Lehner not going anywhere Botterill says "he has no problem with Lehner going forward

[DetDannyWilliams]

Newly minted Sabres GM Jason Botterill has plenty of work to do this summer, so he’s not going to try and fix things that don’t need fixing.

That’s what Botterill explained on Tuesday, telling Sportsnet he has “no problem” starting next season with Robin Lehner as the club’s starting goalie.

“There are more pressing needs,” Botterill continued. “I liked what I saw from him when he won the Calder Cup.”

Last year was a big one for Lehner. Though overall a disappointment for the Sabres on the whole, there were some positives to be taken — the 25-year-old ‘tender posted career highs in games played (59) and finished with a solid .920 save percentage.

But there’s something to be said for a guy that finished 12th among goalies in save percentage while playing for one of the worst teams in the league. There’s also promise for the future, given Lehner is still reasonably young and responded well to his first full NHL workload.

So Botterill probably won’t explore uprooting his goalie situation, which makes sense. But that doesn’t mean the GM can ignore the position entirely — Lehner is a restricted free agent, and a new deal will need to be struck soon.
http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/05/17/...buffalos-no-1/

[OpIv37]

I'm ok with this. I don't get the Lehner hate.

Yeah, he's a head case at times, but so was Ryan Miller. Goalies, pitchers, kickers- they're a rare breed because they're on a team but they're constantly on an island at the same time.

Lehner put up very good numbers on one of the worst team in the league with really only one true top 4 D-man (two at best if you count McCabe but I think he has some developing to do yet). I'd rather see us shore up the D and get some wingers who can play a full 60 minutes, then see how Lehner does. I suspect we'll be happy with the results when he gets a better D in front of him.

[JATMtheJATM]

Good. Lehner has proven himself a legit starter, though at times very inconsistent. I'm all for improving the position if you can, but I'm not for shipping him out for no other reason then irrational dislike.

That said, Murray overpaid for him.

[WagonCircler]

I wonder how this, or if it even does, affect how he approaches the Cal Peterson situation.

[Cali512]

I don't mind lehner but he needs a good goaltender coach that can just help him be more consistent. He has moments where he looks like one of the best in the NHL, then hell go through a stretch where its like his head is not in the game.

[JATMtheJATM]

I wonder how this, or if it even does, affect how he approaches the Cal Peterson situation.

That's simple. You tell Petersen the sabres future is his if he develops, you offer him the starting job in Rochester and tell him to go get it. He can't develop any more in Notre Dame

[DetDannyWilliams]

SHOOTOUTS ​

[WagonCircler]

That's simple. You tell Petersen the sabres future is his if he develops, you offer him the starting job in Rochester and tell him to go get it. He can't develop any more in Notre Dame

I was thinking more in terms of Peterson's viewpoint than the Sabres' approach.

My fear is that he pulls a Jimmy Vesey on us (well, what Vesey pulled on Nashville).

[JATMtheJATM]

I was thinking more in terms of Peterson's viewpoint than the Sabres' approach.

My fear is that he pulls a Jimmy Vesey on us (well, what Vesey pulled on Nashville).

he had a really good relationship with murray. so from that standpoint, we're starting from scratch.

[coastal]

I'm ok with this. I don't get the Lehner hate.

Yeah, he's a head case at times, but so was Ryan Miller. Goalies, pitchers, kickers- they're a rare breed because they're on a team but they're constantly on an island at the same time.

Lehner put up very good numbers on one of the worst team in the league with really only one true top 4 D-man (two at best if you count McCabe but I think he has some developing to do yet). I'd rather see us shore up the D and get some wingers who can play a full 60 minutes, then see how Lehner does. I suspect we'll be happy with the results when he gets a better D in front of him.

I've only met one goalie I like.