Which goalies do you keep up?

[LGR4GM]

UPL has had 2 good games and they talked on WGR (IK!) about how do you send him down when Comrie is ready with how well he has done. 

That brings me to the question at hand... when Comrie is healthy what would be your goalie plan? Do you send UPL down? Waive Anderson? Waive Comrie? Carry 3 goalies and make room by cutting an extra forward?

Personally I think I would send UPL back to Rochester. Comrie only got 11 games and for about half of them the defense a dumpster. Anderson can get his 1 game a week or "get injured" and allow UPL to be a quick callup. Either way I think for now the best course of action is that so we can not overthink UPL having 2 good games and also see what we have in Comrie. 

[Mr. Allen]

Unfortunately send UPL back down. Stick with the plan for this year.  Hopefully Comrie plays better with the defense playing better in front of him. 

[Berg]

I think we should keep 3 goalkeepers. There must be healthy competition.

If the UPL is sent to Rochester after his good games, then he may lose motivation to progress, because he is sent to the reserves anyway.

And Comrie hasn't shown anything yet.

Edited December 20, 2022 by Berg

[GASabresIUFAN]

UPL is going down.  2 good games doesn’t mean you jettison Comrie who earned his opportunity.  11 games isn’t enough to evaluate the decision to sign him.  KA tends to be patient.  Considering how Anderson has played, he certainly isn’t going anywhere although he is still on a pitch count. 

The Sabres have only played 5 games all season with all 6 starting D, hard to evaluate any of the goaltenders when they aren’t playing behind the roster as designed.  

The last 3 games we have played 2, 2, & 3 of our regular defensemen.  Until we get the majority of the D back hard to truly evaluate where we are.  UPL play the last 2 games however is very encouraging.  His compete level is clearly improved.  It’s almost like he realized he was running out of opportunities to prove he was an NHL goalie.

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I voted to keep all 3 up with the Sabres.  This assumes that there are no other injuries or UPL falls off a cliff.

Anderson would be the 'bench coach' like in baseball.  Literally (is there any rule about how many coaches can be behind the bench during a game?).  He would rarely play.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

If 6K keeps playing well, then he stays up. plain and simple. He was our goalie of the future a couple of years ago, give him his fair shot. A fair shot is not a few games then sent back down. Send Comrie down for a conditioning stint and then make a decision if 6K falters again. 

[matter2003]

I don't know now...UPL seems to have really found something the last 2 games. Last night he looked like Prime Hasek at times. It was kind of unbelievable actually.

I would probably slow play Comrie coming back as long as UPL keeps playing like this.

[LTS]

UPL goes back down and if he can't understand the business aspects of the game then it's on him. He's played well, he can go to Rochester and continue to play well and wait for the inevitable return to the Sabres.  With Comrie and Anderson healthy he won't play games and that's what they want to see out of him. UPL has had injuries.. I think the Sabres want to see him take on a heavy workload and he'd only do that in Rochester.

If that bothers him, then he should have made sure the Sabres didn't need Comrie in the first place.

[DarthEbriate]

Just now, LTS said:

UPL goes back down and if he can't understand the business aspects of the game then it's on him. He's played well, he can go to Rochester and continue to play well and wait for the inevitable return to the Sabres.  With Comrie and Anderson healthy he won't play games and that's what they want to see out of him. UPL has had injuries.. I think the Sabres want to see him take on a heavy workload and he'd only do that in Rochester.

If that bothers him, then he should have made sure the Sabres didn't need Comrie in the first place.

UPL and GM Sheevyn knew the score from the beginning of the season when they had discussions after signing Comrie. UPL needs playing time and lots of it, and he'll get that in Rochester where he's the #1. He's playing really soundly the last few games, but he's still #3 on the depth chart.

In Buffalo, Anderson is still the guy (meaning: if you have a must-win game, he's in). Comrie has played 3 1/3 games with Samuelsson on the ice and needs to show what he can do.

Now, if Comrie returns and the D is healthy and Comrie scuffles for 3 weeks while UPL starts consistently controlling the AHL and stacking wins (say .915+ with the Amerks D), then maybe switch things up at the All-Star Break.

[Dreams Burn Down]

UPL has shown glimpses, especially lately.  Once Comrie is back, though, they should continue with their plan and send UPL down.  If nothing else, an emergent UPL may delay the necessity of a Levi and/or Portillo promotion which could steady their development down the line.

[Crusader1969]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

UPL has had 2 good games and they talked on WGR (IK!) about how do you send him down when Comrie is ready with how well he has done. 

That brings me to the question at hand... when Comrie is healthy what would be your goalie plan? Do you send UPL down? Waive Anderson? Waive Comrie? Carry 3 goalies and make room by cutting an extra forward?

Personally I think I would send UPL back to Rochester. Comrie only got 11 games and for about half of them the defense a dumpster. Anderson can get his 1 game a week or "get injured" and allow UPL to be a quick callup. Either way I think for now the best course of action is that so we can not overthink UPL having 2 good games and also see what we have in Comrie. 

3 good games in a row 

over the last 3 games he has stopped 108 of 115 shots.  .940% over that time 

the last 2 have been phenomenal not just good 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Crusader1969

[WhenWillItEnd66]

I have to say there are great points on both sides for keeping and or sending him down. There is also another side, keeping the team winning. I was always hoping for a 6k bloom to a #1 NHL minder but damn he is taking awhile (Just like Tage did). It is not fair to Comrie as he had a very bad shake with few games with a NHL defense in front of him. But, Anderson is not our future and he knows that. If (And thats a huge IF) both 6K and Comrie starting lighting it up as the Minders, Anderson needs to be waived or asked to coach. Playing the goalie carousel to keep feelings from being hurt is BS. Best shot to win and that should only be it.  

[Porous Five Hole]

UPL has had a nice week. 
 

 But he’s never really shown an ability to do this for more than a week at a time in his entire AHL career. He also hasn’t been able to stay healthy. 
 

There is lots to gain from him going back to ROC. 

[Pimlach]

I guess I need help understanding why he is better in Buffalo than in Rochester. 

Is it in his head, is it the coaching, or something else?  

Logic would say send UPL back down and let him play more but his performance in Rochester has been mediocre. 

Perhaps staying up and being with Anderson and the Sabres coaching staff is better for his development?  

 

 

[French Collection]

Tell him that he played really well and that his trajectory is on the right path. He is young and needs games. Continued good play can turn a good Rochester team into a contender, there is value in winning at the AHL level. He and Subban can be a great tandem in that league.

Comrie needs some games to regain his form and to show what he can do. If he or Anderson break or falter then UPL comes, knowing the job can be had.

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

3 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Tell him that he played really well and that his trajectory is on the right path. He is young and needs games. Continued good play can turn a good Rochester team into a contender, there is value in winning at the AHL level. He and Subban can be a great tandem in that league.

Comrie needs some games to regain his form and to show what he can do. If he or Anderson break or falter then UPL comes, knowing the job can be had.

I agree. I’d like to see UPL carry this success with him in the AHL, go down and dominate for 2-3 weeks to show it’s no fluke, and force GMKA to make a tough decision at that time.  

[Porous Five Hole]

20 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I guess I need help understanding why he is better in Buffalo than in Rochester. 

Is it in his head, is it the coaching, or something else?  

Logic would say send UPL back down and let him play more but his performance in Rochester has been mediocre. 

Perhaps staying up and being with Anderson and the Sabres coaching staff is better for his development?  

 

 

Part of it is the numbers game (you’re subjecting another asset to waivers while UPL is waiver exempt). Part of it is the commitment to Comrie. And part of it is UPL’s track record. There’s no reason to believe this week is actually sustainable. My take is he needs to prove this isn’t a fluke and Rochester is a better place to do that.  
 

Maybe things could change if he stays red hot while Comrie goes on his conditioning stint. 
 

BTW, factoring in the NHL entire season, UPL has a 3.44 GAA & .891 save %.  Remember what those numbers looked like before this week? That’s why it’s easy for me to send him back down.  

[Doohicksie]

I'm glad I'm not making that decision.

I like the idea of keeping 3 goalies on the roster but we've already had to play a game with 5D because we didn't have enough healthy skaters with the club so I doubt KA goes that route.

I'd like to see UPL get his fair shake as long as he's playing well.  It would be nice to hit on a goalie for a change.

In the end I think Adams will send him down if Comrie and Anderson are both healthy.

I heard Comrie will likely play a few in Rochester as a conditioning stint so we're a ways away from making that call.  Who knows if all three goalies will be healthy once he's played those games? 

[Zamboni]

Agree with the idea of UPL going to Roch.

[North Buffalo]

9 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Part of it is the numbers game (you’re subjecting another asset to waivers while UPL is waiver exempt). Part of it is the commitment to Comrie. And part of it is UPL’s track record. There’s no reason to believe this week is actually sustainable. My take is he needs to prove this isn’t a fluke and Rochester is a better place to do that.  
 

Maybe things could change if he stays red hot while Comrie goes on his conditioning stint. 
 

BTW, factoring in the NHL entire season, UPL has a 3.44 GAA & .891 save %.  Remember what those numbers looked like before this week? That’s why it’s easy for me to send him back down.  

Call me skeptical... goalies are so weird... light switch all the sudden goes on... not sure if it is coaching, Anderson's influence but he looks better moving laterally... not over adjusting, better rebound control... but appears something changed in his game..

Edited December 20, 2022 by North Buffalo

[French Collection]

2 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Call skeptical... goalies are so weird... light switch all the sudden goes on... not sure if it is coaching, Anderson's influence but he looks better moving laterally... not over adjusting, better rebound control... but appears something changed in his game..

That is an interesting take on Anderson’s influence on UPL. His game has looked simpler, while he has scrambled to make a few spectacular saves. His rebound control has been much better.

[JustOneParade]

Before the season started Adams said UPL needed to be in Rochester playing a lot of games. Has KA ever deviated from his plans regardless of a changing landscape? Rightly or wrongly, I wouldn't expect him to start now.

[Mustache of God]

Anyone whose listened to GMKA speak knows he operates by his plan. Comrie and Anderson are the starters in Buffalo, when healthy. When Comrie is healthy UPL will be sent back to Rochester and will have the majority of the starts until Anderson or Comrie get injured again.

Next year it will be Comrie/UPL in Buffalo  and Levi taking UPL's spot in Rochester.

[North Buffalo]

6 minutes ago, French Collection said:

That is an interesting take on Anderson’s influence on UPL. His game has looked simpler, while he has scrambled to make a few spectacular saves. His rebound control has been much better.

He is playing bigger not leaning forward when he does the splits keeping upright and not losing the top of the net... some of these big goalies have a bad habit of diminishing their size when they spread out UPL included... last night he kept more upright while still taking away the lower part of the net... made it really tough on Vegas.

Edited December 20, 2022 by North Buffalo

[Sabres Fan in NS]

4 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

He is playing bigger not leaning forward when he does the splits keeping upright and not losing the top of the net... some of these big goalies have a bad habit of diminishing their size when they spread out UPL included... last night he kept more upright while still taking away the lower part of the net... made it really tough on Vegas.

Both bolds ... great example of him doing just that was on the penalty shot.  The shooter had no chance when he went for the deek and UPL just stayed with him the whole time.  There was absolutely no net to shoot at by that point.  Great save.  Preserved the lead at 2 at the time, which was critical.