Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen signed 5x4.75mil

[PromoTheRobot]

37 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I guess KA still believes in long term contracts for 1 year of production.  
 

Hope he is right this time. 🤞🏻

Whatever you did, you should have done that other thing. 🙄

[Weave]

42 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I guess KA still believes in long term contracts for 1 year of production.  
 

Hope he is right this time. 🤞🏻

Def a pattern here.  It will be interesting to watch his hit rate with these.

[LGR4GM]

8 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Worse case scenario Joonas Korpisalo was moved with four years remaining on his deal at an AAV of 4 million, he could be moved if needed 

 

I'm not going worry about it. Levi and UPL will eventually split time but if UPL can even be league average it's a solid deal. If he runs the gsax numbers back, it's a great deal. Upl proved me wrong, I hope that continues cuz I like the guy. 

Edited July 25 by LGR4GM
Spelling

[GoPuckYourself]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Depends on what “doesn’t pan out” means.  If he plays good, but Levi becomes the #1, he is tradable.  If he plays ok, and we need cap space, he is still tradable.  If he is very good, he is a steal at $4.75M and easily tradable.   If he falls apart and busts then it’s a problem, no different than any other contract of this length.   
 

He looks like a real NHL goalie right now.  The years 4 and 5 might be medium risk, but not high risk, unless you think last season was a mirage.  Besides, they need to win now.  They are counting on him.  You have to take some risk and you should reward your own.   

"Doesnt pan out" to me means the same UPL we've seen up until midway through last season. That UPL was on the way out and if that's who he really is then even at 4.75M that will be a tough player to trade so that's what I meant by that and of course if he plays good that contract is a no brainer whether we keep him or trade him. Levi should bring out the best in UPL and vice versa so it should be interesting.

[Berg]

11 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This is a stupid contract for a goalie with only 1 good pro season (AHL & NHL) to his credit.  5 years makes no sense, especially if Levi is your long-term franchise goalie.  This contract will not be easy to trade if (when?) UPL regresses.

 

Its Buffalo 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Berg said:

Its Buffalo 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

It’s Adams. 

[Berg]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

It’s Adams. 

Yes...He didn't find anyone better,  so...

[That Aud Smell]

2 minutes ago, Berg said:

Yes...He didn't find anyone better,  so...

dope avatar, man.

[dudacek]

Haven’t quite figured puckpedia’s interface yet, but as best as I can figure UPL will be the 17th-highest paid goalie in the league this year.

Interesting contracts over the past few years given to players in comparable situations include:

Demko 5x$5M

Saros 4x$5M

Petersen 3x$5M

Husso 3x$4.75

Couple home run for teams on the 1st 2, Husso looks like a bad deal and Petersen was horrible bust

Edited July 25 by dudacek

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, GoPuckYourself said:

"Doesnt pan out" to me means the same UPL we've seen up until midway through last season. That UPL was on the way out and if that's who he really is then even at 4.75M that will be a tough player to trade so that's what I meant by that and of course if he plays good that contract is a no brainer whether we keep him or trade him. Levi should bring out the best in UPL and vice versa so it should be interesting.

He has already proven to be better than the younger and less experienced UPL that we saw prior to last season.  He will return as the #1, with the same goalie coach (Bales) as last season, and with Lindy as head coach and who has publicly stated his confidence in him.  

I feel pretty good about it.  I hope Reimer can handle the #2 so that Levi gets lots of games in the AHL.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

23 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Haven’t quite figured puckpedia’s interface yet, but as best as I can figure UPL will be the 17th-highest paid goalie in the league this year.

Interesting contracts over the past few years given to players in comparable situations include:

Demko 5x$5M

Saros 4x$5M

Petersen 3x$5M

Husso 3x$4.75

Couple home run for teams on the 1st 2, Husso looks like a bad deal and Petersen was horrible bust

Now go look at what Husso and Petersen did prior to their breakout season.  Husso was better than UPL in the minors and Petersen about the same.  Demko and Saros were significantly better than UPL in the minors.  This is why I’m very concerned about UPL.  Of the 4 goalies you listed plus UPL, UPL’s development resume is arguably the worst.  

I’m hoping that I’m wrong about this deal.  I’d be thrilled if UPL becomes Ryan Miller 2.0.  I’d be even more thrilled if Levi and UPL give us a Ullmark/Swayman type of effective tandem.  The truth is that the Sabres playoff chances probably hinge on their success in net this coming season.  

Still I have significant concerns about UPL’s ability to build on last season.  
 

[dudacek]

23 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Still I have significant concerns about UPL’s ability to build on last season.  
 

Of course you do, you're a Sabres fan.

History makes it difficult to trust the good things you see, not just with UPL, but with the franchise in general.

This board probably didn't really give UPL's season last year the attention it deserved as it happened because of context, but it was the best season we'd seen by a goalie since prime Ryan Miller.

He was really good, like legit top starter good. Just like Tage Thompson was freaking amazing the year before —best season by a Sabres forward since 16 and 89 were tearing it up — and we didn't go all-in on that either.

We're (and I'm very much counting myself in this) conditioned to expect good things to disappear.

Edited July 25 by dudacek

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It’s Adams. 

[Pimlach]

4 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

I guess KA still believes in long term contracts for 1 year of production.  
 

Hope he is right this time. 🤞🏻

 

I did not like the long term contract for Power, still don't.  Not sure the long term deal for Cozens was warranted either.

But this one is not even close to being in that league.  

 

Edited July 25 by Pimlach

[dudacek]

Last year wasn't fun, but these guys were:

 

Looking forward to seeing them in Prague to start the year.

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Last year wasn't fun, but these guys were:

 

Looking forward to seeing them in Prague to start the year.

Wifey still on occassion will sing their UPL song.

What a great bunch of characters they seem to be.

[Night Train]

Whatever. He's here.

 

State your position pro or con and quit repeating oneself like a hiccup.  

[Ruff Around The Edges]

I know it is not a perfect 1:1 comparison, but UPL's deal reminds me a little of what the Buffalo Bills did with Ed Oliver, they took a risk and paid him on what he could be, and so far it has paid off.

In the new hard cap NHL, where the 'No Income Tax 6' (Tampa, Florida, Dallas, Nashville, Vegas and Seattle) are going to have built in advantages that even the Rangers or Leafs can't touch, teams in higher tax markets like Buffalo are going to have to be razor sharp on extensions and takes risks earlier to keep costs down to compete with these teams listed above.

Adams did well on this with Cozens and Tage, only real issue so far is Cozens has not lived up to his end yet, hopefully we get the Cozens we envisioned in 24-25 and beyond.

Montreal has done this with their Big 3 and they knocked it out of the park IMO with the Caufield, Suzuki, and Slaf extensions. Risky, but very manageable cap hits in a horrible tax province like Quebec.

Edited July 25 by Ruff Around The Edges

[klos1963]

14 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No he hasn't and Levi is the NHL backup heading into training camp.

Here are UPL's pro save%

19/20 AHL .874 (10 games), He spent most of the season in the ECHL .912 (23 games)

20/21 AHL .888  (14 games)

21/22  AHL .900 (35 games)

22/23 NHL .892 (33 games)

23/24 NHL .910 (54 games)

Outside of last season, UPL's record of accomplishment in pro hockey is mediocre at best.  These are not the stats of a "top prospect."  The best thing someone can say is that UPL has steadily improved. 

Compare to Ullmark.  Linus' in 3 AHL seasons had save % of .902, .909, and .923.  His save % in Buffalo .912 over 117 games.  Those are top prospect numbers.  

We have no idea if this guy is a long-term franchise goalie.  

 

He was our top goalie prospect. His record didn't always reflect it with stats,  but he was the guy we hoped would get to this point. 

[Pimlach]

11 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

KA's modus operandi has been to sign his core players to long-term deals

So far he has dished out big contracts to Samuelsson after 1 good year, Cozens after 1 good year, TNT after 1 good year, Power after 1 decent year, and now UPL after 1 good season.  Have we received decent value on any of these contracts?  Samuelsson has been hurt since he signed his deal as often as he's played.  Cozens regressed in the 1st year of the new deal.  TNT also regressed in year 1 of his new deal.  Power basically repeated his prior season  and now enters the 1st year of the new deal.  

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5014522/2024/04/19/nhl-player-cards-atlantic-division/

According to the Athletic our core players that KA extended had negative contract values.  TNT's was -500K, Cozens -3.3 million, and Samuelsson -1.1 million.  Power's and Dahlin's new deals kick in this year.  Last season Power gave us 4.4 million in value.  His new deal is for 8.35.  Dahlin's value was 9.5 million and his new deal is for 11 million.  Honestly, I have no idea how Power will every play up to the new contract.

The Sabres just aren't getting their money's worth on these big extension, and UPL's deal will probably follow suit.

The truth is KA should have bridged Power, Cozens and Samuelsson and he should have bridged UPL for 2-3 years and then handed the reigns to Levi.

You complain about all the contracts, ok some of that is fair, but then you say "hand the reins to Levi"?   

What a giant leap of faith for Levi.  What has he done to earn such faith?  Shouldn't you wait to see more before making such statements?  

[GASabresIUFAN]

6 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

You complain about all the contracts, ok some of that is fair, but then you say "hand the reins to Levi"?   

What a giant leap of faith for Levi.  What has he done to earn such faith?  Shouldn't you wait to see more before making such statements?  

What has he done?  Great question.  I also said hands the reigns to Levi in 2-3 years.

Levi is a 2 time NCAA Richter award winner.  He is the 1st to win it twice and the first to win it in consecutive years.  Swayman, Primeau, Demko and Hellebuyck are other winners.

In his first year in the minors he recorded a .927 save% (26 games). UPL’s best minor league season was his 3rd season and it was a .900

in his first season in the NHL (23 games last season as well) he recorded a .899 save% compared to UPL’s .892.

Levi has the better developmental pedigree over UPL.  That doesn’t mean he is better today, but he may be the better player by the end of this coming season.  Levi’s pedigree is closer to Saros and Demko, while UPL’s is closer to Husso and Petersen.  Which of our goalies would you have more faith in? 

[Ruff Around The Edges]

Could Levi be great? Sure he could

But the Sabres cant afford to put all their eggs in 'what could be' The UPL extension is fine, if Levi pops in 2 years, UPL should be a pretty moveable player IF need be.

Plus as far as Sabres goalies and being great or could be great, maybe I am still scarred by this one:

[North Buffalo]

Lots of GMs on the board regarding a goalie... hardest position to predict but yeh if any one of us knows what we are talking about.

Edited July 25 by North Buffalo

[DarthEbriate]

12 minutes ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

Plus as far as Sabres goalies and being great or could be great, maybe I am still scarred by this one:

He is Buffalo's all-time leading goalie goal scorer.

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

Could Levi be great? Sure he could

But the Sabres cant afford to put all their eggs in 'what could be' The UPL extension is fine, if Levi pops in 2 years, UPL should be a pretty moveable player IF need be.

Plus as far as Sabres goalies and being great or could be great, maybe I am still scarred by this one:

Yowza. I attended a few of those Power Play Luncheons that the team used to hold - back in the day. They used to have players sit at the tables which local businesses would purchase. Net proceeds must have gone to the Sabres Foundation. Mika sat at our table one year. I sat next to him. I am not kidding or exaggerating when I say that I came away worried about the guy. He struck me as deeply depressed. Homesick.