Speculation: The New And Improved Goaltending Thread - All Goats Tended

[Chainshot]

I wish Sabres goalies could struggle with a .919 ES Save% like Knight had last season.

They wanted him to get more playing time in the AHL and pay less for the backup too.

So we have Knight, a 2-year starter at BC as the fastest arriving collegiate path goalie in what seems like an age. He was also the most hyped goalie in his draft year since Price. Perhaps drawing parallels to Levi is asking a lot of Levi.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

They wanted him to get more playing time in the AHL and pay less for the backup too.

So we have Knight, a 2-year starter at BC as the fastest arriving collegiate path goalie in what seems like an age. He was also the most hyped goalie in his draft year since Price. Perhaps drawing parallels to Levi is asking a lot of Levi.

Even the young goalies who made quick leaps generally started out in the AHL.

Swayman made the leap very fast but still started out with a 9 game stint in the AHL. Carter Hart played less than 20 AHL games but still started out there. Oettinger, Helly, Demko, even Shesterkin.

Pretty safe bet that regardless of how good Levi or Portillo for that matter are in college, they will at least start out their first season in the AHL.

 

[Jim Bob]

They wanted him to get more playing time in the AHL and pay less for the backup too.

So we have Knight, a 2-year starter at BC as the fastest arriving collegiate path goalie in what seems like an age. He was also the most hyped goalie in his draft year since Price. Perhaps drawing parallels to Levi is asking a lot of Levi.

I expect Levi to get 50-75 AHL starts at a minimum. But, we shall see.

 

[Chainshot]

Even the young goalies who made quick leaps generally started out in the AHL.

Swayman made the leap very fast but still started out with a 9 game stint in the AHL. Carter Hart played less than 20 AHL games but still started out there. Oettinger, Helly, Demko, even Shesterkin.

Pretty safe bet that regardless of how good Levi or Portillo for that matter are in college, they will at least start out their first season in the AHL.

Exactly. It's wildly optimistic to think anyone is stepping from the NCAA into the NHL net. They need time to hone their craft.

 

[Jacob582]

Have there been any guesses to UPL's next contract?

Do you think it will be similar to Ullmark's 2nd contract?
1-way, 2 year, $750k AAV

Vitek Vanechek's 2nd contract:
2-way, 3 year, league minimum (1-way in year 2 and 3)

Daniel Vladar's 2nd contract:
2-way, 3 year, $750k AAV (1-way year 3)


League minimum was lower in 2020-2021, So UPL's AAV will be slightly higher based on that alone.

 

[thewookie1]

"And, despite being 41 years old and showing woeful (and deteriorating) performance, the Buffalo Sabres decided to allocate a roster spot for another season to Craig Anderson."

Yost is one of those pretend “Sabres fans” who covers the team but isn’t exactly fond of the team. If Anderson signed with Toronto he’d be a solid vet presence with consistent albeit declining play.

 

[Jim Bob]

Have there been any guesses to UPL's next contract?

Do you think it will be similar to Ullmark's 2nd contract?
1-way, 2 year, $750k AAV

Vitek Vanechek's 2nd contract:
2-way, 3 year, league minimum (1-way in year 2 and 3)

Daniel Vladar's 2nd contract:
2-way, 3 year, $750k AAV (1-way year 3)


League minimum was lower in 2020-2021, So UPL's AAV will be slightly higher based on that alone.

I don’t know why UPL would sign a multi-year league minimum two way deal unless they bump up his AHL salary and/or make the second year one way.

My guess is that Buffalo wants a 2 year deal that is two way in year one and one way in year two.

 

[joshjull]

I wish Sabres goalies could struggle with a .919 ES Save% like Knight had last season.

????

Knight’s save% was .908 in 32 games last season.

It was the year before that he had the .919 sv%. But he only played 4gms.

 

[Jim Bob]

????

Knight’s save% was .908 in 32 games last season.

It was the year before that he had the .919 sv%. But he only played 4gms.

His Even Strength Save% was .930 in 20-21 and .919 in 21-22.

In 21-22, Craig Anderson had a .896 ES Save%, UPL had a .913 ES Save%, and Comrie had a .935 ES Save%.

 

[elchud]

I think, inevitably, UPL will get a 2 year deal.

Its pretty clear that the Sabres have him penciled in as 1B for 23-24. Given that, UPL should ask for a 1-way (he still has waivers this year).

2 years x 1.125 would be a nice goodwill contract. Dont see why the Sabres need to penny pinch with UPL, just get it done. If 41 year old Anderson goes down the timetable only moves closer.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Travis Yost: When it comes to goaltending, bet on consistency | TSN

Evaluating goaltenders remains one of the most difficult objectives in hockey, whether you are pouring through video or analyzing data. While it isn't perfect, consistency is the best benchmark, writes TSN's Travis Yost.

www.tsn.ca

Just your friendly reminder that goaltending is hard to evaluate because IT'S ALMOST COMPLETELY MENTAL.

Imagine if every time a player failed to clear the puck from the zone, the other team got a point? Or if a player didn't hit the net or goaltender with a shot, the other team got a point. You'd see a lot more difficulty in drafting. But skaters make mistakes with typically no ramifications, and they shake it off and keep playing.

Goaltenders need to play a near perfect game just to keep their team in a game. You have to find someone who has the size and ahtleticism to play, has the technique, and then on top of all that, has the mental ability to be near perfect.

Look at Jordan Binnington. AHLer to Cup winner, to elite starting goaltender, to average starting goaltender, in four seasons. Focus and confidence can be thrown off by almost anything. Injuries, coaching, teammates, life, etc.

If you find a goaltender who can be good consistently, you stick with him, because that's the hardest trait to find.

 

[Irie]

Just your friendly reminder that goaltending is hard to evaluate because IT'S ALMOST COMPLETELY MENTAL.

Imagine if every time a player failed to clear the puck from the zone, the other team got a point? Or if a player didn't hit the net or goaltender with a shot, the other team got a point. You'd see a lot more difficulty in drafting. But skaters make mistakes with typically no ramifications, and they shake it off and keep playing.

Goaltenders need to play a near perfect game just to keep their team in a game. You have to find someone who has the size and ahtleticism to play, has the technique, and then on top of all that, has the mental ability to be near perfect.

Look at Jordan Binnington. AHLer to Cup winner, to elite starting goaltender, to average starting goaltender, in four seasons. Focus and confidence can be thrown off by almost anything. Injuries, coaching, teammates, life, etc.

If you find a goaltender who can be good consistently, you stick with him, because that's the hardest trait to find.

This is very true, and so much of goal tending is team related. Positioning and "streaky luck" play a big part too. Goalies will go through stretches where every puck that beats them hits the post and then bounces in. Then there will be a stretch where all pucks that beat them hit the post and bounce out.

The mental aspect and staying even-keeled during the rough streaks is the difference between many successful goalies and goalies that struggle.

Being able to shake off those goals against, especially when they come in bunches, and play calm and keep your head and still play with solid positioning is key.

Bad team defense leads to goalies playing less aggressively, sitting back, and cheating on their positioning. If they know there is a guaranteed goal if the puck is passed instead of shot, they have to cheat, and bad habits are developed.

These things are not visible on a SV% stat sheets.

 

[cowboy82nd]

So, any guess when Levi will sign?

 

[Jim Bob]

So, any guess when Levi will sign?

As soon as Northeastern's 2022-23 season is over would be my guess.

 

[Fjordy]

So, any guess when Levi will sign?

Next spring

 

[TehDoak]

Grading every NHL team’s goaltending depth - TSN.ca

Buffalo: The Sabres roster finally feels like it’s on an upward trajectory, but we aren’t there yet with the goaltenders. The future is one or both of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi. The present is a nightmare waiting to happen. And if you think 41-year old Craig Anderson won’t play, remember that stopgap Eric Comrie has never seen more than 19 appearances in a single season. This could be ugly.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Grading every NHL team’s goaltending depth - TSN.ca

It's crazy to me that they put Detroit in tier 2 after the season Ned just had along with a goalie who played well for a single season but still has a very small overall sample size., after saying Vanecek is a gamble for the exact same reason which they even acknowledge in the Detroit review.

 

[Zman5778]

It's crazy to me that they put Detroit in tier 2 after the season Ned just had along with a goalie who played well for a single season but still has a very small overall sample size., after saying Vanecek is a gamble for the exact same reason which they even acknowledge in the Detroit review.

Yeah, there are some issues with these rankings. More than some, actually.

San Jose in the same tier with Dallas? Detroit TWO tiers higher than Minny? Florida in the "solid" tier?

Yeah, these are pretty janky ratings.

 

[TehDoak]

It's bizarre to me that the team opted for Comrie/Anderson rather than give up a mid round pick for someone like Hill and pair him with Comrie. A Hill and Comrie duo at least would have a chance of giving us at least average goaltending.

Barring getting a workhorse starter that would put Anderson's starts in the single digits when combined with UPL, there really isn't anyway to justify it.

For a team that is talking about analytics and advanced stats, it's certainly using some twisted old hockey logic to justify brining back a 41 year old goalie that every possible stat says 'he's terrible and getting worse'

 

[Jacob582]

I was hoping they wouldn't re-sign Anderson. But I sure wouldn't have traded for Adin Hill.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

That's not even completely correct.

Shesterkin is 6'2" unless he's referring to Saros who was a finalist, not the winner.
Kuemper is 6'5" , Unless he means Francouz who played 11 minutes in the finals and 7 playoff games in total.

 

[Jim Bob]

That's not even completely correct.

Shesterkin is 6'2" unless he's referring to Saros who was a finalist, not the winner.
Kuemper is 6'5" , Unless he means Francouz who played 11 minutes in the finals and 7 playoff games in total.

Igor Shesterkin Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Igor Shesterkin, a hockey player from Moscow, Russia born Dec 30 1995 who was active from 2012 to 2023.

www.hockeydb.com

Shesterkin is listed at 6'1" in HockeyDB. So, that could be where he got that.

And I am sure he was referring to Francouz.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Igor Shesterkin Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Igor Shesterkin, a hockey player from Moscow, Russia born Dec 30 1995 who was active from 2012 to 2023.

www.hockeydb.com

Shesterkin is listed at 6'1" in HockeyDB. So, that could be where he got that.

And I am sure he was referring to Francouz.

Yea my mistake. I only checked hockey reference where they list him as 6'2", but the rangers team page does list him as 6'1".

 

[Jim Bob]

Yea my mistake. I only checked hockey reference where they list him as 6'2", but the rangers team page does list him as 6'1".

It is really interesting how shorter goalies have been putting up some big numbers lately. And teams still refuse to draft shorter guys.

That Hugo Havelid went undrafted was bonkers to me.