BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has been willing to talk to teams that might want to trade a goalie to Buffalo, but the GM was never actively shopping for a goaltender this summer.
Adams 100% believes in Devon Levi and his process, which is why Levi was signed out of college and played in all of the most important games that this team has played in 12 years down the stretch. Adams and Granato haven’t said that Levi is their No. 1 goalie in October, but they don’t have to, their actions at the end of last season speak louder than anything they can say.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 24 years old, and Adams believes he is only going to get better. He has to, or the Sabres will be in trouble in a season where this rebuild must move forward which includes making the playoffs.
I understand where many are coming from thinking a move has to be made, but if age 24 is the time to cut bait, Linus Ullmark never would’ve been a starting goalie in the NHL, and Tage Thompson and Casey Mittelstadt would be doing what they’re doing now on other teams.
I was having this discussion with another media member who thinks Adams has failed this off-season. When I asked this person which goalie did he want the Sabres to try to bring in, they had no idea. Adams said earlier this summer why bring in a goalie just to bring one in when they aren’t better than what you have?
Well, let’s take a look at what were the possible options:
The Ottawa Senators signed 29-year-old Joonas Korpisalo to a five-year/$20 million contract. He failed for the Los Angeles Kings in the playoffs going 2-4 with a 3.77 goals against and .892 save percentage. If Levi is as good as advertised, why would you sign a 29-year-old who is unproven and inconsistent for five years?
Both Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov were unrestricted free agents, but both wanted to stay with the New York Islanders and did.
Same thing held true for Freddie Andersen and Antti Raanta. Both UFAs wanted to remain with the Carolina Hurricanes, as did Tristan Jarry with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Alex Nedeljkovic had one lights-out season in Carolina and then was traded to the Detroit Red Wings, where we found out that he was good in Carolina because of Rod Brind’Amour’s system. Quite a few goalies look good playing for that team and then are never good again. After two horrible seasons with the Red Wings, he signed with Pittsburgh. Hard pass here.
At 30 years old, Alex Lyon never played more than 11 games in an NHL season and was never very good with the Philadelphia Flyers. He all of a sudden catches fire down the stretch for the Florida Panthers and gets them into the playoffs. Lyon didn’t do as well in the playoffs. Lyon is the latest goaltender to try to make the Red Wings better by signing a two-year deal. Again, small interest, but are the Sabres better with Alex Lyon?
Lyon will pair with 35-year-old James Reimer after one poor year and one strong year with the San Jose Sharks. I wouldn’t give up on a 24-year-old goalie for him.
Former New Jersey Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood was traded to San Jose. Blackwood can’t stay healthy and he hasn’t been good since his first two seasons in the league.
After four seasons with San Jose and the Arizona Coyotes, Adin Hill was fifth on the Vegas Golden Knights depth chart. Injuries in the playoffs put Hill in the crease and he won the Stanley Cup. Hill was traded to the Golden Knights because of the season ending injury to Robin Lehner. Now, he’s a Cup winner and has a two-year/$9.8 million deal. He wasn’t leaving Vegas, so this wasn’t a possibility.
I would have no interest in John Gibson or Carter Hart if they became available and if the Winnipeg Jets make Connor Hellebuyck available, I’d rather take my chances with a 21-year-old Levi instead of a stud, but a guy who is 30 years old and has one more year of making $6.17 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Yes, Buffalo has assets to trade, but if you’re trading for him, you might as well send Levi back to the Jets in the trade. It’s out there that Danny Briere wants two first-round picks for Hart. I wouldn’t give up one first rounder for a guy that in my world would be Levi’s backup. Hart’s best days were early in his career. Could he rediscover them? Sure he could, but waiting for him to do that doesn’t solve the Sabres problem in the crease.
If there were or are some good options, then yes, Adams should consider them, but there just nothing on this page that I would’ve jumped at. Many of you would’ve and I understand that.