3 goaltenders the Buffalo Sabres can realistically sign
The Buffalo Sabres are probably not signing a high-profile goaltender in the offseason. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be options available.
It is highly unlikely the Buffalo Sabres will sign a high-profile goaltender. Lance Lysowski was the first one to break the news back on June 12th, and The Hockey Writers also reported Lysowski’s take. But that doesn’t mean the Sabres won’t be in the hunt for a goaltender.
Instead, they will snag a bargain deal and there were originally four names Lysowski mentioned. Per The Buffalo News, Lysowski stated the following:
In free agency, the Sabres are more likely to target bargain options such as Casey DeSmith, Mikko Koskinen, Eric Comrie and Kevin Lankinen. There are ample trade options. Will the Bruins make Ullmark available if they’re rebuilding? Jonathan Quick, John Gibson, Semyon Varlamov, James Reimer and Adin Hill are a few names to watch. – via The Buffalo News.
For the purpose of this article, we will only go over the impending free agent options regarding Lankinen, Comrie, and DeSmith. Koskinen has since signed in Switzerland, so he will not be mentioned. So let’s see what kind of value the other three goaltenders could bring to the Sabres.
Four goaltenders the Buffalo Sabres can sign: Goaltender #1 – Casey DeSmith
The downside regarding DeSmith is that he is 31 years old and he has just 96 games of NHL experience. He also had season-ending core muscle surgery. The upside are his obvious stellar performances since he became a part-time starter for the Pittsburgh Penguins, something his 43-28-11 record shows us.
Even more impressive, his save percentage has never dipped under 0.912 and his GAA has never encroached 2.79. Stats-wise, DeSmith is by far the best option in this slideshow. But we also need to remember that he was playing for the Penguins, one of the NHL’s model franchises.
The question is: Can DeSmith have the same type of success with the Buffalo Sabres? It really depends on what Sabres team decides to show up. If it’s the October 2021, March and April 2022 version, DeSmith is set for success. But if the Sabres stagnate like they did between November 2021 and February 2022, DeSmith may be in for a rude awakening.
Goaltender #2: Eric Comrie
Like DeSmith, Comrie lacks sound NHL experience. Unlike DeSmith, he has seen more than his fair share of struggles. Now, the Winnipeg Jets are not on the same level as the Penguins, despite playing better hockey in the latter part of the 2010s.
And while Comrie’s save percentage never encroached 90 percent until 2020-21, you really can’t judge his sample size too harshly. Before the 2021-22 season, Comrie appeared in just nine games, splitting time between Winnipeg, Detroit, and New Jersey.
Last season, he made 19 appearances and recorded 16 starts, finishing 10-5-1. Not bad for a Jets team that saw some struggles last season. His GAA dipped under the three-goal mark for the first time in his career, sitting at 2.58. Likewise, he posted a save percentage of 0.920.
Comrie has the most potential of any goaltender on today’s list. And since he will be 27 when the season opens in October, he is also the youngest. If the Sabres think Comrie can build off of his 2021-22 campaign, they should look into signing him.
Goaltender #3: Kevin Lankinen
Most Buffalo Sabres fans know Kevin Lankinen for helping Tage Thompson secure one of the most improbable game-winning shots in NHL history. After Lankinen realized what happened, he proceeded to beat his stick off the goalpost in frustration.
Now, there is a chance the Sabres sign Lankinen and perhaps peg him in as the starting goaltender. While he posted an abysmal 0.891 save percentage and a 3.50 GAA, let’s not write him off just yet. He is just 27, and he was likewise playing for a miserable Chicago Blackhawks team that had seen better days in the 2010s.
His career record of 25-29-11 isn’t terrible, considering the situation he was forced into. And he was in consideration for the Calder Trophy in 2020-21, finishing 13th in the voting. So Lankinen has potential here. It is because of that potential that general manager Kevyn Adams may consider signing him to a long-term deal.
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Lankinen is an obvious risk and Adams would do well to pair him with an experienced backup goaltender. But the potential is there for a successful career if the talent is there. And the Sabres may have that talent in 2022-23.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)