Granato says goalies will rotate; Levi learned from the "grind"

[Hank]

4 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Almost assuredly. While I heavily stressed all offseason the importance of a solid 1B to give Levi a chance and provide some level of insurance, I just feel a little dumb for buying into the idea he could be a starter right out of the gate, bucking an incredibly significant statistical trend. But not nearly as dumb as Adams should feel about making that decision while being paid to do so

I think the goalies have been more good than bad. I think the team as a whole have had too many bad games. Some good ones too, but some really bad games. The games they were really bad, last night, Pittsburgh, Philly the 2nd, I'm not sure there are many goalies that could have stolen points on those nights. 

[Taro T]

34 minutes ago, Mr. Allen said:

But what makes him different from almost every single goalies out there?  What makes Adams think Levi can make the jump from college to a full time starter right out of the gate?  I’m more of a football guy so excuse this question.  But has there ever been a goalies go straight from college to a successful starter right away?

Not sure about college, expect there have been but there definitely was at least one that went directly from HS to successful starter right out of the gate.  He's going into the HHoF sometime about now.

[Believer]

Levi needs to be in Rochester… 

A poster who was at last night’s game commented (forget who) Levi couldn’t look over tall players and had trouble looking around big bodies in front of him…

Big guys UPL and Ulmark had no trouble with this last night… Seems like something Levi needs to master… because he’s done growing but new players coming into the NHL are bigger every year… 

A given reality.

[Taro T]

8 minutes ago, Believer said:

Levi needs to be in Rochester… 

A poster who was at last night’s game commented (forget who) Levi couldn’t look over tall players and had trouble looking around big bodies in front of him…

Big guys UPL and Ulmark had no trouble with this last night… Seems like something Levi needs to master… because he’s done growing but new players coming into the NHL are bigger every year… 

A given reality.

The 5th goal was due to a 3 body screen (2 B's, 1 Sabre just standing there in the way).  That was the only one that was due to traffic.  (Clifford setting a partial screen on the 4th goal didn't help but the issue on that goal was the other Sabre D man rather than sending the puck behind the net passed through the slot right to the Bruin standing there alone.)

Levi himself commented after the Minnesota win that he is still adapting to how to play screens at this level.  He has to "just play goal" rather than worry about maintaining technique.

He also needs to learn to expect his D to send clearing passes from the corner to opponents standing alone in the slot.  Not sure how much he'll pick up on that in the A.  😉

Are NHLers still on average getting bigger?  Thought that we're starting to see teams willing to give smaller highly skilled guys opportunities than in the past.  Very few Martin St. Louis' in the league at the turn of the century and not all that many more Kanes 10 years ago.  Seems more small guys are getting shots.  Could just be perception based on Sabres recent higher draft selections.

[Archie Lee]

The good news is that UPL and Comrie have been objectively good so far this year.  I'm not down on Levi at all, but lost in the less than exciting start for him and the team is that our other goalies have been good. Hopefully Comrie is healthy soon and he and UPL continue to play well.