Sabres Sign UFA Goalie Eric Comrie 2 Years 1.8 Million AAV

[Curt]

1 minute ago, Carmel Corn said:

Something I continue to ponder....there seems to be a lot of opinions that the NHL lacks enough #1 caliber goalies.  There also seems to be a lot of people who think that you don't spend a high draft pick (1st round or 2nd round) on one for various reasons including a long development timeline. 

I don't necessarily disagree with those opinions, but what intrigues me is what happened over time to weaken the goalie pipeline such that we no longer see 1st round picks and kids playing immediately in the NHL?  I know it's been decades since we had a Tom Barasso situation, but why does it seem like few if any draft picks are able to make more immediate contributions in the NHL?  What's changed?

 

I think that goalies take so long to develop because the position demands highly technical precision movements and positioning.  And these need to be fine tuned and adjusted as higher levels of competition are faced.

Compare that to skaters where a lot more of it is pure athletic ability.

And I think that the number of good goalies out there seems to be reducing because the shooters and team strategists are starting to catch up.  Goalies were working individually with goalie coaches on position specific techniques long before shooters started working one on one with shooting and skills coaches.  Also teams are getting better at implementing strategies that increase high danger scoring chances.

So, I think the goalies have mostly stayed the same.  It’s the shots they are facing that are getting better.

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

Something I continue to ponder....there seems to be a lot of opinions that the NHL lacks enough #1 caliber goalies.  There also seems to be a lot of people who think that you don't spend a high draft pick (1st round or 2nd round) on one for various reasons including a long development timeline. 

I don't necessarily disagree with those opinions, but what intrigues me is what happened over time to weaken the goalie pipeline such that we no longer see 1st round picks and kids playing immediately in the NHL?  I know it's been decades since we had a Tom Barasso situation, but why does it seem like few if any draft picks are able to make more immediate contributions in the NHL?  What's changed?

 

We never really did see many 1st round goalies (or those drafted in other rounds, for that matter) make the NHL as 18 year olds.  Ottomh, can think of 2 (Barasso & DiPietro).  How many others are we missing over 40 years?  Maybe a couple?  Peeters didn't make it his draft year, nor did Luongo nor Lindbergh.  Those were the 3 that had thought might've been in the mix.  And even DiPietro took 1/2 the year to get there.

Don't honestly believe anything changed.

[klos1963]

On 7/13/2022 at 10:00 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Comrie 40, Anderson 25-30, UPL/Subban the balance.

I hope not Subban.... he's not good.

[Brawndo]

Based on Today’s Interview He May prefer to start in Rochester, but if Levi wants some games in the NHL the Sabres play Nine Games after the NCAA Regionals and Three after the Frozen Four. 
 

There is a chance He wants a few games. 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, klos1963 said:

I hope not Subban.... he's not good.

It was UPL/Subban.  I guess the implication is go with whoever's hot when needed.

 

[Thorner]

8 hours ago, Taro T said:

To the bolded, nor do you.

Again, at the point this deal happened, it's probably the best case scenario.  But the other have nots of the East all got theirs done sooner.  Could Buffalo been in on any of them?  WE don't know & it's real easy to say from the sidelines that they couldn't have been.  Which is speculating just as much. 

Look, overall, have liked many of the moves Adams has made and this one could work out.  REALLLLY hoping it does.  He seems like a really good kid & we're all due getting a chance to have something nice for a change.  But, until a Sabres goalie starts playing above average, Adams grade is incomplete at best.

[Edit: PS - And, have said that grabbing the goalie in the 2nd was a good thing though manynhere didn't like it.  The naysayers reasoning being it was too early & there were too many good players still available to justify it.  Mine being, it was a position of need, the team had him rated as worth that pick, and they'd already gotten 3 skaters.  You can only eventually get so many prospects into a lineup; possibly missing out on one to finally actually have a semblance of a pipeline was worth it IMHO.

And that same rationale is why my grade on the pickup would be higher had it occurred earlier.  Coming after "everybody else" was partnered off leaves this as feeling like they grabbed the last girl not on the dance floor even though she wasn't a top choice.  It's reminding a bit of the Hutton signing which did not work out.  And, again, not saying this pick won't work out; actually really want it to, but the track record the past 2 years still leaves a lot of concerns.  We'll know soon enough if it was a good pick.  Would be really friggin' nice to finally land an honest to goodness NHL goalie.  They haven't had a full time healthy one since trading Miller.]

I agree with the bolded and feel like it should go without saying (and I wouldn’t even call it “incomplete”). IF Comrie (and Anderson and whoever) doesn’t amount to much of any kind of improvement in net, Adams will have failed to successfully address the GT in 3 seasons. We can parse the reasons as to why, we can argue it wasn’t crucial to the overall plan, but it’ll have been a large enough time period to factor the unsuccessful addressing of the position into discussion. 

Cautiously, I’m betting on an improved result from Comrie and co. The talent is there. Fit seems nice.

I’m rather bullish on the D as well, so I think that’s going to be a huge help to Comrie. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Thorny

[apuszczalowski]

3 hours ago, Curt said:

I think that goalies take so long to develop because the position demands highly technical precision movements and positioning.  And these need to be fine tuned and adjusted as higher levels of competition are faced.

Compare that to skaters where a lot more of it is pure athletic ability.

And I think that the number of good goalies out there seems to be reducing because the shooters and team strategists are starting to catch up.  Goalies were working individually with goalie coaches on position specific techniques long before shooters started working one on one with shooting and skills coaches.  Also teams are getting better at implementing strategies that increase high danger scoring chances.

So, I think the goalies have mostly stayed the same.  It’s the shots they are facing that are getting better.

I think they also take longer to develop because there are less options/positions for them to get a chance.

Compared to Forward or defence where you have 8-12 spots for players on the team, goalie you have 1 starter and a backup spot so its harder to give a player a chance at playing time in real game situations.

[biodork]

8 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Ginger alert.

CODE RED!!

CODE RED!!

❤️❤️

Speaking of which, I miss @biodork ... come in @biodork !!

Aww, I'm a bad fan... I've completely fallen out of the hockey loop at this point. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even watch the Avs cup run. 🫣

[Bors]

10 hours ago, grinreaper said:

See, I'm already improving your sense of humor although no amount of flirting will get me to turn into a Leaf's fan. 

I'm sure I could be convinced somehow... 

[Freeezo]

It was pretty interesting just reading a jets fan perspective. Almost universally they were pissed last off season that he would be there backup. The perception was that he was underwhelming in the minors. Thru the year they wished he was played more as he was hot and of course are disappointed that he walked for nothing

[Huckleberry]

4 hours ago, Freeezo said:

It was pretty interesting just reading a jets fan perspective. Almost universally they were pissed last off season that he would be there backup. The perception was that he was underwhelming in the minors. Thru the year they wished he was played more as he was hot and of course are disappointed that he walked for nothing

90 minutes between RFA and UFA, would piss me off too.  

[Brawndo]

@LTSand @biodorkmake Their Triumphant Returns to Sabrespace in the same week! Things really are changing in Sabreland! 

[French Collection]

29 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

90 minutes between RFA and UFA, would piss me off too.  

That is poor management by Chevy, if that is the case.

Comrie has something to prove and has been given the opportunity. Anderson as his partner/mentor should help.

[Taro T]

6 hours ago, biodork said:

Aww, I'm a bad fan... I've completely fallen out of the hockey loop at this point. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even watch the Avs cup run. 🫣

Welcome back!

Since you haven't followed much, the Sabres should be a treat this year.  They will at least be mediocre with an outside chance of competitively good.  (Eat it Avs. 😉 )

 

[SDS]

7 hours ago, biodork said:

Aww, I'm a bad fan... I've completely fallen out of the hockey loop at this point. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even watch the Avs cup run. 🫣

😱😱😱

[Weave]

37 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

@LTSand @biodorkmake Their Triumphant Returns to Sabrespace in the same week! Things really are changing in Sabreland! 

Wait…. What?  How did I overlook biodork?

 

 

[Wyldnwoody44]

8 hours ago, biodork said:

Aww, I'm a bad fan... I've completely fallen out of the hockey loop at this point. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even watch the Avs cup run. 🫣

 

We missed you! 

[grinreaper]

7 hours ago, Bors said:

I'm sure I could be convinced somehow... 

Typical Leafs, displaying their prerequisites for playing in Toronto when they should probably go for a different type:

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, French Collection said:

That is poor management by Chevy

So you're saying he pulled a Kevyn?

[miles]

i didnt watch even a period of hockey this year. i have all but given up 

[ddaryl]

6 minutes ago, miles said:

i didnt watch even a period of hockey this year. i have all but given up 

last season was a real good year at the end, lots of positives going forward. 

Yeah it gets old but we seem to finally have a management system in place making solid moves IMO

[Taro T]

36 minutes ago, ddaryl said:

last season was a real good year at the end, lots of positives going forward. 

Yeah it gets old but we seem to finally have a management system in place making solid moves IMO

Most of October was pretty fun too.

[Curt]

49 minutes ago, miles said:

i didnt watch even a period of hockey this year. i have all but given up 

Best Sabres season in the past 10 years, without doubt.

[Taro T]

7 minutes ago, Curt said:

Best Sabres season in the past 10 years, without doubt.

Most entertaining, definitely.

Not sure that we can say necessarily that it was better than Goober's 1st year.  Better W% and just as much hope coming out of it.  When Eichel's ankle sprained at the last practice of the next year, that next season was toast.  

Would say it was essentially tied for best.  And the hope that this next year is better still exists.  Should that hope be well founded, & next year is another improvement, could see swinging last season into the 2nd best & next season the best.

[shrader]

16 hours ago, klos1963 said:

I hope not Subban.... he's not good.

I'd love to know just how many NHL teams do have a good 4th goalie.