Luleå HF

Sven.Savage: Ännu en bra match av Anders, mkt kul :)
Och samtidigt, vad jag har hört, så sköter mApkyssen båsdörren helt ok i Spartak :)

M.Lemiux: Lite fortsatt om Anders Nilsson. På det forum där buffelsupportrarna skriver - hockeysfuture - har det fram till nu funnits en enda tråd som handlat om Anders Nilsson.

Det var i somras, när han värvades som reserv, och kommentarerna då handlade mest om att inte många trodde det fanns något värde i det utan att man i stället skulle plocka upp Ullberg. Efter diskussion kom man dock fram till att det är bättre att Ullberg får lira i AHL under säsongen för att få kontinuerlig matchträning och "den där Nilsson" kan väl duga till att sitta i båset medan Robin Lehner har spaden och skulle Lehner skadas får man väl ta upp Ullberg. Typ.

Annars har ju Anders insatser diskuterats i matchtrådarna. Men nu kom en egen tråd - jag VET att alla tycker man ska länka men jag föredrar det samlat - och vi saxar:

Is it time for Nilsson to take the #1 spot?
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This isn't a knock on Lehner, because he too has been solid. However, you just can't ignore the results when Nilsson has stepped between the pipes for the sabres. Just the eyeball test, he looks like he is in control when he is in net and Lehner just doesn't give you that confidence.

Nilsson - .930 S%, 2.37 GAA, 7W-3L-4OTL vs. Lehner - .921S%, 2.53 GAA, 9W, 12L, 5OTL

What does he need to do to earn a shot? Or did the sabres give up too much to not keep gifting the starting spot to Lehner?

Thoughts?
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It doesn't have to be formal. Just keep starting him and see what happens. Nobody said Hasek you're number and Fuhr is out -- not that I'm in any way comparing anybody to Dom.
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I'd say the most likely situation is that Lehner and Nilsson share the starting position 1A 1B until one of them leaves for free agency. Then it becomes a question, probably, hopefully, of who is willing to stay for cheaper.
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Should have made it a poll but yes I think he should get more starts.
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Goalies, even backups, normally do well in Buffalo.
Why you ask? Who the hell knows, but it's true.

I don't like Lehner. I don't think he has what it takes.
I'd like him traded. We wont get remotely close to the 1st we gave up to get him back. But mocking on sooner rather than latest works for me. Bring up Ullmark, let him and Nillson split the duty until a better option comes available.
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We should be platooning 1A/1B between the two of them. Ride the hot hand until one of them rises above.
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Came in here to say exactly this.
I like them both, but not confident either has what it takes to be the bonafide #1 until one of them shows me.
I do think Nilsson seems steadier in net, but is it sustainable?
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Full #1 workload? Not yet. 1a/1b rotation tilted towards Nilsson. Sure, see how far you can push him.
Lehner has been adequate IMO (and I'm not really a fan) but Nilsson has earned a longer look at this point.
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with the heavy volume of games coming up and the number of b2bs, I dont think this is going to be an issue for now. Both are going to play, so really no need to start banging the drum one way or another. Lets see how it plays out.
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I've been a big proponent of Nilsson for most of the season. I would like to see a 1a/1b with the two of them with Nilsson getting more starts until we see how much Nilsson can actually handle. He needs to play a bigger workload to see how he handles it before we make him the #1. He has earned a new contract and seems to be a great pick up.
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I also like the idea of a 1A/1B scenario. He's been solid, but Lehner's been pretty good too. Let them share the workload for now.
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Lehner shouldn't start another game. Neither should Gorges.
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Silly
Good thing no one on the Sabres listens to your illogical thoughts
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Illogical is saying "It doesn't matter that Lehner chokes and constantly gives up backbreaking goals because the Sabres offense isn't good anyways." Or, "it doesn't matter that Lehner hasn't made a single save in a shootout so far because the Sabres can't score in the shootout anyways." Completely ignoring the fact that the Sabres aren't even getting to all 3 shooters in the shootout because Lehner is guaranteeing that it's over after the first 2. Or that it's harder to produce offense when you are always having to play from behind, and always having to use your forwards as extra Dmen in your zone to cover for the **** poor goaltending. It's so far beyond obvious by now that Lehner should not be the starter that it's offensive as a fan to see fellow fans making excuses. One guy is 7-3 and the other is 9-12. What are we doing here? Trying to win and make the playoffs or trying to tank again? If it's win, this is not a difficult decision.
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Most people in this thread have been open to making Nilsson the starter, or at least giving him more starts. You're the one who spouted off the nonsensical "Lehner shouldn't start another game." Not to mention bringing Gorges into a goaltending thread just because you like to complain.
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Ding
Ding
Ding
Quite illogical nonsense
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Nilsson is my dude going forward. He has that steadying presence that Chad Johnson had. I really wanted to like Lehner, and to his credit he certainly hasn't flopped, I just want to see more of Nilsson.
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Lehner has come down with a rare disease that will not allow him to play until Nilsson has a bad game.
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Just play whoever's hot. No need to make one a starter or #1 above the other.
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As much as I think Nilsson's calm demeanor in the net is a nice alternative to Lehner's organized chaos, I think both of them would fall apart with too many starts. Perfect 1A/1B situation... plus it keeps the other team guessing since they are two rather different styles of goaltending, and neither of them flat out suck.
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If the team in front can keep putting up 3.5 GPG, it likely won't matter which one is in net.
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13 months ago or so, Edmonton fans thought Nilsson was the solution to their long-term goaltending problems. Let's not jump the shark.
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Maybe he was?
I agree with the consensus.... 1A/1B....
Win, start again
Lose, the other guy gets the next start
Split the back to backs
Simple
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Well, Edmonton sucked at the time.

It's very, very difficult judging goalies playing for poor teams, I would say even a lot of "experts" regularly fails in trying to do that.
Think about Toronto, how many failings goalies during the years.... increadible...
Judging goalies in Buffalo right now is not very easy either but Nilsson has been better, that's for sure. I have always considered Lehner a goalie with potential to become a big game goalie though. When Lehner is on and a bit angry ;-) then he is really good but he has to raise his general level.
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both of them need to step it up in shootouts.
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I think you go Tandem down the stretch. Points are too important.
Nilsson plays better, he gets 3/4 starts
Lehner gets hot, he gets the starts.
Short leash for either side.
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Lehner and Nilsson should be fighting it out, as neither of them is a proven starter. That said, Nilsson has been winning that fight all year and never gets rewarded for it. Bylsma's been leaning on Lehner like he's got Lundquist's pedigree, and that needs to stop.
I'd give Nilsson three out of four starts for the next 2-3 weeks, then reassess. He's got the better individual numbers, better record, and to my goaltender's eye, is much stronger technically.
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I'm not sure he is a starter, but I do think Bylsma needs to figure out how to make Lehner feel the heat coming from the way Nilsson is playing and to know he's not the anointed one. It seems like there is a bit of entitlement around Lehner being the number 1, but that isn't necessarily supported by how each has played.
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I think last nights philly game was probably the best performance either tender has had all season for us. Everything stuck to Nilsson last night and he was seeing the puck very well. Don't think I need all my fingers on 1 hand to count the number of rebounds he let up. It's going to skew opinions, but its not an every day performance. I think for the most part Nilsson has looked like fundamentally a better goaltender than Lehner, but I don't think that has necessary translated to markedly better results.
I think Lehner has some fundamental issues (rebound control, lateral movement, getting back up after going down). Those are kinda worrisome because they don't seem like teachable things but rather tied to skill/physical traits.
I don't know if either is the goalie we want long term. I'm a little worried that the decision is going to be made on factors not related to on ice performance and we tie our cart to Lehner longer than we should simply because of the price we paid to acquire him.
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I'd venture to guess that some of the Lehner leash is influenced by Murray, and not so much a Bylsma love affair. Lehner has also played fairly well, so it's not like he's hot garbage in net and still getting all the starts.
At this point in time though, even when Lehner recovers from his illness, I'd like to get a better gauge on Nilsson and see how he does with more consistent #1 duties. Maybe something clicks and he runs with it; or maybe he shows that he's a great backup/perfect 1a/1b guy.
Either way, it'll be interesting to see.
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There's a much more "shakiness" to Lehner's game than there is to Nilsson's. That is not to say Nilsson hasn't been shaky, because he has, but I've seen it much more with Lehner than Nilsson.
Lehner seems to want to explode in movement in every save he makes and throws positioning out the window after one save.
I feel Nilsson does a decent job of playing the "traditional" method of playing goaltender, where Lehner tries to play a position where he just tries to stop the puck by any means without a care in the world.
In short, and I'm not saying they are close to the ability but watching Nilsson vs Lehner is like watching Rinne vs Hasek
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1A/1B imo
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Keep Nielson.
Trade Lehner to the Oilers for that so-called 1st round value. His play this year hasn't hurt his value.
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How good does Nilsson have to be before Craig Rivet and Rob Ray (and others) will have enough respect for him to pronounce his name correctly? (It ain't neeel-sin).
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