Sabres sign Goalie James Reimer

[mjd1001]

59 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

0 goalies started 60 games last season fwiw.  UPL was one of 5 to start 50.  

I like reimer as a backup plan, but the plan should still be to get levi a good chunk of starts.  

No one started 60 games last year? Really??

Saros started 64. 

Georgiev started 62.

Hellebuyck started 60.

That was just last year. In the last 3 seasons there are 15 times (some of the same guy) where goalies started 60 or more games in a regular season, so it certainly isn't uncommon when a coach likes his #1.

UPL started 51.  He didn't play that much the first couple weeks of the season. Between that, and my point about Ruff liking him a lot, it wouldn't be much to say he could start 60.

31 minutes ago, shrader said:

And that’s amazing given that he didn’t even start until game 7 last year. 

And also totally untrue! see my above post, several times goalies started 60 or more games over the past few years, yes, including last year.

[GoPuckYourself]

We’re doing this the right way finally. Hopefully Levi can get a full season in Rochester to further his development. He’s a definite upgrade over Comrie.

[inkman]

8 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

We’re doing this the right way finally. Hopefully Levi can get a full season in Rochester to further his development. He’s a definite upgrade over Comrie.

Or not 

 

[GoPuckYourself]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

Or not 

 

I’m trying so hard to be positive, it’s like they’re ***** with me lol

[Taro T]

7 minutes ago, inkman said:

Or not 

 

They need to win in Buffalo.  If Levi is clearly better than Reimer he should be in Buffalo WHEN he'll actually be getting games.  In that case if they're in a stretch where they expect UPL to be getting all/ nearly all the starts; have Reimer up.

If Levi isn't clearly better than Reimer, let him work on his game in Ra-cha-cha.  And give Reimer the ones that they don't want to use UPL (definitely btb's and maybe some others.

And if Levi beats out UPL (not likely, Ruff has UPL penciled in; but slightly possible) then run w/ him & UPL unless something really hirrific towards the plan happens.

Let their play dictate the outcomes.

Easy peasy.

[PASabreFan]

1 hour ago, ... said:

Only within the span of a day, even. It's a miracle. 

No. They hired an NHL coach weeks ago.

[Drag0nDan]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

No one started 60 games last year? Really??

Saros started 64. 

Georgiev started 62.

Hellebuyck started 60.

That was just last year. In the last 3 seasons there are 15 times (some of the same guy) where goalies started 60 or more games in a regular season, so it certainly isn't uncommon when a coach likes his #1.

UPL started 51.  He didn't play that much the first couple weeks of the season. Between that, and my point about Ruff liking him a lot, it wouldn't be much to say he could start 60.

And also totally untrue! see my above post, several times goalies started 60 or more games over the past few years, yes, including last year.

Admittedly i couldn't get in to my normal stats spot so... don't trust cbs sports or whatever i guess 🙂 

In any case... he didn't finish particularly strong.  Might be beneficial to not overwork him, especially with a young player behind him who has looked the part of NHL goalie.  

[That Aud Smell]

Are they, in fact, prepared to shuttle Reimer between Buffalo and Rochester (and expose him to waivers each time)? (Nobody else wanted him as of July 1st, but that's bound to change once other teams' needs start to change.)

Or are they poised for a reboot of carrying three goalies?

In either event, it's again starting to feel a bit like Adams is fumbling for his d1ck in the dark.

[mjd1001]

24 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

Admittedly i couldn't get in to my normal stats spot so... don't trust cbs sports or whatever i guess 🙂 

In any case... he didn't finish particularly strong.  Might be beneficial to not overwork him, especially with a young player behind him who has looked the part of NHL goalie.  

I agree I wouldn't overwork him. Yes, he's getting closer to the prime of his career, but I've always thought... You want a goalie to be fresh in the playoffs, give him about 50 or 55 games in the regular season. 

Of course some will say.... There are great goalies who you can give 60 or 65 games in the regular season and they perform well in the playoffs also. My opinion it's not because they don't need the rest. It's just that some of those guys are so good that any drop off from them being fatigued is so little that we don't notice it. 

I get that hockey and baseball are different sports, but for decades... Everyone thought certain pitchers could handle more innings and to a degree they could. But recently they found out that... Even if a pitcher can handle a lot of innings as a starter, in the long run, Even those great pitcherd are better if you control the amount of innings they have. I think with goaltender use in the NHL.. the same thing may apply. Just the sport science of the NHL is a few years behind pitchers in baseball.

Honestly I would personally like to see UPL get 50 to 55 games in the regular season, Levi to get the 25 to 30 other games, and in case of injury to have a backup in the minor leagues that you could call up for an emergency basis... It's just that my opinion is... I think Ruff is going to push UPL to that 60-game mark or above providing he's not injured.

Edited Tuesday at 05:53 PM by mjd1001

[pastajoe]

2 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

As a Buffalo sports fan, I do well to remain ignorant of the political views of my favourite teams' players.

He’s the one who made it public and even tweeted about it. Not the best role model for young players.

[dudacek]

So Reimer is the lead item on the Amerks web page this morning, which is…interesting.

I guess I’m fine with them pencilling him in as the 3 to start because it doesn’t change his availability as a fallback.

I don’t really care if Levi gets 30 starts in Buffalo instead of 50 in Roch if it means the Sabres are getting a better chance of winning those 30 games.

[apuszczalowski]

4 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

Two way or one way is kinda meaningless to me as it is Pegula’s money. If Reimer gets waived and clears, his salary won’t count against the cap. That said, this is the first move that I would say has Ruff written on it for sure. Ruff doesn’t want to risk having to rely on Levi as a back-up for 25-30 games and certainly not to carry the mail if UPL flames out entirely or gets injured. I think this means, barring injury, that Levi starts in Rochester. 

It probably better for Levi to play more in Rochester as starter then sit a bunch behind UPL.

[Thorny]

4 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

I'm encouraged because many posters here whose opinions I respect are encouraged.

That said, I can't help but reflect on how this move tends to suggest that Adams was a teenager fumbling for his d1ck (stick tap @SDS) when he force fed Levi minutes as a rookie. What a debacle. A season laid to waste, right out of the gate.

I first read this as "dispense" and was like damn.

Right lol

This move has been an incredibly long time coming, and it’s just such a small move. It makes his actions in addressing goaltending in the past even more laughable, and hopefully this means we don’t need to hear any more arguments against the fact he torpedoed the position for 4 years.

im glad he’s apparently finally learned though what we all knew was necessary.

hopefully they don’t go three headed goalie monster. Would be colossal mistake 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

Are they, in fact, prepared to shuttle Reimer between Buffalo and Rochester (and expose him to waivers each time)? (Nobody else wanted him as of July 1st, but that's bound to change once other teams' needs start to change.)

Or are they poised for a reboot of carrying three goalies?

In either event, it's again starting to feel a bit like Adams is fumbling for his d1ck in the dark.

IF you expect to be shuffling, you send him down initially so he clears Waivers when there are several 100 other players on Waivers.  You then get to have him back up for IIRC OTTOMH 10 games or 30 days w/out having to clear again.  Would be mid-November in all likelihood before you have to revisit it.

But personally don't expect them to be shuffling.  Either Levi clearly beats him out (and possibly UPL too) or he goes back to Ra-cha-cha to tear up the AHL.  Assuming Levi goes down, revisit the decision periodically, but if Reimer is winning most of his handful of games they maintain that status quo.

If Levi starts out a Sabre; it only gets revisited if he or UPL falter.

Doubt they'd jerk Reimer around.  But we shall see.  (Personally, would prefer that.  Getting both UPL & Levi a lot of starts & Levi the games UPL doesn't get.  But they didn't ask this kid.  And realistically, they can't screw Reimer around.)

[Thorny]

2 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

We’re doing this the right way finally. Hopefully Levi can get a full season in Rochester to further his development. He’s a definite upgrade over Comrie.

It’s still Levi for sure 

It’s a needed insurance move 

[inkman]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

Are they, in fact, prepared to shuttle Reimer between Buffalo and Rochester (and expose him to waivers each time)? (Nobody else wanted him as of July 1st, but that's bound to change once other teams' needs start to change.)

Or are they poised for a reboot of carrying three goalies?

In either event, it's again starting to feel a bit like Adams is fumbling for his d1ck in the dark.

My favorite Hoobastank song 

[Taro T]

And for whatever it's worth.  As the B&G I, they made it sound like they were running w/ UPL as the clear starter and Levi getting in all the btb's and some others when travel is an issue.

This likely only means Levi (& UPL too have to earn it.  Which is a good thing.  Internal competition makes everyone better.  (Even if it is only Reimer.  Still better than Comrie or Tokarski.)

[That Aud Smell]

19 minutes ago, inkman said:

My favorite Hoobastank song 

I will not soon tire of -- nor fail to capitalize on -- SDS's having granted me (us) license to compare Kevyn Adams to a virginal young man who's lived in a Tijuana brothel for the past four years.

[PerreaultForever]

This is fine. If Levi can't crack the roster out of camp we have a guy to back up who can actually play a few games instead of just sitting on the bench (Comrie). We still, of course, have to sign UPL. 

[Doohickie]

6 hours ago, Berg said:

And who will score 4 goals from our side?

TBD 3C

[Pimlach]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

He’s kinda the perfect backup for a young guy like UPL at this point.

This is the kind of play a real NHL team would make given the other 2 goalies in the organization.

Fills in while Luukkonen carries the load up here and they play the ***** out of Levi in Rochester. 

Watch them bring back the three-headed monster.

They better not.  

[Doohickie]

5 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Perhaps Reimer is there for the kids to lean on for advice and experience purposes, more like a mentor that can step in when needed. Smart people learn from other people's mistakes rather than their own.

This season's Craig Anderson.

[Doohickie]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

5 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Little by little this is starting to look like an NHL franchise again. 

Well!  Isn't this a lovely ray of sunshine.

PA has always been a bucket of liquid sunshine. 

[kas23]

Idk, this seems like an out of character signing, especially since both Lindy and Adams were recently talking up the UPL/Levi tandem. Maybe that’s still the plan. I hoping this isn’t a sign that UPL could be moved. But he could be a piece in getting a decent 2C/3C. 

[DarthEbriate]

5 hours ago, Derrico said:

Oh for sure.  These are the moves Adams should have been making last summer.  Oh well, atleast we’re getting some of it now. 

Every NHL-level signing this season should've happened last year given the 1-point-short outcome of '22-'23.

Zucker as a 2/3W while Quinn was out; allowing the team to trade VO for nothing if that's what HCDG wanted because he was only going to play VO as a 4W. A 4C (Lafferty or equivalent) to replace Krebs/Jost. Replacing UFAs with younger models (A-K, Malenstyn or equivalent in; Okposo, Girgensons out). Add to that the Clifton as a RHD, and yes, even Erik Johnson for veteran Cup-experience depth. Reimer and UPL. Waive Comrie and start Levi in Rochester...  Mitts and Skinner still on the team with Quinn returning mid-season....  That's a potential playoff roster.