Devon Levi loaned to Rochester

[K-9]

3 hours ago, Thorner said:

Imo this (finally) ends phase 1 of the Levi experiment. The “don’t be afraid to believe in the hype: this guy is following in Hasek’s wake” (not-hyperbole) stage. The “it doesn’t matter that he’s tiny and that goalies are almost never ready for full NHL workloads at his age - if anyone can do it, it’s Levi. He likes Star Wars.” stage.

The cold-sweat-inducing factor is Adams had Levi pencilled in *last* year. Yes, an all-time narrative sales job on a player, probably the most expansive I’ve seen for a Sabre, but the rub is that the *GM* bought in, and in fact planned it.

It’s time for a more level headed and realistic, divorced from KA fantasy phase 2: a good goalie prospect developing in the minors until such a time as he’s ready for a consistent nhl workload, if ever 

 

Ouch.

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, tom webster said:

Someone will have to explain me how playing a lot of games in AHL helps prepare him to be a back up in the NHL. I’ve never hidden the fact that I believe development through any minor league system is old wives tale stuff, however, if you want to tell me he’s staying in the AHL till he’s ready to be a full time starter, I could at least believe there is logic to the move. Being a seldom used backup is more of a mental thing that will not he improved by a stint in the AHL.

He is not preparing to be a back up. He is preparing to be a good NHL goalie.   Right now he gives up 4 goals a game and stops 87% of the shots he sees.   That level of play (or better) we can get from a limited used of Riemer while Levi gets more games.   

I am not a goalie coach expert, but there are facets of his game that need work and playing 75% of the games in the AHL will allow many more reps than playing playing 25% of games in the NHL. 

Sure the AHL shooters are not as good and the game is slower, but working on his side to side movement, going down and up while tracking the puck, protecting posts, closing the 5 hole, improving the glove, rebound control, puck handling and passing - it is more about live-fire preparation and getting more live-fire repetition makes you better.  

What NHL teams do not use the AHL or other leagues to develop goalies? 

How many 18-22 year old goalies are successful #1's in todays NHL?  

[Stoner]

If I were a nasty poster, I would call up the Levi poll before LAST season. Oopsie.

[DarthEbriate]

29 minutes ago, Stoner said:

If I were a nasty poster, I would call up the Levi poll before LAST season. Oopsie.

It wouldn't be nasty of you at all.

At the time, Luukkonen had yet to show any above-average goaltending in the NHL or AHL and didn't play down the stretch, Comrie was Comrie, Anderson had retired, and Levi had just made a pretty solid multiweek 5-2 debut and resuscitated a team that had been slipping through two 4-game losing streaks (as Dahlin/TNT battled some injuries) into a 10-2-1 finish and barely missed the playoffs. Help us Devon Levi, he was our only hope.

(All that and he still needed more AHL time, but that's not how this organization is run... [no blockers!]. The GM instead opted for the 3-headed monster.

[Freeezo]

14 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

It wouldn't be nasty of you at all.

At the time, Luukkonen had yet to show any above-average goaltending in the NHL or AHL and didn't play down the stretch, Comrie was Comrie, Anderson had retired, and Levi had just made a pretty solid multiweek 5-2 debut and resuscitated a team that had been slipping through two 4-game losing streaks (as Dahlin/TNT battled some injuries) into a 10-2-1 finish and barely missed the playoffs. Help us Devon Levi, he was our only hope.

(All that and he still needed more AHL time, but that's not how this organization is run... [no blockers!]. The GM instead opted for the 3-headed monster.

The thing I would like help with is what's his current value? How many #1 goalies do you need? Any aggressive move for a top 6 forward would make sense. But then again maybe a fans perceived value is higher than reality. 

[TheAud]

Comparing two highly decorated (at lower levels than the NHL) undersized goalies, Devon Levi and Dustin Wolf. Statistics include playoff games.  I am not including international competition. 

• Wolf is 9 months older than Levi, so their 'season age' is one off from each other. 
• Wolf has played 196 professional hockey games. Levi is at 68 games. 

My conclusion: give Levi a full season of 60+ games at the AHL level with occasional call-ups as appropriate so long as he isn't sitting on the bench. 

Give it another year or two and it may turn out just fine. 

[ska-T Chitown]

2 minutes ago, TheAud said:

Comparing two highly decorated (at lower levels than the NHL) undersized goalies, Devon Levi and Dustin Wolf. Statistics include playoff games.  I am not including international competition. 

• Wolf is 9 months older than Levi, so their 'season age' is one off from each other. 
• Wolf has played 196 professional hockey games. Levi is at 68 games. 

My conclusion: give Levi a full season of 60+ games at the AHL level with occasional call-ups as appropriate so long as he isn't sitting on the bench. 

Give it another year or two and it may turn out just fine. 

The was just an article on ESPN about how rare it is for goalies to even get VOTES for ROY and Wolf might just do that. 

They cited that voters are crazy harsh on goalies in terms of what defines "success" - like that goalie had to get a majority of the starts for a PLAYOFF team ... i mean what playoff team is starting a rookie? (Yeah EDM did it with the good skinner, but still). And there seemed to be age bias, as many goalies are a little older when the truly crack the NHL as a "majority starter".

Many signs point to Levi being a decent NHL goalie, but he definitely needs time to hone his skills.

[Stoner]

38 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

It wouldn't be nasty of you at all.

At the time, Luukkonen had yet to show any above-average goaltending in the NHL or AHL and didn't play down the stretch, Comrie was Comrie, Anderson had retired, and Levi had just made a pretty solid multiweek 5-2 debut and resuscitated a team that had been slipping through two 4-game losing streaks (as Dahlin/TNT battled some injuries) into a 10-2-1 finish and barely missed the playoffs. Help us Devon Levi, he was our only hope.

(All that and he still needed more AHL time, but that's not how this organization is run... [no blockers!]. The GM instead opted for the 3-headed monster.

It was an obvious hard no to have Levi start the season as the starter. Alas...

Just listen to PopPa.

[PerreaultForever]

It's where he should have been to start the season. 

[kas23]

8 hours ago, tom webster said:

Someone will have to explain me how playing a lot of games in AHL helps prepare him to be a back up in the NHL. I’ve never hidden the fact that I believe development through any minor league system is old wives tale stuff, however, if you want to tell me he’s staying in the AHL till he’s ready to be a full time starter, I could at least believe there is logic to the move. Being a seldom used backup is more of a mental thing that will not he improved by a stint in the AHL.

To me, being a back-up in the NHL takes the skill of seldom playing, but then being able to jump in and be decently consistent. I don’t think this can easily be asked of a player who is still trying to find his game. We’ve seen the results. It’s not pretty. In my mind, a back-up is an older player who has fully developed and can mentally withstand the periods of sitting and not have their skill drop off during that waiting period. Levi is no where near that point. 

[spndnchz]

1 hour ago, Stoner said:

It was an obvious hard no to have Levi start the season as the starter. Alas...

Just listen to PopPa.

Wtf are saying?

[TheAud]

2 hours ago, spndnchz said:

Wtf are saying?

He’s saying, “I’m drunk.”

[Second Line Center]

8 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

-Reading his D-men.  2 or 3 times in this season he didn't 'face up' to the shooter and the winger coming in on him during 2 on 1s and 2 on 2s, because it was almost like he was preparing for a move to the other direction if needed, but there was either no one in that other direction, or he had a teammate/D-man there to cover that side.  You have a better chance of not getting beat with a great shot from the left if you aren't worried about someone trailing from the right...and if your D has the right covered, come out and challenge to the left.  

It just seems to me there is a lot more to playing goalie than 'making the save'. its reading the play. Its recognizing attack patterns opposing teams have. Its knowing where your D-men are, how to communicate with them and recognizing when to challenge a shooter or not based on the location of your D-men.  You are learning that with in-game experience, and  with watching video after games of what you did correctly, and what you did wrong.  NHL or AHL, there will be more 'in game' video for him to watch and analyze if he plays games. Something you can't have him doing a lot with the big club right now.

 

No one did this better than Hasek.  

[Porous Five Hole]

Levi was excellent tonight for the Amerks in their 2-1 OT win at Laval. 

[Ctaeth]

6 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Levi was excellent tonight for the Amerks in their 2-1 OT win at Laval. 

He's a huge difference maker at the ahl level.  Amerks will be so much better with him then sandstrom

[CallawaySabres]

I don’t understand why Buffalo can’t sign a legit backup. It’s going to be the difference between eighth spot and no playoffs at all.

[HumanSlinky39]

This is what's needed. Right now, UPL is a more than adequate NHL goalie. Having a 22 year old goalie, who you've pinned so much hope on just languish on the bench receiving only sporadic playing time does him absolutely zero good. He should have just started the season with the Amerks and they should have just gone with UPL & Reimer backing him up. Now you've essentially wasted 6+ weeks finding out that he IS NOT ready for the NHL right now. Leave him down there for the rest of the season unless you need to call on him for a spot start here and there.

[LTS]

1 hour ago, CallawaySabres said:

I don’t understand why Buffalo can’t sign a legit backup. It’s going to be the difference between eighth spot and no playoffs at all.

I feel like the "why" of Buffalo not getting "legit" players has been covered many times over. Most of the discussion starts with, they've sucked for 13 years and have looked like a complete mess the entire time, why would any "legit" player sign here?"

But, who's the legit backup you are looking for them to get? 
Do you want them to overpay for a backup?
Should they make a lopsided trade for one?

We'll have to hope Reimer is it, but frankly, given the defensive zone coverage issues of the Buffalo Sabres I don't think it will be a paradise for any goaltender.

[CallawaySabres]

11 minutes ago, LTS said:

I feel like the "why" of Buffalo not getting "legit" players has been covered many times over. Most of the discussion starts with, they've sucked for 13 years and have looked like a complete mess the entire time, why would any "legit" player sign here?"

But, who's the legit backup you are looking for them to get? 
Do you want them to overpay for a backup?
Should they make a lopsided trade for one?

We'll have to hope Reimer is it, but frankly, given the defensive zone coverage issues of the Buffalo Sabres I don't think it will be a paradise for any goaltender.

Yes, I would overpay or make a lopsided trade. Levi is not even close to being a starting goalie in the NHL and I would be shocked if he was ready next year. Reimer is not going to be the guy to get those back-to-back victories they will need to hover around 8th place. 

[DarthEbriate]

2 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

I don’t understand why Buffalo can’t sign a legit backup. It’s going to be the difference between eighth spot and no playoffs at all.

That’s exactly who Reimer is, given his career stats and the variety of good/bad teams he’s been on. He’s had 1B to 2 usage and consistent numbers. Just need Luukkonen to be a real #1 and last night was a good example of that possibility.