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.

1. Dan Ellis

Dan Ellis, earned $575,000 this past season with the Washington Capitals – but he appeared in no NHL games and spent all of the season with Hershey in the AHL instead.

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In 43 regular-season games with Hershey, Ellis put up a .908 save percentage and 2.38 GAA while going 25-12-5. He also appeared in two playoff games for the Bears.

Solid, but honestly? Not worth it for the Buffalo Sabres to even be considering him. He’s getting past his prime, getting older and quite frankly, getting washed up. He hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2014-15 season with the Florida Panthers, and even then, he spent most of the year in the AHL.

He’ll turn 36 tomorrow and is just certainly not at his peak anymore. The former second-round draft pick of the Dallas Stars in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft doesn’t belong anywhere near the Buffalo Sabres, and Tim Murray would be smart to stay away as he becomes a UFA this summer.

Next: Emery: Not Wanted.

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.......