Buffalo Sabres: Why a three goaltender rotation makes sense
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres goaltending situation is turning into a good problem after seeing its fair share of struggles early in the season.
Eric Comrie is on the cusp of returning to the Buffalo Sabres after missing nearly two months with a lower body injury. Comrie has seen his fair share of ups and downs, okay, more downs than ups in the Queen City, but the Blue and Gold did sign him to start most of the games this season.
However, the injury forced Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen into action. Initially, Luukkonen was terrible, but he got it together and has since pulled off some remarkable performances between the pipes. But with Comrie coming back, could the Sabres seriously send Luukkonen back to Rochester considering his recent outings?
The Buffalo Sabres need to keep three goaltenders…for now…
Ultimately, you need to get rid of one of the three, and as it stands, Luukkonen is the odd man out. With Comrie on a one-way contract and Anderson playing at a high level, Luukkonen is still the number three guy. But at the same time, you can’t just send the hot hand back to Rochester.
That said, the Sabres need to consider a three man rotation for at least the foreseeable future. At worst, they rotate the trio until the All-Star Break thanks to their busy schedule. If Luukkonen continues to play at a high level and Comrie struggles during that span, then what?
There are also no waivers-exempt skaters, so it is likely that the Sabres would need to make a decision regarding the trio following the All-Star Break. But for the rest of January, at least, letting Comrie and Luukkonen battle it out while Anderson plays a few games here and there makes sense.
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Following the break, the Sabres will have a better sample size regarding both players, and will be able to make a more informed decision on who they wish to move forward with. If that player is Luukkonen, don’t be surprised if they try to shop Comrie as the trade deadline approaches.
Article Source: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen forcing Sabres to consider a three-goalie depth chart by Lance Lysowski
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