Two in the Box

This is part one of a series previewing the Buffalo Sabres 2011-12 season. Part one focuses on the goaltenders.

Through the highs and lows in the Sabres history there seems to always been one constant. Sound goaltending has always been something the Sabres have boasted. As they enter the year with Ryan Miller as their starter they once again have no issues between the pipes.

However, unlike the past four seasons, the Sabres have a sound insurance policy as a back-up goaltender. Jhonas Enroth, whose play down the stretch helped secure the Sabres’ playoff position, will serve as Miller’s primary back-up for the entire season. Enroth will provide added stability to a position that was already the strength of the team.

Looking at the stats from 2010-11, the immediate reaction is to think that Miller regressed quite a bit from his Vezina Trophy season a year prior. That is an easy observation to make, and the right one. However, it is wise to point out that Miller played a prolonged stretch of games in the middle of the year that aided in the regression in his play. Obviously his injury added to the skewed numbers as well. The fact of the matter is that Ryan Miller needs to be better this season and should be behind a re-vamped defensive corps. If his play rebounds to even half of his performance level from 2009-10 the Sabres will see a serious uptick in the standings.

Enroth had solid numbers and will hopefully add to them this season with roughly 20-25 games of work. Any fewer than that and there will be little doubt that Lindy Ruff doesn’t handle goaltenders well. I do expect to see some regression from the young Swede as he starts his first full NHL season. Shooters will have a better idea how to beat him and the film study that other teams conduct will force him to adapt his game as the season progresses.

As for the minor leagues, Williamsville native David Leggio returns to the organization for another season. He had an excellent season with numbers nearly identical to Enroth’s. In fact, there was a stretch when Leggio was the better goaltender, statistically. His suffered a bit of a backslide after Enroth was called up to the NHL, but played well enough to earn action in nine games of the AHL playoffs as well.

Joining Leggio will be free agent Drew MacIntrye. MacIntyre has toiled in the minors for the better part of a decade, earning only two games of action in the NHL. However, MacIntrye is a proven AHL commodity who has always seemed to be the 2B type of goaltender. The goalie who is good enough to be an NHL back-up but is passed over for other options.

The one-two punch of Leggio and MacIntyre will provide the Rochester Americans fantastic support in the crease and added insurance should Miller or Enroth go down with an injury.

Leggio and MacIntyre will likely see a fairly even number of games in the AHL, while a 60/22 split between Miller and Enroth should be adequate. It has always been my assertion that the one thing holding Ryan Miller, and the Sabres, back is the fact that their #1 goalie is force to play too many games. Now Miller will have the support he deserves, it will be his job to prove his true worth.