Would you trade Devon Levi for Connor Hellebuyck with a contract extension?

[oddoublee]

If there was an option for: Yes, with extension - that is the option I would have selected. No otherwise. 

Not uncommon for goalies to play their prime years between 30-34. My lord, Tim Thomas didn't start playing until he was 30. Hasek? Age is not the concern.

The amount of money is the only concern - but if you pay him - you really do not have to invest heavily into defense beyond Power and Dahlin. You can live with guys like Joker and Stillman filling out your bottom 3. Or even get aging D vets that make few mistakes and move the puck well out of the zone - but not contributing a whole lot else.

I do not recall the sabres of the 2000's rolling out high octane defensive players. They had Miller - a goalie that allowed them to play aggressive offensively.

Love Levi - but he is extremely unproven. Give Connor for the next 5-7 years - they will make a cup run with the offense they have. 

[Derrico]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

The Sabres are currently built around "what could be."  They're built for the future.  Hellebuyck will soon be in the past.

Also if they trade away Levi they'll be regretting it in less than two years.

True.  But the future needs to start NOW.  I'm not pissing away another year of Dahlin, Power on ELC, Quinn and Peterka on ELC etc because we are hoping and praying on a rookie goalie who couldn't beat out Sam Montembeault for Canadas IIHF bid.

Don't get me wrong though.  I friggen love the potential of Levi and voted no in this poll.  No chance I'm trading him.  However, they NEED to bring in a 1A/1B to play with him.  I'm not putting all my hopes for this upcoming season (which could be special if things fall right) into a rookie goalie after watching the garbage we watched last year in net....

[Weave]

I’m glad noone is paying me to make the right decision on a deal like this.

Levi has way more risk than Helle.  His ceiling is a big unknown.  Helle has way less time at peak performance than Levi, but his ceiling is obvious.

And what is Helle’s next contract going to cost in cap and time?

Why can’t I have both?

Edited June 8, 2023 by Weave

[Curt]

27 minutes ago, oddoublee said:

If there was an option for: Yes, with extension - that is the option I would have selected. No otherwise. 

Did you read the tweet in the OP?

[Marvin]

No.  That shuts our window for a Cup to about 2-3 years because of Hellebuyck's age and his eventual contact putting us into cap hell for 5 years after that.  That compounds the offence of not getting goaltending to make Levi happy by making it impossible to improve when Power and the current rookies start hitting their prime.

[nucci]

Counting on Levi to play 55-60 games and getting to the playoffs is a lot to ask of a rookie goalie. 

[Stoner]

Great thought experiment. And quite revealing. The brainwashing of this fanbase is something to behold.

Careful now. You might win something.

[Randall Flagg]

1 minute ago, PASabreFan said:

Great thought experiment. And quite revealing. The brainwashing of this fanbase is something to behold.

Careful now. You might win something.

Would you have traded 2019 josh allen for AFC championship game participant Ryan tannehill?

There are outcomes that were possible and would have made that a smart move.

[Marvin]

10 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Great thought experiment. And quite revealing. The brainwashing of this fanbase is something to behold.

Careful now. You might win something.

I don't want that!  Call me a loser, drat it!  I want the Sabres never to win anything because I am a miserable, self-pitying incel and want others to wallow in misery with me!

This is the worst take I have ever seen from you, bar none.  People are giving reasons for other ideas and all you can see is everyone being brainwashed.  It is as bad as the people who tell me that I want to destroy America because I don't blindly support Trump/Biden.

Addendum: the passive-aggressive ad hominem attacks have got old.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Marvin

[Randall Flagg]

Matt Stafford is probably a better QB for my comparison than tannehill. It would have been tantalizing. Agonizing. 

Just an example that highlights one side of the extremes

Edited June 8, 2023 by Randall Flagg

[ddaryl]

1 hour ago, klos1963 said:

Why? Because one is a proven top 5? goalie that would immediately make us a legit contender, the other isn't even close.

I'm not into rentals, and if we can acquire Hellebuyck then offer lesser options and keep Levi. But we have to extend Hellebuyck or no deal

Give them UPL and some other teir 2 trinkets but trading Levi is not an option because there is a damn good chance Levi is going to have a long rock solid career that fits in nicely with the teams trajectory and age.

 

Levi is untouchable along side others on this team

Edited June 8, 2023 by ddaryl

[ddaryl]

40 minutes ago, nucci said:

Counting on Levi to play 55-60 games and getting to the playoffs is a lot to ask of a rookie goalie. 

I don't think anybody is counting on that. We'll bring in someone and IMO UPL is the odd man out in all scenarios accept rolling with Levi / UPL as the teams tandem....  which I do not care to have.

52 minutes ago, Weave said:

 

Why can’t I have both?

that's the dream.... 

[Weave]

35 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Great thought experiment. And quite revealing. The brainwashing of this fanbase is something to behold.

Careful now. You might win something.

That is an extreme take.  Although if we are talking about Helle with a contract extension, I’d call it less extreme because one of the “con” variables is removed.

This team needs to win now. The team can move a prized prospect to make that happen, or it can find a reliable goaltender to pair with that prized prospect to make that happen.  I don’t think either is an inherently wrong answer to winning now.

If the alternative were to stick with the 3 goalies we have now and the majority were on board with that, yeah, I think your statement would be totally warranted.

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, Derrico said:

True.  But the future needs to start NOW.  I'm not pissing away another year of Dahlin, Power on ELC, Quinn and Peterka on ELC etc because we are hoping and praying on a rookie goalie who couldn't beat out Sam Montembeault for Canadas IIHF bid.

Don't get me wrong though.  I friggen love the potential of Levi and voted no in this poll.  No chance I'm trading him.  However, they NEED to bring in a 1A/1B to play with him.  I'm not putting all my hopes for this upcoming season (which could be special if things fall right) into a rookie goalie after watching the garbage we watched last year in net....

I'm not against acquiring Hellebuyck per se, but I wouldn't trade Levi for him.

[GASabresIUFAN]

KA isn’t trading Levi.   This question is moot.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

I’m glad noone is paying me to make the right decision on a deal like this.

Levi has way more risk than Helle.  His ceiling is a big unknown.  Helle has way less time at peak performance than Levi, but his ceiling is obvious.

And what is Helle’s next contract going to cost in cap and time?

Why can’t I have both?

I think your last line is the answer.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Marvin said:

the passive-aggressive ad hominem attacks

PA summed up in a nutshell.

[Flashsabre]

5 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

KA isn’t trading Levi.   This question is moot.

You brainwashed lemming😛😀

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

You brainwashed lemming😛😀

Yep, that’s me always following the company line.

Honestly, I think WPG most likely ability to maximize return for Helle is at the trade deadline or someone like Det who has a need, feels they are close to being a playoff team and has the cap space to extend him.  

KA is right to kick the tires on all good vet goalies floating around, but Levi is his guy and is cost controlled for years to come.  

I just don’t see a trade moving Levi to anyone as a viable idea.

Edited June 8, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, Flashsabre said:

7 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

KA isn’t trading Levi.   This question is moot.

You brainwashed lemming😛😀

If you look at everything Kevyn has said in general, and then the specifics of how he came to acquire Levi and his games in the NHL late in the season I think it is apparent that Kevyn is *not* trading Devon Levi.  The sneak preview lived up to the billing and until the Sabres get a better look at what Levi brings there's no way they would move him.  I'm not saying he's a guaranteed #1 goalie; I'm saying that he has a chance to be and a very good one at that, and Kevyn will do a full evaluation with extensive playing time for Levi before even considering pulling the plug on him.

[The Jokeman]

Straight up? nope as once a goalie hits 30 he's on borrowed time and lately the Jets been middle of the pack even with him in the nets. 

[msw2112]

No, I would not trade Levi for Hellebuyck.  The reasons:

1.  Age - Levi is 8 or 9 years younger.  Helly could play well for another 10 years, or he could decline.

2. Cost - Levi is on a rookie contract.  Helly would commend top dollar.  Money is needed to extend Dahlin, Power, and many other young guys coming up.

3. Chemistry - Levi wants to be a part of what the Sabres are building and his age fits in well with the young, developing core.

4. Timing - The Sabres have not even made the playoffs yet.  If Helly took them from a 2nd round playoff team to a potential Cup winner, then you consider it.  He might be the guy to put you over the top.  The Sabres are a couple of steps away from that, so Helly might get them into the playoffs, but this team is not yet at the point where it needs to mortgage the future for the present.

5.  Other Assets - Let me be clear that I'm not opposed to acquiring Helly.  The team would be better served with him as a mentor/bridge to Levi and not a replacement for him.  The team has an abundance of draft picks and young forwards, so those would be better assets to trade for a veteran goalie.

Final comment - I have no idea if "Helly" is his actual nickname and I'm not trying to sound cool or like I know the guy.  It's just a whole lot faster and easier to type.

[GASabresIUFAN]

This question is kind of like asking if you’d be willing to trade Power for Hedman or Josi.

Edited June 8, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[klos1963]

1 hour ago, ddaryl said:

I'm not into rentals, and if we can acquire Hellebuyck then offer lesser options and keep Levi. But we have to extend Hellebuyck or no deal

Give them UPL and some other teir 2 trinkets but trading Levi is not an option because there is a damn good chance Levi is going to have a long rock solid career that fits in nicely with the teams trajectory and age.

 

Levi is untouchable along side others on this team

The question was 1 for 1, with an extension.

Not any other scenarios. 

There's a chance,  not sure a 'damn good' chance.  

He's pretty damn small, that gives me great concern. It's not a small goalies game anymore. 

 

 

[Carmel Corn]

Absolutely NO without a known extension.  Even with a known and say reasonable extension, I still take the long-term view vs. short-term expected benefit that comes with Helle.  Long-term, I think Levi is going to be a top 10 goalie in this league (if not higher).