Devon Levi: Mike Richter Finalist, 2023

[steveoath]

35 minutes ago, Derrico said:

Sure.  But he’s been the face of that school for two years.  Even the political side of it is to just wait until it’s official.  There’s nothing to be lost by waiting until after Sunday when his season is officially over. 

Exactly. He's a team first guy. He won't quit until mathematically a certainty.  

[Flashsabre]

I hope he signs soon so people can move on from the “he’s not going to sign” phase to the “he signed but he isn’t going to live up to expectations” phase

[shrader]

17 minutes ago, steveoath said:

Exactly. He's a team first guy. He won't quit until mathematically a certainty.  

It’s already here. They will finish either 18th or 19th in the PWR. Since #42 and #45 are playing for the Atlantic Hockey championship, the top 15 in the PWR will get in. Northeastern is done. 

[TheAud]

4 minutes ago, shrader said:

It’s already here. They will finish either 18th or 19th in the PWR. Since #42 and #45 are playing for the Atlantic Hockey championship, the top 15 in the PWR will get in. Northeastern is done. 

I am not familiar with the NCAA selection process. Is it an ironclad certainty that they will use PWR that precisely, or is there a judgement aspect as well where sometimes number 15 might not get an invite and number 16 gets in? 

[shrader]

3 minutes ago, TheAud said:

I am not familiar with the NCAA selection process. Is it an ironclad certainty that they will use PWR that precisely, or is there a judgement aspect as well where sometimes number 15 might not get an invite and number 16 gets in? 

There is zero judgement. It’s straight PWR. They used to tweak the seeding as slightly to avoid first round matchups of teams from the same conference if possible, but that’s been gone for years. The only question in the selection process is which regional teams are assigned to. 

Edited March 16, 2023 by shrader

[Eleven]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

The Sabres are in a serious competition to be in the playoffs. Why do you believe that if he signs soon he will be thrown right onto the NHL ice.

Because the Sabres are in serious competition in spite of, and not because of, goaltending.

[TheAud]

3 hours ago, shrader said:

There is zero judgement. It’s straight PWR. They used to tweak the seeding as slightly to avoid first round matchups of teams from the same conference if possible, but that’s been gone for years. The only question in the selection process is which regional teams are assigned to. 

Thanks. So in that case they need to get that SOB signed ASAP. What's he waiting for? To take the Biology 201 mid-term next week?

[Andrew Amerk]

4 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

I hope he signs soon so people can move on from the “he’s not going to sign” phase to the “he signed but he isn’t going to live up to expectations” phase

Wait until people realize he isn’t Hasek. 

Then the pitchforks will be out just like they have been for every Sabres goalie since around 2002. 

**signs off with a Miller wtf wave**

[Eleven]

1 minute ago, Andrew Amerk said:

Wait until people realize he isn’t Hasek. 

Then the pitchforks will be out just like they have been for every Sabres goalie since around 2002. 

**signs off with a Miller wtf wave**

I was around for that.  Miller was a great goalie.  The people here calling him average were ridiculous.  

[Andrew Amerk]

2 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I was around for that.  Miller was a great goalie.  The people here calling him average were ridiculous.  

It’s interesting to think about, at least to me. 

Hasek took below average to average Sabres teams to playoffs and almost a Cup. 

Miller took above average teams to playoffs and almost a Cup. 

The team has been a basement dweller for over a decade, and everyone wants to blame the goalies. Have some been bad? Yes. But it’s hard to bring a below average team to almost a Cup unless you are Hasek, or even an above average team to almost a Cup unless you are Miller. 

None of these goalies will ever be Hasek, and the roster for the last decade plus hasn’t provided room for any of the goalies to be a Miller, either. 

People didn’t like Ullmark, they currently don’t like UPL, and they won’t like Levi either unless the team improves by the time he arrives (and even then, they likely won’t like him just like they didn’t like Miller). 

[PromoTheRobot]

12 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

Wait until people realize he isn’t Hasek. 

Then the pitchforks will be out just like they have been for every Sabres goalie since around 2002. 

**signs off with a Miller wtf wave**

He probably lurks in our game threads. Oy.

[Eleven]

3 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

It’s interesting to think about, at least to me. 

Hasek took below average to average Sabres teams to playoffs and almost a Cup. 

Miller took above average teams to playoffs and almost a Cup. 

The team has been a basement dweller for over a decade, and everyone wants to blame the goalies. Have some been bad? Yes. But it’s hard to bring a below average team to almost a Cup unless you are Hasek, or even an above average team to almost a Cup unless you are Miller. 

None of these goalies will ever be Hasek, and the roster for the last decade plus hasn’t provided room for any of the goalies to be a Miller, either. 

People didn’t like Ullmark, they currently don’t like UPL, and they won’t like Levi either unless the team improves by the time he arrives (and even then, they likely won’t like him just like they didn’t like Miller). 

I don't think Miller's teams would have been "above average" without Miller.  Ruff's system in those years relied upon Miller being Miller.  Without that, defensemen wouldn't have been able to pinch as they did, and the neutral zone game would have been much more defensive, just for examples.  I don't think the Sabres rode Miller to the semifinals in 06 and 07 the way they did with Hasek in 98 and 99 (including the finals that year), but I also think there is no way they could have played the same freewheeling style in 06 and 07 in front of an average goaltender.

Miller was great.  His only sin is that he wasn't the greatest NHL goalie of all time (Hasek).  This team's identity used to be great goaltending, and that goes back even before Hasek.

[Andrew Amerk]

25 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I don't think Miller's teams would have been "above average" without Miller.  Ruff's system in those years relied upon Miller being Miller.  Without that, defensemen wouldn't have been able to pinch as they did, and the neutral zone game would have been much more defensive, just for examples.  I don't think the Sabres rode Miller to the semifinals in 06 and 07 the way they did with Hasek in 98 and 99 (including the finals that year), but I also think there is no way they could have played the same freewheeling style in 06 and 07 in front of an average goaltender.

Miller was great.  His only sin is that he wasn't the greatest NHL goalie of all time (Hasek).  This team's identity used to be great goaltending, and that goes back even before Hasek.

Those Miller teams also had good defensemen that were more seasoned than the current Sabres D. 

Numminen, 38. Tallinder, 28. Lydman, 29. Spacek, 32. Even Campbell was 27. 

They may have wheeled and dealed a lot, but those D also knew how to play D, and they had a couple C that played good two-way hockey too in Drury and Hecht. 

And yes, I agree that Miller was great. He did allow them to take more chances because of how good he was, but in tight games the overall roster was also helpful to him defensively. 

[GoPuckYourself]

So did we sign Levi yet? 

[pi2000]

Maybe he wants #1 and UPL won't give it up. 

[steveoath]

Probably negotiating sabres time so he burns a year, no?

[Turbo44]

5 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Maybe he wants #1 and UPL won't give it up. 

Ha UPL prob isn’t even a #2 NHL goalie and Comrie isn’t a #1 AHL one

[Night Train]

12 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

I hope he signs soon so people can move on from the “he’s not going to sign” phase to the “he signed but he isn’t going to live up to expectations” phase

  Many posters have Manic Depression by Hendrix playing all day in a loop. 

[LGR4GM]

14 hours ago, steveoath said:

Exactly. He's a team first guy. He won't quit until mathematically a certainty.  

To be fair, it's mathematically about 99.99999999999% certain. But he's a kid still so he's only holding out hope.

[Crusader1969]

Hopefully he is just trying to decide if he wants to sign a ATO with Rochester or sign a entry level contract with Buffalo and he likes to take his time making decisions 

My anxiety level is definitely a 5 now. I assumed the signing would be a slam dunk but the longer this drags on the more nervous I’m getting 

[Derrico]

7 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Hopefully he is just trying to decide if he wants to sign a ATO with Rochester or sign a entry level contract with Buffalo and he likes to take his time making decisions 

My anxiety level is definitely a 5 now. I assumed the signing would be a slam dunk but the longer this drags on the more nervous I’m getting 

Jesus man.  It should be a zero until after selection on Sunday. 

[Buffalonill]

I dont get what the hold up is if his team is eliminated. 

This is on Adams if his plan was levi or bust 

[Buffalonill]

 

 

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

 

 

He's signing today. 

[Buffalonill]

9 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

He's signing today. 

Hopefully  you're right .

So i can have a good day getting  drunk on green beers