Lehner injury replacement – Darcy Kuemper should be top target

The Robin Lehner injury replacement options for the Buffalo Sabres should be relatively easy to narrow down. The former second rounder of the Ottawa Senators has had Sabres fans skeptical on whether or not he could carry the load since being traded back in June with F David Legwand. Most in the hockey world would agree that some type of Lehner injury replacement is necessary, whether you believe it’s a starter or an upgrade on Chad Johnson.

What is the Buffalo Sabres mind-set?

GM Tim Murray would not have given up a first-round draft choice in one of the deepest drafts in recent history if he did not believe Robin Lehner could be the man between the pipes. The Sabres have committed to paying $2.25 million to Lehner over the next two seasons.

TSN co-host Jamie McClennan said it best on an episode of “Leafs Lunch” when asked how long of a sample size you need to properly evaluate a goaltender at the NHL level. Jamie responded by saying 60 games over the course of one season. He also made another great point about how sensitive or delicate a goaltender’s psyche can be. For those of you who have played the game past or present, you may be all too familiar with this.

A Goalie’s Psyche

An often overlooked aspect when it comes to hockey is the psychological side that makes up mental toughness. Unfortunately, there’s not enough sports psychologists releasing studies or papers to better give the general public enough concrete evidence of the importance of its existence. Anyone who has ever played goalie or played at a more competitive level of hockey understand there’s a deeply psychological side to finding success in hockey. This holds even more truth when you’re dealing with sensitivity of a goaltender. Not only are they the most fragile psychologically, but also tend to be the most superstitious.

What makes goaltenders more fragile mentally? Skaters, whether forward or defense play a shift style game with slight differences in use of energy systems compared to goaltenders. Both skaters and goalies need strong aerobic and anaerobic systems, but both positions rely differently on each of them. Skaters need stronger anaerobic systems because shifts require players to play a higher intensity using short burst ATP that it usually burned over the course of a shift. This is the same anaerobic system that sprinters rely on that causes that lactic acid build-up.

Well-trained aerobic systems have a quicker recovery time from the anaerobic activities. When it comes to goaltenders, they play a full 60-minute game with lower amounts of short-burst ATP being used or relied on. They need to have a more solid aerobic systems to compete for the entirety of the game. Not only are we dealing with two different energy systems, but the role of goaltender itself has one varying factor that should scream psychological difference.

What is the difference between goaltenders and skaters, other than different energy systems being used? One bad individual performance by a skater does not likely have the ability to effect the outcome of a game. Whereas a good or bad performance by a goaltender can severely effect the score. That’s why you commonly hear that goaltenders can steal you games or playoff rounds.

Confidence is often overlooked in hockey, especially for goaltenders. It goes much deeper than one’s own self-confidence, but as well the confidence the goaltender has in the team in front of him accomponied with the confidence the players have in their goalie. That’s precicely why you’ve heard hockey experts mention the difficulty in the role of being backup goaltender. But if you can master the mental toughness, you can make a lengthy career such as the one’s Jason LaBarbera or Al Montoya have made for themselves.

The Buffalo Sabres Robin Lehner was a victim of psychological torture during his tenure with the Ottawa Senators. There were always rumblings that Lehner had starter potential but the Sens gave him very few options at both the AHL and NHL level to prove that. In 2010-11 Lehner assumed the role of backup in Binghamton taking a backseat to Barry Brust. Even back then we knew Barry Brust would never amount to anything more than a backup goaltender, so why you would want to start him over your top flight prospect is curious. That doesn’t help his confidence or development. In the same year, he saw his first NHL action with an array of injuries that saw six different goaltenders play at least once for Ottawa. These were the end days with Pascal Leclaire.

Sep 25, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Buffalo Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner (40) in second period against Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

In 2011-12, Lehner saw five games with the Senators and put up 5 strong performances. He did however spend the majority of the season down in Binghamton where he split time with the now Florida Panthers starting AHL goalie Mike McKenna. In 2012-13, Lehner made 12 appearances for the Ottawa Senators posting a 2.20 GAA and .936 save percentage. His 31 games in Binghamton that season were even more impressive as he posted a 2.12 GAA and .938 save percentage. 2013-14 was Robin Lehner’s first full season in the NHL, but he only played 36 games that season taking a backseat to Craig Anderson. Last season in 2014-15, we had the goalie carousel that saw Andrew Hammond steal the starter’s role down the stretch.

The fact of the matter is Robin Lehner was always on a short leash during his time in Ottawa. He didn’t have the leeway to put up a few bad performances and have a chance to show he could recover and respond from that. Unless Robin came out with an Andrew Hammond like performance, he never had a fair shot in Ottawa. Goalies need to be given a larger sample size, giving them the opportunity to take ownership of the net and have that confidence from the coaching staff and players. Unfortunately, Robin Lehner was never given any of that, and in turn makes you wonder what type of hypothetical demons he was fighting in that psychological mess.

Goalie expert and TSN analyst Jamie McClennan preaches about the mental toughness and psychological side of being an NHL goaltender. As mentioned, he also preaches the need to give a goaltender a large enough sample size to prove his worth. Buffalo GM Tim Murray and management are going to give Robin Lehner every chance to claim the starter’s role upon return from injury. They didn’t pay a hefty first round choice to get him, only to give up on him after one start and a minor setback.

Why Buffalo cannot move forward with current goaltending situation

Chad Johnson has looked decent through preseason, and had an impressive game against a Blue Jackets team that is off to a bit of a slow start. The game has evolved to a point where carrying two quality goaltenders is almost a necessity. The two-man tandem is becoming more and more popular for NHL teams as we see teams like Dallas featuring Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi, or Carolina with Cam Ward and Eddie Lack.

Unfortunately, Chad Johnson and Nathan Lieuwen are not a formiddable tandem. Nor is Chad Johnson and Andrey Makarov likely to keep the Sabres competitive enough. What options does that leave GM Tim Murray with? You either role with what you have and risk struggles over the next six to ten weeks until Robin Lehner returns. Or you go out and find a decent goalie to compete with Chad Johnson that doesn’t threaten as Lehner’s injury replacement upon his return.

Lehner Injury Replacement Options

Darcy Kuemper or Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild

Dec 5, 2014; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild goalie

Niklas Backstrom

(32) replaces goalie

Darcy Kuemper

(35) during the third period against the Anaheim Ducks at Xcel Energy Center. The Ducks won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Backstrom would actually be the more sensible target for a temporary replacement from a business point of view. The 37-year-old carries a $3.42 million cap hit through 2015-16 before becoming an unrestricted free-agent. Unfortunately, due to his many years of success as starter in Minnesota, he’s also garnered a no-trade clause that makes any movement difficult. The only thing that makes Backstrom a possibility is the perspective cap space it would free up.

With two goalies fighting for the backup role creating a crowded crease, one has to imagine Minnesota has actively been looking for trade partners. 25-year-old Darcy Kuemper could be another potential target that is owed $1.25 million through 2015-16 before becoming a restricted free-agent.

The advantage of acquiring Niklas Backstrom would be that he’s an aging veteran who would be off your payroll at the end of the season. Whereas the advantage by going the Kuemper route is that you still have control over him when he becomes a restricted free-agent at the end of the year.

If the Wild could get Backstrom to waive his no-trade, the asking price would likely be lower than that of the one being asked for a young Darcy Kuemper. Either could step in alongside Chad Johnson and compete as Lehner’s injury replacement. Yet neither would be likely to be good enough to threaten Robin Lehner upon return from injury.

Carter Hutton – Nashville Predators

Sep 20, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators goalie

Carter Hutton

(30) makes a save during the second period against the Florida Panthers at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

This 30-year-old goaltender is a bit of a journeyman who broke onto the scene in Nashville a couple years ago after coming over from the Chicago Blackhawks. In 2013-14 during his rookie season, he appeared in 40 games for the Predators due to filling in for an injured Pekka Rinne. He won 20 games over that stretch putting up a 2.62 GAA and .910 save percentage. Last year in 2014-15, Hutton only played 18 games, acquiring 6 wins 2.61 GAA and .902 save percentage.

There has likely been no thought of moving Carter Hutton on behalf of the brain-trust in Nashville, but a team interested in acquiring him may have an advantage going for them. With Nashville’s AHL goalie Marek Mazanec sitting third on the depth chart, it’s conceivable the Predators could move forward with Mazanec as their backup.

Final Take:

The Andrew Hammond revelation of last season has put this false hope in some hockey fans heads that make them believe a guy like Chad Johnson can carry the load as a starter. Both guys in the Buffalo crease have proven what they are as players. The Sabres will not be able to withstand six to ten weeks with these two guys without seriously hampering their ability to be competitive in the Eastern Conference this season.

The Buffalo Sabres may be okay with being a re-building team for one more season, although it is more likely that management does some patch work with a temporary fix so they can continue down the road of improvement. You don’t need top picks to become a Stanley Cup contender. Chicago and Detroit have proven that with excellent scouting, just as Edmonton has proved top picks do not come with guarantees.

Do the Buffalo Sabres move forward with Chad Johnson and Nathan Lieuwen for the next 6-10 weeks? If you had to bring in another backup quality goalie that would not threaten Lehner’s starter role, who would you choose? If you were able to get your hands on Darcy Kuemper, what do you think the Wild’s asking price would be?

Next: Brad Marchand Out Indefinitely