AP Report: Sabres to Stay the Course with Ruff and Regier

[waldo]

Come on, does this not make any of you begin to sour just a tad on Pegula?!

 

If there aren't going to be any managerial changes this summer, then there better be some radical changes in the locker room. We've heard from Paul Hamilton himself that there is some bad chemistry going on between the coaching staff on the "core players". This town isn't big enough for the two of them. Someone in the "core" has to go.

 

Yep.. Management has the right to build from the ground up.. This is new ownership and the owner has made his decision on his management TEAM . The right thing to do now is to let your core guys , RFA's and UFA''s buy in or out. Ask them what they want to do. If they want out, a stand up guy would say thanks and then make it happen..That way you have a nice clean list of who to keep and deal. In five or six years who knows what can happen if you keep grinding that good old Lindy System. It will be interesting to see how Ennis, Miller, Leopold, Roy, Regher , Vanek, Hodgson, Brennan , Sultzer, and Pom read this and what happens in the off season. A kind of IQ test... Hoff . Leino, Stafford, Myers and Sekera are locked up so they are not really dancers in this jig. A great off season is materializing. They playoffs and now this! I am excited already. I love hockey, although it is a socialist sport.

[Randall Flagg]

For the record, the sabres could build a contender for the next 10 years and not win a cup. The 3 year plan doesn't mean anything, really.

[nobody]

John Vogl ‏ @BuffNewsVogl

Sabres President Ted Black: "Sometimes success and winning aren't necessarily the same thing. I think we're building a successful franchise that can win the Stanley Cup."

 

"Attracting free agents, getting players to waive no-trade clauses, acquiring draft picks I see those things as moving (forward)"

 

 

 

Also - here is a link to John Wawrow's AP story (now expanded from the one I linked to in the player thread earlier today)

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/nhl-wire/article805892.ece

 

(FYI - while John Wawrow works for AP, he does live in and covers Buffalo sports)

 

 

Black talks a lot about the things that Darcy has done. As he has mentioned in the past that Darcy is in charge of the hockey side; it may actually be true that they leave the decision of who the coach is to Darcy.

[bcsaberks]

Changes wont be made until Pegula decides to be the owner and not everyone's friend. There is more to being an owner than signing some checks and looking over rug samples. Pegula will learn eventually that throwing away seasons just to keep his "friends" around is going to sour fans on him quickly.

Isn't that the Rooney's model in Pittsburgh? Stable owner, stand by their people long term. I'll take that all day long rather than some AHat like the guy in Dallas.

 

Well he stated 3 years. One down two more to go. But from what it seems he isn't capable of making the changes that are necessary to become a true contender.

 

Giving a timeline isn't a bad thing, but you need to take be able to follow though and make some drastic changes. Whether that be on the player level or the level. But we'll see what happens during the off season. A lot of fat needs to be trimmed.

Setting a realistic time line for a goal is 101. (Not that I'm any good at it, just what the experts say!). I think 3 years was right.

[ROC Sabres]

NOOOOO ###### NOOOOO PLEASE GET RID OF THEM. I'm sorry, I know thats an overreaction but I really want to see new blood at the top.

This guy named Terry Pegula bougt the team...... :)

[Taro T]

I'm fine with keeping Regier at this time.

 

As stated several times before, I was waiting for the whole season to be finished before passing my own judgment of his and Ruff's work. I'd give Regier a B+ currently and the grade will likely be altered after the draft and FA is past.

 

I'm very pleased with the job he and the scouts have done since implementing video scouting. Dropping Regier out of the mix might significantly muck that up. I am looking forward to seeing what the Sabres do with their draft picks (hopefully they find a way to convert some / all of them &/or some of the players I'd like to see gone into a top 3 pick). (Not sure what Edmonton's thoughts will be now that they have #1 AGAIN.)

 

The moves Regier has made since TP bought the club have been solid. Since TP took over, Regier has let Connolly, Mair, Montador, Niedermayer, Rivet, and Lalime walk, and Grier retire. Which all were good moves (though Leino didn't replace Connolly's offense, the fanbase would have been apopleptic had he been reupped). He converted a late pick and $'s into Ehrhoff who was a solid upgrade and he absolutely stole Regehr from Calgary. Yes, Regehr looked suspect at times in the transition game, that's what happens when you have an older physical D-man, but he was solid in his own end. Thanks to TP taking over, he managed to convert a buried Kotalik into a 2nd rounder to replace (1 year later) the pick given up to land Boyes.

 

Boyes was not a good pickup in total, but he was instrumental in getting the team into the playoffs last year (yes, the team would have probably been better off having not made the playoffs last year, assuming that the playoff run wasn't necessary to help show outsiders that decided they wanted to be a part of the new regime such as Regehr and Ehrhoff that things really were different with new ownership). Leino will likely end up the new Hecht (both in filling a role on the ice that no one else on this roster seems to fill and in filling the role of receiving fan ire for his contract and inability to play center though the Sabres have pencilled him in there) which means he'll be valuable to the team but still a whipping boy due to the contract.

 

The only player that moved at the deadline that I'd've liked to see the Sabres end up with (besides Kassian) was Johnson and I'm not sure how / where he'd fit in with the other pieces they already have on D. The Gaustad trade was very good, the Hodgson trade looks like it will be at least a wash (though it's WAAAY too early to evaluate it), and the Sulzer trade converted an asset that didn't fit into plans (MAG) into what very well could be an inexpensive 7th D that will allow the Sabres to not have to have Weber / McNabb wasting time in the pressbox when they're ready. So, though I would like to have definitely seen Roy move at the deadline, I'm ok with him being part of another package this offseason.

 

The Stafford deal won't look as bad as people believe it to be. He'll either fit in with Ennis and be worth what the Sabres are paying him, or he'll be dealt for a reasonable return. Either way, I expect the Sabres to end up w/ close to $4MM worth of player in a worst case.

 

Depending upon how the offseason goes, the evauation will likely become either a B or an A-.

 

 

Which brings up Ruff. Though I think he's a very good coach, I'd be fine with seeing him move on to another club. (No point making a big deal out of it, he's here for 1 more year (without a reasonable playoff run in '13) and more likely 2 more years.) Not sure who I'd like to see replace him (haven't worried about that too much as 'Lindy ain't goin' anywhere').

 

The biggest reason is due to an apparent total inability to manage his goaltenders. He has to be able to pick spots to put Enroth in. If he's deferring to Jim Corsi on that decision, then Corsi should be gone as well, though I doubt Corsi sets the rotation. The 2ndary reason I'd like to see a different head coach is, for all the messing with the lines that gets done, they rarely seem to find combinations worth sticking with until injuries force the hand. While the F-E-S line has been like lightning in a bottle, far too often other lines seem to be less than the sum of their parts.

 

The last main reason I'd like to see Ruff move on is (and this one motivates the opinion as much as reason #2), I can't help but wonder if hanging onto 'good' (or very good) isn't keeping the Sabres from finding 'great' for this particular batch of players. There are enough strong coaches out there, that I don't think that even if they were to mess up on choosing Ruff's replacement that they'd be doomed to never find more success than Ruff would bring. And, maybe he could use a change in scenery to finally get over the proverbial hump as well. The pool of good coaching candidates seems much deeper to me than the pool of good GM candidates. (Though there surely is another stud or 2 out there, there are a LOT more Garth Snows and Don Waddells.)

[Campy]

You mean 12 months, we'll be here a year from now discussing the same exact thing after another historic run to 9th place.

 

 

Like many, I am sure he thought they would be back and hoped they wouldn't.

I'll make a deal with you: Since it is what it is and you can't change it, quit whining about them keeping DR & LR, stop injecting your opinion that the Sabres will suck until they leave, and never mention it again if they finish better than 9th place in the East next season. If they finish 9th or worse, you can tell all of us how right you were all along and rub our noses in it.

 

Deal?

[sabresnutinphoenix]

_{If we are going to keep both Darcy and Lindy, then I hope that we clean up the roster ...Too many dead wood that needs to be cleared!}

[Kristian]

Of course, I don't know what I was thinking. How silly of me to believe the Sabres will make the playoffs next year. I wish I could see the future like you.

 

If just making the playoffs is the goal, then I don't think it's unrealistic one.

 

Personally, I'd like to see a team with this payroll not having to claw their way in at 8th. I'd like to see them win a series too. For that to happen they need to start doing some things differently.

 

Injuries or not, weak Novembers, Decembers and late runs seem to be a habit of this team. This will need to change.

 

There are those who would prefer to hit the ground running coming into the playoffs, but playing playoff hockey for two months prior to the actual post-season rarely helps a teams staying power, if they are to go beyond the second round. Game 7 against the Flyers last season was a prime example of a team simply running out of gas.

 

As management goes nowhere, then the remaining floating "core" members absolutely have to, meaning Roy and Stafford should be let go for draft picks, if that's what it takes. Addition by subtraction.

 

I'll make a deal with you: Since it is what it is and you can't change it, quit whining about them keeping DR & LR, stop injecting your opinion that the Sabres will suck until they leave, and never mention it again if they finish better than 9th place in the East next season. If they finish 9th or worse, you can tell all of us how right you were all along and rub our noses in it.

 

Deal?

 

I don't think DeLuca wants to rub your nose in anything, I think he wants the Sabres to win.

 

Personally, I'd love for someone to rub MY nose in it, come May 2013.

 

Also, surely the goal isn't to just squeak in at 8th and get knocked out in the first round?

 

I don't expect them to win the cup, but with the kind of money spent on this roster, I at least expect them to be competitive on a consistent basis.

[TheChimp]

I sure hope Darcy at least got his butt chewed out for having signed Leino. My respect for Darcy went up with the deadline deals. It will reach proportions never seen if we see Leino waived if we can't trade him. Darcy seriously screwed Lindy raw with that one.

 

_{If we are going to keep both Darcy and Lindy, then I hope that we clean up the roster ...Too many dead wood that needs to be cleared!}

WHAT'S THAT YOU SAID?

[RazielSabre]

I hope you didn't really think that they would be gone.

 

I hoped, and seeing as the fan base seems pretty passionate about then being gone it just seems odd that they would stick with them. But this happens in football all the time just before a manager is sacked so hopefully if we make enough noise then something might happen.

 

Hopefully :(

[deluca67]

Isn't that the Rooney's model in Pittsburgh? Stable owner, stand by their people long term. I'll take that all day long rather than some AHat like the guy in Dallas.

 

 

Setting a realistic time line for a goal is 101. (Not that I'm any good at it, just what the experts say!). I think 3 years was right.

It's the quality of the people that is in question.

[That Aud Smell]

Retaining these guys may not be a surprise, but failing to hold a year-end presser has a certain odor about it.

[deluca67]

I'll make a deal with you: Since it is what it is and you can't change it, quit whining about them keeping DR & LR, stop injecting your opinion that the Sabres will suck until they leave, and never mention it again if they finish better than 9th place in the East next season. If they finish 9th or worse, you can tell all of us how right you were all along and rub our noses in it.

 

Deal?

I have a better deal. I'll keep injecting my honest opinion and you have a choice of reading it, responding to it or ignoring it. :thumbsup:

 

If just making the playoffs is the goal, then I don't think it's unrealistic one.

 

Personally, I'd like to see a team with this payroll not having to claw their way in at 8th. I'd like to see them win a series too. For that to happen they need to start doing some things differently.

 

Injuries or not, weak Novembers, Decembers and late runs seem to be a habit of this team. This will need to change.

 

There are those who would prefer to hit the ground running coming into the playoffs, but playing playoff hockey for two months prior to the actual post-season rarely helps a teams staying power, if they are to go beyond the second round. Game 7 against the Flyers last season was a prime example of a team simply running out of gas.

 

As management goes nowhere, then the remaining floating "core" members absolutely have to, meaning Roy and Stafford should be let go for draft picks, if that's what it takes. Addition by subtraction.

 

 

 

I don't think DeLuca wants to rub your nose in anything, I think he wants the Sabres to win.

 

Personally, I'd love for someone to rub MY nose in it, come May 2013.

 

Also, surely the goal isn't to just squeak in at 8th and get knocked out in the first round?

 

I don't expect them to win the cup, but with the kind of money spent on this roster, I at least expect them to be competitive on a consistent basis.

This seems to be where we are now. If the Sabres make the playoffs next season and get knocked out in the first round it will celebrated as progress.

 

Watching the Flyers and Pens last night, it magnifies how far the Sabres truly are from being a Cup contender.

[Marvelo]

this feels like "Groundhog Day" w Bill Murray. :wallbash:

 

[Guest Sloth]

Black vowed the Sabres will continue their aggressive approach this offseason, starting at the draft in June. The Sabres have two first- and two second-round picks, giving them options to add talent by trading or using the picks. “We’ll see what Darcy and the team will be able to do with those assets,” Black said.’

 

Let me ask this question. Did any expect the Sabres to make the aggressive moves they made last summer? Did any expect Ehrhoff and Regehr to sign w/ the Sabres? Ehrhoff turned down a huge contract from the Islanders because he wanted to go to a team he felt would have a decent shot at the Cup in the near future. Regehr had a life setup in Calgary and he also had a no trade clause. Pegula and company managed to bring him to Buffalo. Regehr, too, had to believe the Sabres would have a shot at the Cup in the near future. Buffalo was aggressive last year and Black firmly stated the Sabres will continue an aggressive approach this offseason. I have complete confidence in the decisions made by Pegula and Black. I'm sure an eye blinking acquisition will be made this summer.

[Claude_Verret]

 

You mean 12 months, we'll be here a year from now discussing the same exact thing after another historic run to 9th place.

 

 

Discussing the fate of R & R and what you do when posting about them are not the same.

[bcsaberks]

The last main reason I'd like to see Ruff move on is (and this one motivates the opinion as much as reason #2), I can't help but wonder if hanging onto 'good' (or very good) isn't keeping the Sabres from finding 'great' for this particular batch of players. There are enough strong coaches out there, that I don't think that even if they were to mess up on choosing Ruff's replacement that they'd be doomed to never find more success than Ruff would bring. And, maybe he could use a change in scenery to finally get over the proverbial hump as well. The pool of good coaching candidates seems much deeper to me than the pool of good GM candidates. (Though there surely is another stud or 2 out there, there are a LOT more Garth Snows and Don Waddells.)

 

All good stuff thanks for that. Especially the bold. The core seems soured. Maybe a guy like Ennis can help them keep it glued together.

[ROCBuffalo]

Next year if we don't make it to the stanley cup they should be gone. This is getting rediculous.

[TrueBlueGED]

Changes wont be made until Pegula decides to be the owner and not everyone's friend. There is more to being an owner than signing some checks and looking over rug samples. Pegula will learn eventually that throwing away seasons just to keep his "friends" around is going to sour fans on him quickly.

 

I'm still waiting for some evidence that he's keeping them around because of friendship.

 

 

Isn't that the Rooney's model in Pittsburgh? Stable owner, stand by their people long term. I'll take that all day long rather than some AHat like the guy in Dallas.

It's the quality of the people that is in question.

 

Take a look at Bill Cowher's results before he won a Super Bowl....it's amazingly similar to Ruff. Then Cowher gets better players, and he wins it all. Coaching is overrated.

[That Aud Smell]

Black vowed the Sabres will continue their aggressive approach this offseason, starting at the draft in June. The Sabres have two first- and two second-round picks, giving them options to add talent by trading or using the picks. “We’ll see what Darcy and the team will be able to do with those assets,” Black said.’

 

<snip>

 

I'm sure an eye blinking acquisition will be made this summer.

 

:w00t:

[OverPowerYou]

 

 

I'm still waiting for some evidence that he's keeping them around because of friendship.

 

 

 

 

Take a look at Bill Cowher's results before he won a Super Bowl....it's amazingly similar to Ruff. Then Cowher gets better players, and he wins it all. Coaching is overrated.

 

Exactly. I think the patriots would do just fine without bellicheckZ

[Claude_Verret]

Exactly. I think the patriots would do just fine without bellicheckZ

 

Better than they would do without Brady.

[waldo]

Exactly. I think the patriots would do just fine without bellicheckZ

 

Their ability to cheat effectively would suffer

[Campy]

I have a better deal. I'll keep injecting my honest opinion and you have a choice of reading it, responding to it or ignoring it. :thumbsup:

 

 

This seems to be where we are now. If the Sabres make the playoffs next season and get knocked out in the first round it will celebrated as progress.

 

Watching the Flyers and Pens last night, it magnifies how far the Sabres truly are from being a Cup contender.

Fair enough :angel: