Buffalo Sabres Free Agent Frenzy: Five Goaltenders To Avoid

What should the Buffalo Sabres do in free agency?

As we looked yesterday at a few goaltenders the Buffalo Sabres should target in this upcoming free agent period, today, we’ll do the opposite, looking at five netminders the team should avoid.

Again, first, we’ll start with a quick reminder of what the Buffalo Sabres’ situation in terms of goaltending looks like heading into this offseason:

Currently Locked Up

1. Robin Lehner
2. Linus Ullmark

Pending UFAs

1. Chad Johnson

Pending RFAs

1. Jason Kasdorf
2. Nathan Lieuwen
3. Andrey Makarov

Again – Makarov is almost certainly gone, if his public comments about the Buffalo Sabres and the city are any indication. The Sabres certainly have some room to work with – but here are five guys that Tim Murray shouldn’t consider.

Next: Dan Ellis Is A No.

2. Ray Emery

Ray Emery: No thank you.

The 33-year-old will be a UFA this summer after splitting this season between Ontario and Toronto in the AHL and Mannheim in the DEL.

He played three games each with Ontario and Toronto and appeared in seven games for Mannheim, going 2-5-0.

The former Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers goalie leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and while there’s certainly a chance he doesn’t come back to the NHL/AHL, if he does, it shouldn’t be with the Buffalo Sabres.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite memory of Emery, though:

The Hamilton native was drafted by Ottawa in 2001 with the 99th overall selection. He hasn’t played in an NHL game since the 2014-15 season with the Flyers; in his career total, he’s played for four different NHL teams and five different AHL teams, plus a KHL team and DEL team, dating back to 2002.

Just say no, Tim Murray. Just say no.

Next: Lieu, Lieu, Lieu.

3. Nathan Lieuwen

Nathan Lieuwen is not a name I would’ve thought I’d be putting on this list, but here we are. The 24-year-old is by far the youngest on this list, and the only with experience in the Buffalo Sabres system. But in all honesty – I think it’s time to walk away.

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He earned $605,000 this past season as part of the Buffalo Sabres organization, appearing in 28 games with the AHL’s Rochester Americans. He had a 2.91 GAA and .909 save percentage.

Lieuwen’s had a rough few years in terms of injuries, and that’s part of why I think the Buffalo Sabres need to walk away.

He nearly lost his hockey career in juniors due to concussions, and it’s been a lingering problem.

He suffered another concussion in April 2014 and had vision issues for much of the 2014-2015 season before being sidelined. That concussion came after another with the Amerks in 2012-13.

While I hate to be that person to say “Let him go, it’s not worth it,” at what point does it stop being worth it? If Lieuwen can’t stay healthy, he can’t easily be an integral part of the Buffalo Sabres organization, even at the AHL level… and it might be time to let him go.

Next: LaBarbera A No-Go

4. Jason LaBarbera

Jason LaBarbera earned a straight $600,000, with identical cap hit, from the Philadelphia Flyers. this past season. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The 36-year-old, former 66th-overall selection would just not be worth it for the Buffalo Sabres to pick up.

LaBarbera spent all of this past season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League.

He appeared in 23 games and finished the year 7-14-0 with a 3.02 GAA and .899 save percentage. His last NHL action came in the 2014-15 season with Anaheim, when he appred in five games, but for the most part, LaBarbera has been in the AHL for several years.

Again, he’s not tempting me at all on this free agent list for goaltenders. There may not be a ton of names out there, but he doesn’t seem like a viable option for the Buffalo Sabres.

Don’t bother, Tim Murray.

Next: And, Finally.......

5. Michael Leighton

This past season, 35-year-old Michael Leighton earned $575,000 with an identical cap hit from the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Leighton appeared in just one NHL game this past season, spending most of the year with Rockford of the American Hockey League instead. In 46 games with the IceHogs, he went 28-8-8 with a .918 save percentage and 2.44 GAA.

The year prior – also in Rockford – Leighton went 22-13-4 with a .920 save percentage and 2.26 GAA.

I just can’t see it happening for Leighton and the Buffalo Sabres (though, fun fact, he did play for the Rochester Americans for 40 games in the 2005-2006 season… when he was Sabres property!) Leighton had been traded to the Sabres organization in exchange for Milan Bartovic, but spent the whole year in Rochester and never got a chance with the NHL club.

I don’t think this is his chance, either.

Next: Buffalo Sabres: FA Defensemen to Target

Have any thoughts you’d like to share on free agency and what you think the Buffalo SAbres should do? Have at it in the comments below.