I think we all know one of our biggest needs going forward is who will be our goaltender(s). We've had a little bit of a roulette the past two years, but if this is our last tank year, we're gonna need to decide which direction we want to go.
Option 1: Matt O'Connor, College UFA
Pro: Size, Free Asset, Upward Progression trend, Entry level contract
Con: Inexperience
The general consensus #1 college ufa this year, O'Connor seems to have narrowed down his list to four teams. Edmonton, Ottawa, NYR, and Buffalo. If O'Connor is looking for a place to potentially burn a year of his entry level contract, and also have the opportunity for significant play time next year, Edmonton or Buffalo would be his best bet. Murray likes big goalies, and has a pretty decent eye for talent. Would you feel comfortable with O'Connor moving forward?
Option 2: UFA Route (15: Enroth, Neuvirth, Niemi, Ramo, Lindback)( 16: Ward, Hiller, Talbot, Lack)
Pros: Somewhat proven goalies, familiarity, reclamation project potential ie Dubnyk
Cons: No real true #1s, potential over-payment
The Sabres could choose to go the more experienced route and grab a UFA this off-season or the next. There's familiarity with some of the players (Lindback, Enroth, Neuvirth) but as much as that's a positive knowing what they can bring, we've also seen where their short comings are. You also may run into the problem where you have a few teams fighting over the small list of quality goalie's, that the price for them goes up a little more than you would prefer.
Option 3: Current System (Ullmark, Makarov, Hackett, Peterson, etc)
Pros: Already in the system, young guys to grow with core, some high potential
Cons: Inexperience, hoping on potential to hit, time
The Sabres could choose to go with one of the young guys they currently have. Makarov and Hackett have been in the system for awhile now, played a few season with Rochester, and perhaps you give them a shot to seize the job. Ullmark has high potential, and should be coming to North America for next season, do you rush him to an NHL job, or see how he grows in the AHL next year. He's struggled a bit this year (behind a piss poor MODO team), but letting him grow in ROCH would potentially mean a little longer on the waiting game here. Peterson is still a few years off himself so he's really a non option at this point if your looking to contend soon. Most goalies don't really settle into their game till their late 20s (Dubnyk, Hammond, etc), rolling with a young guy could be playing with fire, sometimes risks go in your favor.
Option 4: Trade (Gibson, Lehner, Lack, Mrazek/Howard, Bishop/Vasilevski, etc)
Pros: Highest potential with somewhat proven trackrecord, some would be on entry level deals/cheaper contracts, chance to step up and seize a role and grow with new core
Cons: Would not come cheap
The Sabres have been linked with some of these options in the past, directly, or indirectly. Murray has even said, they've looked into some guys who may be current backups or in 1A-1B situations. Just recently, Friedman has linked Gibson with the Sabres:
Murray was involved with the Lehner selection is Ottawa, maybe he looks to bring him here now that he''s potentially available. Mrazek/Howard & Bishop/Vasilevski are both two situations where there's a #1 there who just got paid. Howard is under contract till 2019, Bishop just signed a 2 year extension. Both young guys though are high talent guys that won't be backups for long. So either their respective teams will stick with their current #1s and move the young guys, or they'll let their #1s go for the younger guys as they won't be able to/shouldn't pay both goalies a significant portion of their cap space. But trading for any of these guys would not come cheap. Would you pay the potential cost for one of these guys?
Option 1: Matt O'Connor, College UFA
Pro: Size, Free Asset, Upward Progression trend, Entry level contract
Con: Inexperience
The general consensus #1 college ufa this year, O'Connor seems to have narrowed down his list to four teams. Edmonton, Ottawa, NYR, and Buffalo. If O'Connor is looking for a place to potentially burn a year of his entry level contract, and also have the opportunity for significant play time next year, Edmonton or Buffalo would be his best bet. Murray likes big goalies, and has a pretty decent eye for talent. Would you feel comfortable with O'Connor moving forward?
Option 2: UFA Route (15: Enroth, Neuvirth, Niemi, Ramo, Lindback)( 16: Ward, Hiller, Talbot, Lack)
Pros: Somewhat proven goalies, familiarity, reclamation project potential ie Dubnyk
Cons: No real true #1s, potential over-payment
The Sabres could choose to go the more experienced route and grab a UFA this off-season or the next. There's familiarity with some of the players (Lindback, Enroth, Neuvirth) but as much as that's a positive knowing what they can bring, we've also seen where their short comings are. You also may run into the problem where you have a few teams fighting over the small list of quality goalie's, that the price for them goes up a little more than you would prefer.
Option 3: Current System (Ullmark, Makarov, Hackett, Peterson, etc)
Pros: Already in the system, young guys to grow with core, some high potential
Cons: Inexperience, hoping on potential to hit, time
The Sabres could choose to go with one of the young guys they currently have. Makarov and Hackett have been in the system for awhile now, played a few season with Rochester, and perhaps you give them a shot to seize the job. Ullmark has high potential, and should be coming to North America for next season, do you rush him to an NHL job, or see how he grows in the AHL next year. He's struggled a bit this year (behind a piss poor MODO team), but letting him grow in ROCH would potentially mean a little longer on the waiting game here. Peterson is still a few years off himself so he's really a non option at this point if your looking to contend soon. Most goalies don't really settle into their game till their late 20s (Dubnyk, Hammond, etc), rolling with a young guy could be playing with fire, sometimes risks go in your favor.
Option 4: Trade (Gibson, Lehner, Lack, Mrazek/Howard, Bishop/Vasilevski, etc)
Pros: Highest potential with somewhat proven trackrecord, some would be on entry level deals/cheaper contracts, chance to step up and seize a role and grow with new core
Cons: Would not come cheap
The Sabres have been linked with some of these options in the past, directly, or indirectly. Murray has even said, they've looked into some guys who may be current backups or in 1A-1B situations. Just recently, Friedman has linked Gibson with the Sabres:
Buffalo, Toronto have been among the teams that call them and say, ‘What are you doing with Andersen and Gibson? What’s your plan? How much longer until you decide you have to move one of them?’
http://www.nicholsonhockey.com/wort...fs-may-have-interest-in-ducks-gibson-andersen
Murray was involved with the Lehner selection is Ottawa, maybe he looks to bring him here now that he''s potentially available. Mrazek/Howard & Bishop/Vasilevski are both two situations where there's a #1 there who just got paid. Howard is under contract till 2019, Bishop just signed a 2 year extension. Both young guys though are high talent guys that won't be backups for long. So either their respective teams will stick with their current #1s and move the young guys, or they'll let their #1s go for the younger guys as they won't be able to/shouldn't pay both goalies a significant portion of their cap space. But trading for any of these guys would not come cheap. Would you pay the potential cost for one of these guys?
