Speculation: The Goalie Speculation Thread - Why Do Skaters Get All The Love?

[NEcoli]

How about trading for Cal Peterson ?

 

[Chainshot]

How about trading for Cal Peterson ?

Petersen.

 

[dasaybz]

It is far from a given that Grubauer will be an upgrade over Lehner.

They are the same age and Grubauer has less than half of the number of NHL games played as Lehner. And before the NHL, Lehner's best AHL season was better than Grubauer's best AHL season.

Grubauer could be an upgrade. Or, he could be a replacement or a step down.

Pretty much any goalie that they are likely to acquire will be a lottery ticket.

Just look at the numbers that Raanta and Talbot put up as Lundy's backup and then when they moved on to their next teams.

Any time you move on to a new goalie, it has a lot of risk/variability involved.

Anything is an upgrade over Lehner.

 

[Gabrielor]

I don’t have a name, but I’d like a veteran with some history of winning, whose on the back half of his career, but is a guy our forwards and d can feel some confidence in.

Don’t necessarily need the long term answer this year.

 

[Chainshot]

Anything is an upgrade over Lehner.

I'll take JB's take on having caution if wanting to heap all the beans into a Grubauer basket.

 

[SECRET SQUIRREL]

It's too bad Sorokin still has 2 years left on his KHL contract, I saw that he might not want to play for Snow/ Islanders and he's incredible. I'd still kick the tires tho and see if he's available, still be worth it long term.

 

[Jim Bob]

Anything is an upgrade over Lehner.

Chad Johnson wasn't this past season.

The grass isn't always greener.

 

[TehDoak]

Lehner is a disciple of the Miller School of Goaltender Behaviorism.

That's not really fair. It's more like he's from a wing of it. The far right wing of that school.

 

[TehDoak]

So, in looking at available goalies:

UFAs:

Halak - no thanks
Hutton - Eeeeeh. Small Sample size, seems like a Hammond-esque situation of him getting hot at the right time
Kincaid - Of the UFA options, this is probably my favorite. Unknown if he can handle a starters load or not, but seems to be reasonably consistent.
Khudobin - Eeeeh. I think he's starting to slow down a bit.
Bernier - Eh. Seems like a guy you go to when all the options run out.

Trade Options:

Washington - Grubauer is likely available this summer. It's doubtful they'd trade Holtby. The question is cost. With NYI with 2x 1sts, wouldn't be surprising to see them get Grubauer +. I'd be ok with dangling a 2019 2nd rounder. But...not 32nd this year
Philadelphia - Interesting situation there. Elliot, Neurvirth, and Mrazek. They may simply let Mrazek walk because his QO would be 4M. He'd be an interesting pick up to pair with Ullmark.
Winnipeg- Steve Mason could be a cheap pickup. With Hellebuyck having a solid year and Mason struggling, my guess is his cost would be next to nothing. We might even be able "trade" some salary (maybe Mason for Moulson @ 50% after his bonus kicks in?)

 

[Chainshot]

So, in looking at available goalies:

UFAs:

Halak - no thanks
Hutton - Eeeeeh. Small Sample size, seems like a Hammond-esque situation of him getting hot at the right time
Kincaid - Of the UFA options, this is probably my favorite. Unknown if he can handle a starters load or not, but seems to be reasonably consistent.
Khudobin - Eeeeh. I think he's starting to slow down a bit.
Bernier - Eh. Seems like a guy you go to when all the options run out.

Trade Options:

Washington - Grubauer is likely available this summer. It's doubtful they'd trade Holtby. The question is cost. With NYI with 2x 1sts, wouldn't be surprising to see them get Grubauer +. I'd be ok with dangling a 2019 2nd rounder. But...not 32nd this year
Philadelphia - Interesting situation there. Elliot, Neurvirth, and Mrazek. They may simply let Mrazek walk because his QO would be 4M. He'd be an interesting pick up to pair with Ullmark.
Winnipeg- Steve Mason could be a cheap pickup. With Hellebuyck having a solid year and Mason struggling, my guess is his cost would be next to nothing. We might even be able "trade" some salary (maybe Mason for Moulson @ 50% after his bonus kicks in?)

Regarding Mason - just take his deal on, in full with no money going back the other way. Don't worry about trying to shoehorn Moulson into a deal with a team that's already cap tight.

 

[Jim Bob]

So, in looking at available goalies:

UFAs:

Halak - no thanks
Hutton - Eeeeeh. Small Sample size, seems like a Hammond-esque situation of him getting hot at the right time
Kincaid - Of the UFA options, this is probably my favorite. Unknown if he can handle a starters load or not, but seems to be reasonably consistent.
Khudobin - Eeeeh. I think he's starting to slow down a bit.
Bernier - Eh. Seems like a guy you go to when all the options run out.

Trade Options:

Washington - Grubauer is likely available this summer. It's doubtful they'd trade Holtby. The question is cost. With NYI with 2x 1sts, wouldn't be surprising to see them get Grubauer +. I'd be ok with dangling a 2019 2nd rounder. But...not 32nd this year
Philadelphia - Interesting situation there. Elliot, Neurvirth, and Mrazek. They may simply let Mrazek walk because his QO would be 4M. He'd be an interesting pick up to pair with Ullmark.
Winnipeg- Steve Mason could be a cheap pickup. With Hellebuyck having a solid year and Mason struggling, my guess is his cost would be next to nothing. We might even be able "trade" some salary (maybe Mason for Moulson @ 50% after his bonus kicks in?)

Keith Kinkaid - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Kinkaid has another year left on his deal in NJ. And given Schneider's long rehab, I doubt they move him.

Browse - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

There is no UFA that jumps off the page to me.

Lehtonen on a short term deal might be interesting.

 

[Chainshot]

Kinkaid's play down the stretch in the regular season is a great selling point on him, but the Devils need him, even if he lost the job again against the Bolts in the playoffs.

I know it seems silly, but again, I'm drawn back to picking at the Sens corpse and seeing if Anderson would be game to change teams. Strange, I know.

 

[Sabreality]

Is one year of Jimmy Howard at $5.3m doable? He still has his positive moments.

Perhaps Detroit would take Lehner for him, they save some money and he's young enough to see if he could be their guy going forward. They don't have any high end kids in the system.

 

[1972]

Sign a veteran who has shown to have consistent play and pray that Ullmark/UPL can be the guy of the future.

 

[Chainshot]

Sign a veteran who has shown to have consistent play and pray that Ullmark/UPL can be the guy of the future.

UPL is on an Ullmark timeline. It's going to be years and years before he's ready.

 

[DJN21]

Is one year of Jimmy Howard at $5.3m doable? He still has his positive moments.

Perhaps Detroit would take Lehner for him, they save some money and he's young enough to see if he could be their guy going forward. They don't have any high end kids in the system.

If the cost is basically lehner for Howard that's a great scenario. One year and we can move on. Wr have the extra space this year anyways. Gives ullmark another year starting like 40% of the games or so

 

[Buffaloed]

Are there any goalies in Europe the Sabres should pursue? I'm inclined to bring back Lehner. I don't see any of the proposed solutions as an upgrade. Figure the D will be improved with Dahlin and we have no idea what Lehner went through to get to this level.

 

[Chainshot]

Are there any goalies in Europe the Sabres should pursue? I'm inclined to bring back Lehner. I don't see any of the proposed solutions as an upgrade. Figure the D will be improved with Dahlin and we have no idea what Lehner went through to get to this level.

Francouz was the guy I wanted, but he signed with the Avs, in terms of the tweener who could play up or handle Rochester. And I'd love it if they draft Veini Vehviläinen since he's in his final year of eligibility. They have those 4th rounders, kid could be there since he's a multi-year OA.

But for starter quality? Not so much...

 

[Zman5778]

I don't see an ideal solution to the goaltending mess for next year. It's probably a given that Ullmark will be up in the NHL full-time.....but it certainly remains to be seen if he can handle a full-time starting job.

As far as the 2nd NHL goalie goes -- there isn't a good answer. Hutton seems to be the best of a very subpar UFA goalie class, but he hasn't shown much outside of his play this year.

Trade options? Doubt NSH moves a goalie. WPG might move Mason.

At some point, a legit starting NHL goalie will find its way here. Just gotta await his arrival.

 

[Zman5778]

Are there any goalies in Europe the Sabres should pursue? I'm inclined to bring back Lehner. I don't see any of the proposed solutions as an upgrade. Figure the D will be improved with Dahlin and we have no idea what Lehner went through to get to this level.

Ultimately, I think I agree with this. Ride Lehner and Ullmark. Lehner has played very well in a few 10ish game stretches....if he can bring that consistently, he would be just fine for next year.

 

[Icicle]

Ultimately, I think I agree with this. Ride Lehner and Ullmark. Lehner has played very well in a few 10ish game stretches....if he can bring that consistently, he would be just fine for next year.

No. Get him out of the locker room. The team had zero confidence playing with him.

 

[flashsabre]

No. Get him out of the locker room. The team had zero confidence playing with him.

This is where I am at. That dressing room needs to be cleansed. Get some new face in there. Find a quality vet. With a good attitude.

 

[Dreakon13]

I was on the Lehner train initially (or at least the "lets see what he have in him train") but I'm ready to get off. Like others said, bring in some better attitudes. While I don't know if guys that are better than Lehner will be available, but Ullmark and some vet who isn't the headcase Lehner is could be a refreshing change both to watch, and in the room.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Kick the tires in Chicago.....see if we can trade for Crawford. He's not the best but bringing in a multiple Cup winner like him would be huge. Maybe they'd be up for a cost cutting move. Maybe we can use lehner's RFA status as a chip.

Crawford is signed for 2 more years at $6 mile per. Maybe Lehner's camp will see a 1 year contract with a proven winner like Chicago as a god send, and cut their goalie costs in half. Chicago justmissed the playoffs, so they might be in for a mini retool.....

Lehner's rights, 19 3rd and one of the triplets????

 

[Reddawg]

Kick the tires in Chicago.....see if we can trade for Crawford. He's not the best but bringing in a multiple Cup winner like him would be huge. Maybe they'd be up for a cost cutting move. Maybe we can use lehner's RFA status as a chip.

Crawford is signed for 2 more years at $6 mile per. Maybe Lehner's camp will see a 1 year contract with a proven winner like Chicago as a god send, and cut their goalie costs in half. Chicago justmissed the playoffs, so they might be in for a mini retool.....

Lehner's rights, 19 3rd and one of the triplets????

I would be all over that.