerks can get by taking 6 of their last 8 points.  Plus, there would be the added bonus of not being able to get bounced by the Marlies in whatever they're calling the opening 4v5 round of playoffs. 

 

[K-9]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

UPL doesn’t fail the eye test like Dell and Tokarski do with the lunging and the odd stances and the getting turned around.

He presents a big solid front, is extremely good down low and in tight and is athletic post-to-post. He looks like a modern NHL goalie. And then shots from well out that he is ready for just go through him. It’s strange.

He’s certainly good enough to play in the NHL, but until he fixes that flaw, I’m not sure he can be the guy.

Not much relief knowing he doesn’t suck as much as Dell and Tokarski. Hope he makes a liar out of me, but after watching him play all year, he hasn’t done much to convince me he can be a starter in this league. I expected better than what he’s shown to date. 

[Porous Five Hole]

13 hours ago, Taro T said:

Yep, if Bellville would be nice enough to sweep the Marlies in regulation both games, then the Amerks can get by taking 6 of their last 8 points.  Plus, there would be the added bonus of not being able to get bounced by the Marlies in whatever they're calling the opening 4v5 round of playoffs. 

 

I’m so sick of the Marlies. I hope this happens.  

13 hours ago, Taro T said:

Yep, if Bellville would be nice enough to sweep the Marlies in regulation both games, then the Amerks can get by taking 6 of their last 8 points.  Plus, there would be the added bonus of not being able to get bounced by the Marlies in whatever they're calling the opening 4v5 round of playoffs. 

 

Belleville did their job with the front end tonight!

[Flashsabre]

The problem with goalies is they start to hit their stride around 25. You draft one at 18 and there is so much time until they really start to peak. Young goalies (18-24). Very rarely are dominate 1As in the league. The position is more mental then physical and takes time to mature and understand that part of the game.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Flashsabre