A thread for breaking down the year that wasn't and where it leaves us going forward. Does this essentially set the "3 year plan" back a year?
The Good:
-Marcus Foligno, Cody Hodgson showed promise to fill voids on the team (over a short audition period).
-Tyler Ennis proved a very capable scoring-line center.
-Jason Pominville didn’t have a career year, but definitely lived up to expectations.
-Ryan Miller showed Olympic level dominance throughout late February/March.
-Ehrhoff proved worth his contract, despite less lofty offensive numbers.
-Sekera continued development into a solid top 4 defenseman.
-Luke Adam showed a very promising debut as a large scoring centerman before dropping back to Rochester.
-Two firsts and two seconds gives this team some of the best draft depth it’s had in years.
-Jhonas Enroth continued to show he could be a competent backup, despite a very poor stretch statistically when the team was struggling.
The Bad:
-Inconsistent performances through the lineup killed the season: Derek Roy was half the player we expected him to be after his 35 game performance in 2010. Drew Stafford spent most of the year on cruise control before dialing it up at the end. Thomas Vanish didn’t assure anyone he can carry a contender offensively in the second half of the year. Tyler Ennis was also invisible in his (injury-shortened) first half. Ryan Miller was a ghost of himself through most of the year.
-Regehr’s relatively solid performance through most of the year still showed he might be losing a step on his “Tunnel of Doom” days. Could we be the St. Louis to Calgary’s Jay McKee?
-Jhonas Enroth’s emergence only matters if the Sabres are comfortably in a playoff position.
-Nathan Gerbe, with 6 goals in 61 games, has not yet shown he is capable of being an impact offensive player in the NHL, leaving doubts about his role.
-Jochen Hecht’s career might be over.
-1 less year left in Ryan Miller’s prime.
-9th place, no playoffs.
The Ugly:
-Ville Leino looked nothing like a $4.5 million winger for most of the year, let alone a centerman.
-Brad Boyes vanished from the face of the earth offensively.
-The Lucic incident and everything it represents about most of this roster and its competitive edge.
-A 20-game charge and injury problems gives the team brass ample excuses to sit pat (ample enough for this regime, anyways) with the core of this team and its coaching. Expect them to try and add if they get the chance, but don’t expect them to give up much for it unless they’re wildly overpaid.
-We went from the 3rd overall pick to likely the 13th.
-At 9th place, we’re a very low priority destination for top-end free agents, and Pegula’s only one of a significant group of owners able to sign huge, front-loaded deals.
-With an average finish of 8th place over the last five years, the team is not a sleeping dynamo waiting for its day in the sun. It is very much its record. We’ve had young players put together hot streaks to end the season before. We’ve had our veterans put together great halves of a season before. We’ve had our goaltender play lights out for a few months before. We’ve had all of these things for a spell, but the hallmark of greatness is in consistency. There’s still a talent gap, or perhaps a heart gap, between this team and the league’s elite.
I wouldn't have adam in the good more in the bad and he is a winger not a centermen
Agreed-He was terrible after he stopped riding shotgun to vanek and poms. Dude needs to commit to playing D a LOT more. and apparently he wasn't doing any better in rochester.
Agreed-He was terrible after he stopped riding shotgun to vanek and poms. Dude needs to commit to playing D a LOT more. and apparently he wasn't doing any better in rochester.
Agreed he may be big but he is soft. He doesn't finish checks, lacks the hockey IQ to ever play center, and his skating is still a major issue. The one thing the kid can do is shoot. I imagine he'll be a scoring 3rd line winger at this point which is pointless because he's not a bottom nine type. I would trade him well his value is still somewhat high.
If the three-year plan is to win the Stanley Cup, well, that's foolish. It takes a great team, a great streak, and a hell of a lot of luck to win the big shiny. If the three-year plan is to have created a serious contender (and a long-term one at that ala Detroit's franchise), then I think it's doable. This summer needs to be the summer of big change, however. With four top 45 picks and a plethora of NHL-ready prospects to dangle (see Luke), management needs to be aggressive.
I think this year was a good first step in the retool towards becoming a cup contender. Bringing in a new center, pinpointing another one on our rosterin Ennis, bringing up big young talent in Foligno and Tropp (McNabb can be included here too). The team after the trade deadline had a whole new, better look to the team at the beginning of the season. The problem is I don't think Ruff can get the most out of this team And I don't think they are getting rid of him.
I'm coming up on 5000 posts, and want to save something special for all of you for #5000, so here's my season-ending thoughts, at length, because I'll likely "go dark" for a little while here (more reasons for that later)...
Quote:
Originally Posted by haseoke39
A thread for breaking down the year that wasn't and where it leaves us going forward. Does this essentially set the "3 year plan" back a year?
In my view, this is only the 3rd most disappointing post-lockout season.
1. 05-06 ECF game 7 defensive Injury collapse in what, until the last couple games of that series, looked liked Buffalo's Cup destiny.
2. 07-08 Playoff miss after winning the President's trophy the preceding year. Franchise not adrfit, but definitely blown off course from a major (****-)storm.
3. 11-12 Playoff miss. Sabres were NOT going to challenge hard for the Cup this year, even if they won their division last year, and, if fortunes were different, this year. So, no, I don't feel the 3-year plan is set back a year. The franchise is in better shape now, and the roster is better now than it was 12 months ago / 2011 BP (before Pegula). And, the trajectory, IMO, is a steeper slope than it was BP.
Now, the fact that there have been 3 major disappointment seasons (and, heck, '08-09 playoff miss and '09-10 BOS and '10-11 PHI 1st round exits as medium disappointments, and the '06-07 playoff Sens loss as minor disappointment, so, really, they are all disappointing on some level) post-lockout is a separate discussion topic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by haseoke39
The Good:
-Marcus Foligno, Cody Hodgson showed promise to fill voids on the team (over a short audition period).
-Tyler Ennis proved a very capable scoring-line center.
-Jason Pominville didn’t have a career year, but definitely lived up to expectations.
-Ryan Miller showed Olympic level dominance throughout late February/March.
-Ehrhoff proved worth his contract, despite less lofty offensive numbers.
-Sekera continued development into a solid top 4 defenseman.
-Luke Adam showed a very promising debut as a large scoring centerman before dropping back to Rochester.
-Two firsts and two seconds gives this team some of the best draft depth it’s had in years.
-Jhonas Enroth continued to show he could be a competent backup, despite a very poor stretch statistically when the team was struggling.
I agree wholeheartedly with the above. I will add:
>When TV is not injured, he can be dominant.
>When BUF has the healthy depth / talent to play the right line combinations, hustles, and commits to defense, this roster is playoff-capable.
>Time and experience continue to show Regier drafts and trades well enough.
>Organizational defensive depth (when healthy) remains a strength.
>When BUF plays well, and consistently (more on that later) they can compete with almost every team in the league, with the possible exception of PIT in the East. I think the head-to-head sample size is too small to gauge BUF's status re: the West, but hey, it's moot if BUF can't get past PIT in a 7-gm series.
Quote:
Originally Posted by haseoke39
The Bad:
-Inconsistent performances through the lineup killed the season: Derek Roy was half the player we expected him to be after his 35 game performance in 2010. Drew Stafford spent most of the year on cruise control before dialing it up at the end. Thomas Vanish didn’t assure anyone he can carry a contender offensively in the second half of the year. Tyler Ennis was also invisible in his (injury-shortened) first half. Ryan Miller was a ghost of himself through most of the year.
-Regehr’s relatively solid performance through most of the year still showed he might be losing a step on his “Tunnel of Doom” days. Could we be the St. Louis to Calgary’s Jay McKee?
-Jhonas Enroth’s emergence only matters if the Sabres are comfortably in a playoff position.
-Nathan Gerbe, with 6 goals in 61 games, has not yet shown he is capable of being an impact offensive player in the NHL, leaving doubts about his role.
-Jochen Hecht’s career might be over.
-1 less year left in Ryan Miller’s prime.
-9th place, no playoffs.
Again, I wholeheartedly agree with the above. I'd add the following (all obvious, but need addressing in order for BUF to succeed in it's 3-year plan):
>The PP has been sub-standard for far too long, and needs upgrade in system and perhaps personnel.
Quote:
Originally Posted by haseoke39
The Ugly:
A)-Ville Leino looked nothing like a $4.5 million winger for most of the year, let alone a centerman.
B)-Brad Boyes vanished from the face of the earth offensively.
C)-The Lucic incident and everything it represents about most of this roster and its competitive edge.
D)-A 20-game charge and injury problems gives the team brass ample excuses to sit pat (ample enough for this regime, anyways) with the core of this team and its coaching. Expect them to try and add if they get the chance, but don’t expect them to give up much for it unless they’re wildly overpaid.
E)-We went from the 3rd overall pick to likely the 13th.
F)-At 9th place, we’re a very low priority destination for top-end free agents, and Pegula’s only one of a significant group of owners able to sign huge, front-loaded deals.
I think there's far less ugly here than you think, in the context of a 3-year plan to win the Cup. Let's take them 1 by 1.
A) OK, so Leino can't play 82 games at center. Plan didn't work. They picked up Hodgson at the deadline to do that. When Leino is "on", as he was late in the year, his puck posession, corner work, forecheck, etc., by a smaller forward, are exactly what is needed, both for this squad, and for his line. View him as a bearded replacement for Jochen Hecht next season. He's not the reason BUF missed the playoffs.
B) Boyes was a 1-year + 2-month rental, as a potential reclamation project. So he busted - he's not the reason BUF missed the playoffs. He was never intended to be "Core". I'd take him back for $1-$1.5M as an insurance. I'd be fine with him walking in UFA.
C)-The Lucic incident WAS significant, if only for the populist media soundbites and self-doubt they imposed on the BUF squad. Even with the emergence of some younger "heart" players (Foligno, etc.), who weren't on the ice that night, it may take a genuine physical beat-down of the Bruins, Flyers, etc., to shake that game from players, fans, and media heads.
D)-A 20-game charge and injury problems... Time will tell if Pegula "stands pat". Too early to judge.
E)-We went from the 3rd overall pick to likely the 13th... There are still ways to move up in the draft...
F)-At 9th place, we’re a very low priority destination for top-end free agents... This argument is only an issue on a case-by-case basis. In fact, a few cases each offseason. Pegula & crew have shown the ability to "win" at least half of these: #10, #24, #23, but not Brad Richards. I'll take that % over the prior regime.
Quote:
Originally Posted by haseoke39
The Synopsis:
-With an average finish of 8th place over the last five years, the team is not a sleeping dynamo waiting for its day in the sun. It is very much its record. We’ve had young players put together hot streaks to end the season before. We’ve had our veterans put together great halves of a season before. We’ve had our goaltender play lights out for a few months before. We’ve had all of these things for a spell, but the hallmark of greatness is in consistency. There’s still a talent gap, or perhaps a heart gap, between this team and the league’s elite.
I added the bolded "synopsis", and highlighted your choice of "consistency", because that is what needs fixing most with BUF in a true 3-year plan. I recognize no TEAM is consistently good throughout a season (exception: '76-77 Canadiens).
This past season, I feel only #10 & #29 and possibly #24 were consistent throughout the entire year (and Foligno when called up). EVERY SINGLE OTHER SABRE had major skill, effort, or heart disappearances. Miller, Vanek, Roy, Myers, Sekera, Stafford, Ennis, Adam, etc., on down the roster, to a man, had significant lapses, regardless of causes legitimate (injury, wonky linemates, etc.) or not.
Simply put, this current roster lacks consistency. The roll Ruff plays in that must be assessed.
So where next? Should Regier stay or go? I agree he has shown he has both drafted and traded well enough with his clandestine "mind tricks". Yet the relevant question needs to be, given Pegula's backing, would another GM be equally, if not more, successful? That's the only question that matters.
Similarly, the same needs to be asked of Ruff. If BUF went on their 17-5-5 run under Ruff to put themselves on the playoff brink, why do they **** the bed and go 1-4 when the season's on the line? I hate Ken Hitchcock with the fire of a thousand suns, but I wonder if the next 2 years of the 3-year BUF push doesn't need a you-don't-have-to-love-me-you-just-need-to-play-for-me Vince Lombardi type of coach. Personally, I am, for the first time since joining this board, willing to see Ruff moved, and it's not a reactionary response. I don't "blame" the season on him, but if needed for the greater good, it should happen. If Regier can't / won't do it on principal, and TPegs / Black need it done, then, bye-bye Darcy.
Where I feel the definite changes are needed are in the roster, regardless of DR & LR. I'll disagree with poster Robert (of Kentucky) in another thread who said to focus on improving the defense. I think the injuries and wonky pairings did more harm to the defense this season, combined with the FORWARDS lack of defensive zone responsibility. When that was sorted out, the team was fine. Forwards need to be improved - for consistency.
Hodgson is on board, so move Roy. Roy's contract is good value, but his inconsistency is not. I don't view Roy as a player carrying his team to the Cup.
Similarly, Vanek isn't consistent enough (even if injuries are the reason) to help BUF win the Cup. I question if there will be a taker for Vanek, though, without BUF adding a sweetner to go with that contract. In summary:
1. Move Roy, get young center back.
2. draft well - Take a center. Move up (using Roy, Adam, Vanek, etc.) to take a better prospect, if possible, then play the prospect.
3. Keep Foligno up, figure out Adam's role if he's not traded.
4. Move Leo/Weber if necessary to keep McNabb up.
5. Groom another Amerk D from the current depth to spell Regher. Have Robin healthy and rested for 2013 playoffs.
6. Figure out what is needed mentally & conditioning-wise (Gary Roberts like, etc.), and commitment-wise to get consistent peak performance from Myers, Erhoff, Sekera, Miller, and the top-2 forward lines.
Last edited by brian_griffin: 04-07-2012 at 12:42 PM.
I wouldn't have adam in the good more in the bad and he is a winger not a centermen
Why is he not a center? I see this complaint a lot about any center who is not consistently dominating. I feel like for a young center he was very successful early and tailed off, which to me is more about youth than his ability to play the position. I agree he needs to be more physical, but his skating has improved every year, he has an excellent shot, but is a good playmaker. I'm just curious as to what you saw that makes you write him off as a center forever.
I posted this yesterday... still basically applies (though Boyes had two today)
The Good -
- Traverse City was a resounding success. Granted, it seems so long ago...
- Early season success and post-ASG success were entertaining.
- Some great rookie contributions at times between Adam to start the year, Hodgson & Foligno to end it and solid minutes from guys like Kassian, McNabb, Tropp, and Brennan.
- Ennis' second half.
- Myers as a much more physical player.
- Sekera most of the season as a defensive player.
- Pominville taking the "C" seriously. With one game remaining, he's crept into the top 20 in overall scoring. He's lead by example and scored some key goals. He and Vanek were excellent early.
- Vanek to start the year up to getting hurt around Christmas.
- Miller post-ASG.
- Enroth early in the year.
- Regier landing a first for UFA-to-be Paul Gaustad.
- Regier landing Cody Hodgson when no one thought he would be available.
- Ehrhoff, at a $4M cap hit, had a 40-point pace for his season (ok, it's 39.75). Good value and he showed he could log some big minutes at times. Was he perfect? No... but he was pretty good and that was what they needed.
The Bad -
- The Lucic incident put a stamp on them for months, between them having to respond and how out of it Miller was for months after returning.
- Both tenders had plenty of off nights. When they are on, the team typically was in the game. When they let in anything soft which happened to both of them, they weren't all that mentally tough enough to get it back.
- Luke Adam's development. Can this kid get his head on straight? Does he have any value and more importantly, does he fit in here any longer?
- No roster additions in the midst of the injury bug. He Darcy, use some of Terry's cash and make some waiver claims or future consideration deals instead of pumping nearly every Amerk into the roster for two weeks.
- Not enough help on the Amerks. Regier missed the boat wildly in what he provided with more fringe guys with injury history/baggage like Ryan and Chewie. Not enough scoring, and too many misses on their roster filler (Sydz, I'm looking at you and your Twitter feed, pal... shut the **** up about Lagace and go earn some of that money that it looks like you've stolen).
- Leino struggled all year. If he was in the play, he was snake-bitten. And when he wasn't, he wasn't anywhere. Add in the silly chicken-wing elbow suspension and the number of missed nets... just bad. Bad, bad, bad.
- Mike Weber. Bad in camp, sat forever, then stunk when he came back into the lineup. He was a mess too often this year and his physical game wasn't nearly as robust. He should be worried about his job and his future in the NHL.
- Vanek once he got hurt. If it was that bad, shut it down. Really. After that shoulder thing in late December, he was a ghost. He needed to find a way to be good at something and instead took a lot of stupid offensive zone penalties and some backchecking mistakes.... just bad.
- Roy, injured or not, Ruff's "son" or not, needs to find a new place to go play. Connolly's gone, time for you to follow.
- Boyes. One of the snakebitten ones, along with Leino, Stafford and Ennis in the first portion of the season, then he gets hurt and never got on track. A couple of his late-season shootout misses go in and this team is in the playoff hunt still, probably with the Caps looking up at them.
- Nathan Gerbe. Hey man, you were on your way to turning into a Versteeg-style speed checker who could provide some offensive pop. Then about 9 games into this season, your game went south. The Bruins rematch game was the last time I recall him making a difference. Timely scoring? Nope -- can't score on long wristers from the half-wall on the rush. Dude, you are replaceable.
The Ugly -
- It looked like the team quit on Ruff by mid-December. It's shocking he is still there and that the team managed to claw back into the playoff race with him guiding the ship.
- Injuries. Key guys at key times, including a giant pack of them at one point that put something like 11 first year players into the lineup. That's hard to overcome when the goaltending is poor.
- The reponse to the Bruins was so typical of this season -- come out, hit them, stick it to them, and ultimately... lose.
- Watching Hecht try to get back into the lineup repeatedly. Would it surprise anyone to see him try one more time and get another concussion that finally ends his career?
- Goals from the forwards. Stafford - 8 in his first 49 games, Leino - 8, Gaustad - 7, Gerbe - 6, Boyes - 6, Kaleta - 5, Vanek - 5 in a 35 game stretch from Dec 30th to March 23rh, Roy - 3 in a 34 game stretch from Nov 16th to Feb 1st, Adam - 2 in his last 28 games, Hecht - 2, McCormick -1. It's safe to assume the brass was expecting most of those totals to be double (at least) for the season or various spans of time. That's 33 goals (so far) from 7 forwards (Leino, Hecht, Boyes, Gerbe, Kaleta, Gaustad, McCormick) making $18,065,833 in cap hit... so about $500,000 PER GOAL. Let's talk about unacceptable. Let's talk about ugly.
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. - Aristotle
Why is he not a center? I see this complaint a lot about any center who is not consistently dominating. I feel like for a young center he was very successful early and tailed off, which to me is more about youth than his ability to play the position. I agree he needs to be more physical, but his skating has improved every year, he has an excellent shot, but is a good playmaker. I'm just curious as to what you saw that makes you write him off as a center forever.
Hockey smarts, softness and skating are the biggest things right now. Even in the AHL he's been playing wing. If the kid makes the NHL it will be at wing. I can't remember him finishing a check
Since I'm on my phone, I have been keeping everything short, however I'll add a great thing. ENNIS not able to talk to the media embarrassed after being eliminates and Hodgson in tears shows the younger core is committed. Like everyone else move vanek and Roy bring in parise (wishful) but I would also like a depth role veteran guy for our younger core think Gary Roberts like.
Hockey smarts, softness and skating are the biggest things right now. Even in the AHL he's been playing wing. If the kid makes the NHL it will be at wing. I can't remember him finishing a check
I'd agree that he was a little soft, but to be fair there are lots of centers in the NHL who aren't physical. Brad Richards doesn't finish checks either from what I've seen. He certainly has the offensive hockey smarts. I guess I just think he needs more polish and he could be a fine 2nd line center. To be honest his lack of acceleration and softness would worry me more on the wing, where he has no momentum to pick up speed, and would be lacking on the forecheck. I guess its just to early in my mind to cast him as only winger material.
Good:
-Ehrhoff
-Pommer
-Ennis
-Hodgson
-Stafford post ASG
-Miller post ASG
-Reiger- Every move he's made was justifiable at the time he made it and he has stockpiled our draft this year.
-Foligno
-Myers showed his best play in his career for a stretch from February-March
-Sekera
-Tropp impressed me.
Bad:
-Regehr was a number 4 defenseman, not close to a top pairing guy.
-Roy had his worst pro season.
-Vanek. Enough with the injury excuses.
-McNabb- I think he's got a good future but he got so winded so quickly in the last few appearances that I think he's farther off than we thought.
-Weber- Good effort does not make up for lack of talent.
-Leino looked good with the puck, just insanely snakebitten.
Ugly:
-Lindy Ruff
-Luke Adam
-Matt Ellis
-Brad Boyes
-Gerbe disapointed when healthy
-Leopold's endless turnovers
-The puff pieces on Miller's end of season tear ignoring the fact that he was moody for most of the season, hardly a team leader when we were struggling, and potentially replaceable wth Enroth while bringing needed assets back in return.
Good:
-Ehrhoff
-Pommer
-Ennis
-Hodgson
-Stafford post ASG
-Miller post ASG
-Reiger- Every move he's made was justifiable at the time he made it and he has stockpiled our draft this year.
-Foligno
-Myers showed his best play in his career for a stretch from February-March
-Sekera
-Tropp impressed me.
Bad:
-Regehr was a number 4 defenseman, not close to a top pairing guy.
-Roy had his worst pro season.
-Vanek. Enough with the injury excuses.
-McNabb- I think he's got a good future but he got so winded so quickly in the last few appearances that I think he's farther off than we thought.
-Weber- Good effort does not make up for lack of talent.
-Leino looked good with the puck, just insanely snakebitten.
Ugly:
-Lindy Ruff
-Luke Adam
-Matt Ellis
-Brad Boyes
-Gerbe disapointed when healthy
-Leopold's endless turnovers -The puff pieces on Miller's end of season tear ignoring the fact that he was moody for most of the season, hardly a team leader when we were struggling, and potentially replaceable wth Enroth while bringing needed assets back in return.
If anything, this season should have exposed the myth of Jhonas Enroth as a capable starter. Once teams built a book on him, he was a sieve. As a spot starter in the backup role, he's much better... not someone to replace any sort of proven NHL starter with at all.
I'd agree that he was a little soft, but to be fair there are lots of centers in the NHL who aren't physical. Brad Richards doesn't finish checks either from what I've seen. He certainly has the offensive hockey smarts. I guess I just think he needs more polish and he could be a fine 2nd line center. To be honest his lack of acceleration and softness would worry me more on the wing, where he has no momentum to pick up speed, and would be lacking on the forecheck. I guess its just to early in my mind to cast him as only winger material.
Richards makes up for it with elite talent, Adam like I say will be a 2nd more likely 3rd line winger in the NHL in my opinion. He hasn't looked great in Rochester at all. I still would trade him, and when Buffalo was trying to get Ryan from Anaheim, rumor has it Adam was a prospect that Buffalo was willing to send back.
I'll admit before I say anything, Vanek is my favorite player. He always will be providing he wears the Sabre uniform.
I don't understand wanting to trade him. If he is on, he is unstoppable. They should find ways to keep him healthy rather than shipping him out.
I also really like Vanek - Hodgson - Tropp. I thought that line worked well. Far better than removing Tropp and adding Gerbe. Tropp is the rough edge that made the other two go. Gerbe can't do what Tropp does.
If anything, this season should have exposed the myth of Jhonas Enroth as a capable starter. Once teams built a book on him, he was a sieve. As a spot starter in the backup role, he's much better... not someone to replace any sort of proven NHL starter with at all.
Just like Miller when he first shared the job with Mikka and Marty? No goalie is perfect out of the gate. To say he's now eliminated from having a quality starting career is ludicrous at this stage. Just as saying he's definitely going to have an above average career is ludicrous. Book is still out.
Yes, he looked very vulnerable at times, HOWEVER: the last time he saw consecutive starts Miller was sporting a GAA over 3 and everyone on the team had imploded.
Before then, he had some excellent games, and finished the season with the same S% as Miller. I'm not suggesting we trade Miller this offseason, but Enroth certainly has strong potential. Before this season, I wanted to see Enroth get a fair share of starts and see if he could be a competent 1B. I still want to see that next year, because I don't think we'll know what he can do until we see him in a regular rotation. It's unfortunate we had to lose a year of his development in this way - whether you attribute that to Ruff or their place in the standings (personally, I was all for the tank, and would have liked to see Ruff develop Enroth more over the last couple months).
If anything, this season should have exposed the myth of Jhonas Enroth as a capable starter. Once teams built a book on him, he was a sieve. As a spot starter in the backup role, he's much better... not someone to replace any sort of proven NHL starter with at all.
Actaully, quite the opposite is true.
Enroth has proven the last 2 seasons, that when getting consistent starts in place of an injured Miller... he could get the job done
Oct 27th - Dec 2nd : 15 games
422/390 = .924 s%
The same thing the previous year, when Miller went down at the end of the year, and he got 4 or 5 straight to keep them in the playoff picture.
The only time he ever played a significant portion of time as a starter, he was more then good enough.
This year, he saw around 30% of the goalie ice time.... and finished with the same save % as miller
He also played a good strong stretch, behind a team battered with injuries in november (atleast that's the excuse Miller is able to fall back on)
