Trio of Net minders battle for the top spot

By Dave Ricci

One look at the Buffalo Sabres roster and you’ll see they have a pretty crowded goal crease. Marty Biron, Mika Noronen and Ryan Miller give the Sabres unquestionably the best core of young goaltenders in the NHL.

The Sabres have a history of very talented goalies which have suited up for them. They are Dominik Hasek, Don Edwards, Bob Sauve, Tom Barrasso and Roger Crozier. But even with that rich tradition of skilled net minders, at no time in the club’s history have they had this much depth at the position. So is this a good or bad thing? There can be just one number one goalie; who should it be?

At this point in time, the answer is clear, Marty Biron is number one. He’s been here the longest; he’s paid his dues and earned the job. Mika is No. 2 and Ryan will get the bulk of work in Rochester. But as time marches on, Noronen and Miller will each make a strong case for themselves to be No. 1.

The Sabres will eventually have to make some tough choices, but for now they try to look at the glut of goalies as good thing. Sabres captain Stu Barnes said, "Yeah it’s kind of a problem, but it’s good problem to have."

Ever since Ryan Miller started to catch national attention for his goaltending at Michigan State, some fans raised the question of "why don’t the Sabres trade one of these goalies for a proven goal scorer?" But as Sabres general manager Darcy Regier has so often said, the reality of today’s NHL is trades aren’t always easy to make. If you put aside the issues of payroll, length of contracts and all the other ‘fun’ details that are involved in making trades, one key factor must be there—interest.

"There’s not a big demand right now for young goalies," said Regier. "Goalies in demand right now are the ones who have proven they can do the job." So for the time being it appears the organization is comfortable with the situation and won’t be making any major moves in the near future.

That suits Marty Biron just fine. Biron said, "You can’t have too much talent or depth. Until you’re actually forced into making a move, why do it?" Biron makes a great point. What if the goaltending unit gets hit hard with injuries? "When I was 18 years old, I played my first NHL games because Dom got hurt and so were the other goalies. There was nobody left but me," said Biron. "So you just never know." Hanging on to all three, at least for now, is a safe guard against disaster.

It’s also a way to ensure that the Sabres will get the best effort from all of their goalies every day. If each goalie knows his job isn’t a lock, he’s less likely to ease up. Mika Noronen said, "Even in practice you can’t take any time off. You’ve got to get better all the time. There’s pressure on all of us. No spot is 100 percent secure."

Most observers agree that Biron’s play has improved based on the challenge from Noronen and especially Ryan Miller. Miller has a truckload of collegiate honors to his credit. But the former Hobey Baker winner knows that means nothing in the pros. Miller said, "I can’t fill the net with past accomplishments, I have to go out and play." Miller is thought to be a can’t miss talent who will eventually outdo Marty and Mika for the top spot.

Miller felt the Sabres camp had a healthy competition that helped all of the goalies improve. "This is a healthy environment to compete in. Marty, Mika and Tom Askey provided a great environment and were very encouraging," said Miller.

While most attention is focused on Marty, Mika and Miller, Biron noted that Tom Askey is an important name that shouldn’t be left out of the mix. "He’s played in the NHL, so if ever the call is there for Tom to come to Buffalo we know he can do a solid job," said Biron. "If he has a chance he’ll jump on it. That’s what you want. You don’t want a guy who thinks ‘oh I’m done, I’m never going to get there (NHL) again."

For now, all eyes are on Marty, Mika and Ryan. The Sabres goalies seem to have struck the perfect balance of helping each other while trying to achieve their own goals in the sport. Team success is what’s most important, but they all have a burning desire to be the driving force in that team success.

"Obviously I’m working towards being an NHL goalie. That’s a goal of mine and I’m going to work towards it," said Miller. "I’m not going to just sit back and wait around. You need to push, push and push. The other guys expect me to push; they don’t want me to sit around on my butt."

"If I do well and perform the way that I think I can perform, that’s all I’ll need [to be No. 1]," said Biron.