Addressing the Backup Goaltender Situation
by DCSabre on Jan 29, 2010 10:45 AM EST
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Some of you might have seen Darren Dreger's list of the top 10 players most likely to be traded at the deadline and one name stuck out that I believe would really help the Sabres make a deep run in the playoffs - Marty Turco.
One of the biggest concerns that I have with this team is the lack of a reliable backup goaltender to give Miller some much needed rest after the Olympic break and into the playoffs (which I'm assuming we make barring any unforeseen circumstances).
Turco's current contract is around $5.5 million so we'd have to move someone like Lydman or Hecht to make this happen or possibly negotiate a trade with the Stars.
While I don't think this is likely to happen I wanted to hear the opinion of fellow Sabres fans on this topic...
This is a fanpost written by a member of the community, it doesn't necessarily express the views or opinions of Die by the Blade
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Sure Turco is a great goaltender, but he is starting material. He won’t be happy to come here and ride the pine. That is a big price to pay for a guy that we will hopefully and probably never need to play a single game. Not to mention, the Stars won’t want an expiring veteran defenseman in return. If they trade Turco it will be for the future, either prospects, draft picks or young players.
B-B-B-Byrd Byrd Byrd, Byrd is the Wyrd!"
Turco would just be a distraction
Miller’s at the top of the league for the first time in his career. Why bring in a guy that might have ryan looking over his shoulder? Lalime will be just fine for us the couple of games hes going to get. A deep run in the playoffs will only happen for this team if Miller keeps up this pace he’s on all year. Any trade needs to be for top 6 forward who can put the puck in the net.
Rookies are like teabags...you don't know what you're gonna get until you put them in hot water. -Harry Neale
Backup goaltender should be an off season issue for Darcy
Rookies are like teabags...you don't know what you're gonna get until you put them in hot water. -Harry Neale
Are we thinking Enroth won't be ready next season
Or do we think he needs to play every day in the minors?
Backup goaltenders are not needed for a deep playoff run.
They rarely if ever play and if you’re counting on one, don’t bother, you’re fucked.
Just ask the Edmonton Oilers...
"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
“Backup goaltenders are not needed for a deep playoff run.” … for the most part true but there have been examples of backups becoming the starter and then dragging his team all the way with him … seems to me that something like that happened a few years ago in Carolina.
I will concede the point that backups are one of the few places you can be weak in and still make a deep playoff run … BUT … what good would that do if the starter has played 70+ games and is out of gas for the playoffs. Ryan is not Marty or Roberto … who can play every game and still seem fresh … and in that respect will never be … he’s just not physically built that way. Turco would have the same kind of problems backing up Miller that Lalime is having … they have both been starters throughout most of their careers. Being a backup takes a different frame of mind and some starters are never able to make the adjustment. That is the biggest problem that Lalime has … he just isn’t a “backup”. I will be a little surprised if Turco isn’t traded somewhere but it won’t be Buffalo … put him in Chicago and you have an odds on favorite to win the Cup because that is the “missing link” in the Blackhawks … goaltending.
Lalime should be able to give the Sabres at least 10 decent starts after the break … that may be all that Miller will need. The “missing link” in Buffalo is consistent scoring and that’s where Darcy should be looking … if he can pick up Biron in the mix all the better.
Biron is my top choice. Cheaper too.
Fatang Fatang.
by NeverendingOptimism on Jan 30, 2010 3:52 PM EST reply actions
Nice.
haha that is great! “Frankie with the save!”
Hi! I'm hungry! How are you?
by sabresfan96 on Feb 15, 2010 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
There’s no need for a different backup goalie. Lalime is decent enough. Like others have mentioned, you don’t need a backup goalie in the playoffs and this team isn’t going anywhere without Miller, regardless of who the backup is.
The other thing to consider is that the Sabres aren’t in some kind of playoff push. They can rest Miller plenty and if it costs them a handful of points down the stretch, so what. As good as Ottawa is playing, I don’t view them as a threat to catch Buffalo in the standings and if Buffalo can win the division with Lalime playing a good amount down the stretch, how much does a different backup accomplish?
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
I agree
As much as I would like a good one-two punch with a spectacular backup, we are in a great position right now and don’t really need more than what we have. Lalime has proven this season that he can get the job done against some quality teams (ie the Blackhawks) when required.
Miller is one of the top probably the best goalie in the league this year, and can handle a lot of games, which will be good when playoff time comes. (Speaking of which, Marty Brodeur has played 30-something straight. Do the Devils even HAVE a backup???).
However, while Lalime is a decent backup and should help get the job done this year, I’m also hoping his contract is NOT renewed this year, and either have Darcy shop around for a new backup or bring up Enroth next year.
Besides what has been said above about Lalime being plenty good enough, I think Turco is on his last legs to be honest. I’ve seen a few Dallas games this season and he’s not looking at all like the dominant man the Stars have been winning games with for years. He might be a good backup, but the price might be a bit high since he’s a former great starter.
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Enroth
I think a few of these posts are dilusional. We’ll see Enroth next year. Lalime will get us by this year.
Enroth
The kid ain’t ready … not by a long shot. I haven’t been impressed one little bit with his play either in his call up or Portland … decent goaltender who might challenge for a backup position some day but that day isn’t now.
What's with the Biron hate?
I don’t like the guy either, especially those 13 games in a row he won for us when Miller went out with a broken thumb a couple years ago. That sucked sooooo much, he was such a jerk for doing that.
Lalime on the other hand, with his 5-15 record last year and 3-5 record this year, is my hero.
Please explain when those 13 games in a row actually happened?
Considering the fact that his last year in Buffalo he won 12 total games. Or that the year before that his longest winning streak was 6 games. This is exactly where the “hate” comes from. The mythical status of MARTIN BIRON GOD AMONG GODS.
In 2005-2006 he had a period where he went 13-2. That’s all of a sudden a 13 game winning streak consisting of a 6 game winning streak, a 5 game and a 2? That’s not a 13 game winning streak. Did he play his ass off during those games? I guess. But almost every one of those games was a 4-3 or 3-2 win. Well, except for that game he lost 5-0, or won 8-5 or 6-4. Good? Yes. Worthy of a ball washing? No, but since it was 5 years ago I’ll let it slide. That’s right 5 years ago.
I hate to break it to you but Marty, no matter what his eyes tell you, is not good anymore. He’s 2-11 this year. He has a GGA of 3.22 and a SV% of .900. He’s started twice as many games as Lalime and has 1 less win than him. That’s not anything you should be telling yourself that you need.
Are you going to be ok?
I was under the impression that he won 13 games in a row for us at one point. Perhaps I am thinking back to that 13-2 stretch by accident, then again, I can’t find any links that show game-by-game stats, only season totals. If anyone can find a link, I’d actually like to see it. Thanks for assuming I think Biron is a “GOD AMONG GODS” by the way. I love it when people put words in my mouth.
So Biron is having a bad season, does that mean anything? Is Vanek washed up because he’s having a bad season? It’s all about chemistry, if you look at his season totals with Buffalo they were good, but then he went to Philly and instantly slumped. Then his totals went up again and……. went to the Islanders and is back in a slump. A lot of players have trouble adjusting to new teams/systems. Look at Drury and Briere, they were good with us but suck with their new teams. Is it a coincidence? Are they all exiting their prime just as they leave for another team? No.
Now, please respond to: “Lalime on the other hand, with his 5-15 record last year and 3-5 record this year”.
He played so bad at the beginning of the year i actually almost thought Vesa Toskala was better than he was.
I love him and he’s great, but trading for backup goalies is pointless as backup goalies are pretty much benchwarmers in the last 20 games and playoffs anyhow. I have a feeling enroth is going to play backup next year, or another plugger to give him another year in the minors.
Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism
I was on the "Run Lalime out of town bandwaggon" last year...
… and I’m still on that bandwaggon after seeing him return to his losing ways after putting up 2 impressive wins a few weeks ago. I can’t even believe he went 5-15 last year, that’s disgusting. Honestly, why are some people confident with Lalime as a backup? Isn’t 5-15 & 3-5 an obvious problem?
I’m guessing twoeightnine has a Patrick “8-20” Lalime jersey?
It's not so much about Patrick Lalime
If Ryan Miller gets hurt the team is done and it doesn’t matter who they bring in, especially not Martin Biron. Why would you trade away assets to bring in a backup that will play maybe three more games this season? It makes even less sense when you consider that Biron is not any better than Lalime, he may not be worse but he is certainly not better.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
“Why would you trade away assets to bring in a backup that will play maybe three more games this season?”
I was under the impression that Biron was looking to sign with us over the summer, NOT be traded for some of our assets? Secondly, he would play more than “three more games” than Lalime because of Ruff. Ruff doesn’t have confidence in Lalime, but I think he would with Biron. And it’s not about playing 3 more games, it’s about winning more games than LaLame can manage.
“Biron is not any better than Lalime, he may not be worse but he is certainly not better.”
I don’t agree with that, at all. Not even a little bit.
Even if Biron was unequivocally the best backup in the league, he is still too expensive for the Sabres to sign as a backup. It will never happen, it is simply unrealistic to speculate about (let alone a very unpopular proposal). Give it up. As the last 3 fan posts about acquiring Biron have concluded, it will not happen.
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