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So how much of this is on Ted Nolan?

dudacek

By dudacek
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dudacek Hall of Famer

dudacek

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Interesting quotes by Tim Murray from Harrington's article in the BN this morning.

 

http://www.buffalone...murray-20141116

 

“I believe we’re better than we were last year and we haven’t played better,” he said. “Is it too many new guys? Are we playing our worst hockey of the year now versus going forward? I don’t know the answer. We’ll see.”

As for Ted Nolan & Co, Murray was hardly effusive in praise of the job being done. He said he gave Nolan “carte blanche” to hire assistants last summer after initially offering some suggestions. Then Murray got to the heart of the matter.

“Have they got the most out of these players? I don’t think they have. Do they think they have? I don’t believe that either. I don’t go to Teddy every day and say, ‘You’re OK.’ I don’t steer clear, but I’m not micromanaging him or his staff. He got the staff he wanted, and I’m going to let them do their jobs. At the end of the day, we’ll see what kind of development there is.”

 

I believe on paper, the team should be better than last year too.

Hodgson, Foligno, Gionta, Stewart, Meszaros, Benoit and Moulson are all significantly worse that they have shown in the past. Girgensons and maybe Myers are the only ones showing improvement.

How much of that rests on the coach?

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Drunkard First Liner

Drunkard

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Not being a dick, but what all star dman did the team lose?

 

I don't know about all star but Ehrhoff was definitely our best defenseman. He was on the ice for around half of our goals last year so it's no surprise that our goals scored are down even below last year's putrid numbers. Losing him definitely hurt the team.

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DaveSnuggerud Prospect

DaveSnuggerud

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In spite of what the coaches and players are saying, the unconscious motivation is still the tank. The front office wants them to lose (secretly of course) and much of the fan base is hoping for McEichel. They are not supposed to be any good and the team is aware of that. It does not excuse things from the players/coach perspective but it is having an effect. Let's wait to judge Nolan after this season.

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PASabreFan Hall of Famer

PASabreFan

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The psychology of sports was on full display last night. Jeanneret coming back, the building alive, and your home rink mostly hostile... don't tell me it didn't fire them up. A coach can't just conjure that stuff up every night. You have to have players who can find their own reasons to play like their hair's on fire, and I don't think Nolan has many of them, especially under the toxic tent that is Buffalo Sabres hockey these days.

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DaveSnuggerud Prospect

DaveSnuggerud

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The psychology of sports was on full display last night. Jeanneret coming back, the building alive, and your home rink mostly hostile... don't tell me it didn't fire them up. A coach can't just conjure that stuff up every night. You have to have players who can find their own reasons to play like their hair's on fire, and I don't think Nolan has many of them, especially under the toxic tent that is Buffalo Sabres hockey these days.

 

It will be interesting to see how long it takes to shift the culture after this season is over. I doubt it will be as simple as flipping the switch.

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respk Prospect

respk

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Some of it has to be on Nolan and the coaching staff. But a large portion of the blame has to be leveled at the players. I also think Murray is saying what he has to to make it look like the Sabres are trying to win. I think Murray architected this team very carefully so that it would not be better than last year. The lack of effort is what has surprised me so far. Lack of effort is mostly on the players. I think the team is right where he wants it to be. We'll see what happens when trades start. If Murray trades for players that can help now or if he trades for future players and draft picks that will pretty much give a clue as to what his plan was.

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wjag All Star

wjag

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100%? Wow. So this team wins a Stanley Cup if not for Nolan?

 

No.. How did you get that and there? I say how they are playing is 100% on him and his coaches, This is not a SC team, but they should not be a bottom dweller either. The bottom dweller status is on Nolan and his coaches.

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Hoss Hall of Famer

Hoss

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No.. How did you get that and there? I say how they are playing is 100% on him and his coaches, This is not a SC team, but they should not be a bottom dweller either. The bottom dweller status is on Nolan and his coaches.

 

I'm pretty sure this team would be a bottom dweller no matter who is coaching them. Saying it is 100% coaching is to say that the talent is there for them to have high levels of success and they're held back by a system (or lack thereof).

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wjag All Star

wjag

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I'm pretty sure this team would be a bottom dweller no matter who is coaching them. Saying it is 100% coaching is to say that the talent is there for them to have high levels of success and they're held back by a system (or lack thereof).

 

That's a matter of opinion.. I say they have enough talent to be a better team and it is the coaching and system that are holding them back,

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dudacek Hall of Famer

dudacek

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Some of it has to be on Nolan and the coaching staff. But a large portion of the blame has to be leveled at the players. I also think Murray is saying what he has to to make it look like the Sabres are trying to win. I think Murray architected this team very carefully so that it would not be better than last year. The lack of effort is what has surprised me so far. Lack of effort is mostly on the players. I think the team is right where he wants it to be. We'll see what happens when trades start. If Murray trades for players that can help now or if he trades for future players and draft picks that will pretty much give a clue as to what his plan was.

 

I disagree with the bolded. I think Murray put together a team that he thought would finish with between 60 and 70 points and be far more competitive than it has been. I think Nolan (and Gionta and Gorges) was supposed to make sure the players got that message.

 

I think the message has failed to sink in, largely because the overall perception of "suffering" and "Tank for McDavid" that Darcy and Ted Black created (with Pegula's blessing IMO) and the media and the fans have too fully embraced.

 

I think Nolan deserves to take some of the blame because he has not made the team play to its full potential.

But I think the blame rests mostly with Pegula for failing to send the message he expects his team to be better.

 

The McDavid-or-bust psychology is a crutch that the less-competitive players are finding very difficult to overcome.

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JJFIVEOH All Star

JJFIVEOH

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9/20 (.45) Rolston

33/39 (.846) Nolan before Miller/Ott trade

10/23 (.434) Nolan after Miller/Ott trade

10/19 (.526) This year

 

Games/Points (average per game)

 

Seems Nolan is getting more points per game out of this years team. That's with a bunch of new players, some not here from last year. But, this year he's also got more "stable" goaltending. I say give him another 20 games to see if they start heading in the right direction. Remember, he was brought in to lead and teach the young guys. Looking at the stats, and judging by the play of Zadarov, Zemgus and Risto........... so far he's doing his job. If the veterans can't get headed in the right direction, maybe Murray needs to take some responsibility. Some of the worst players on this team for this year were Murray signings. Benoit, Meszaros, Gionta.

 

Not saying Nolan doesn't deserve criticism, but this is hardly just his problem.

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