It's time to put the finishing touches on the 2010-2011 season for the Buffalo Sabres. Here is a complete report card of every single player that played any amount of time with the Sabres this season. The journey began with Luke Adam and will conclude in a month with Mike Weber. Thanks to Japers Rink and Mile High Hockey for the inspiration.
It's time to say goodbye to Patrick Lalime.
Patrick Lalime
#40 / Goalie / Buffalo Sabres
6-3
192
Jul 07, 1974
Contract: Cap hit of $650,000; will become UFA this summer
Introduction: Patrick Lalime is yet another member of the prestigious "Ryan Miller Backups That Lindy Ruff Never Trusted" Club. Lalime's play has been much maligned in his career with the Sabres, and tenure as #1 bench door opener mercifully came to an end this season with the emergence of Jhonas Enroth. While his best contribution to the team was in the locker room, he will always be remembered as a very nice guy who never earned the trust of the coaches or fans. After the break, things get ugly.
Key Stat: 24, 16, 7. Those are the number of games Lalime has played in each of the past three seasons, and he only actually started 4 games this year. His record for those three combined years? 9 wins, 26 losses. I should probably just end the article now.
Did You Know: Lalime had the worst win-loss record amongst all goalies in the NHL this year, going 0-5. Other guys didn't win any games, but nobody in that group lost more than #40.
Thumbs Up: Um, he didn't go 0-6? In all seriousness, Lalime's biggest quantifiable contribution this season (i.e. something other than his locker room presence) will be that his poor play opened the door for Jhonas Enroth to have a real shot with the Sabres.
Thumbs Down: No matter which way you slice it, this is almost certainly the end of Lalime's career in Buffalo, and possibly his career in the NHL. This was the second worst statistical season as far as save percentage and GAA for the veteran netminder (check out his abysmal numbers from 2005-2006) and at age 36 it's unlikely that things will get any better. He seems like a great guy and I wish him all the luck in the world, just not with the Buffalo Sabres.
Voting: On a scale of one to ten, one being the lowest and ten being the highest, grade Patrick Lalime on his season according to the expectations you had for him. If he met them, give him a five or a six. If he eclipsed them, aim for a seven or beyond. If he failed to meet them, give him a lower number relating to how poorly he missed the target.
Topics Of Discussion: What are your feelings on Lalime's time in Buffalo? Do you think he'll get another shot in the NHL? Can Enroth finally be a goalie that Ruff trusts to play 15-20 games a season?