Should the next head coach of the Sabres be Mike Velucci?

[OhMyDahlin]

Sheldon Keefe.

He wins everywhere he goes, and he continues to win with the Marlies despite constantly losing his best players to the Leafs.

 

“I’m a guy that asks a lot of the players, expects a lot of the players,” said Keefe. “But at the same time, (I) try to focus on my role and focus on the individual player, and recognize my role in development. Sometimes the two can counteract one another and you have to keep things in perspective. Sometimes it’s a little more individual than team philosophy and I try to find that balance, but ultimately you want to respect your guys and at the same time give them the freedom and ability to be themselves and let their skill come out and try to help them find their way.”
https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2017/05/14/marlies-coach-sheldon-keefe-tries-to-balance-minor-league-life-with-major-goals.html

Players love playing for the guy too...
https://theathletic.com/686504/2018/12/03/current-and-former-marlies-on-how-sheldon-keefe-develops-players-and-set-a-franchise-record-along-the-way/

"Today, Keefe’s players and colleagues, past and present, characterize him as an intense coach, a master of offence and detail, and someone who knows the game as well as anyone."
https://theathletic.com/233808/2018/02/16/the-marlies-master-of-detail-how-head-coach-sheldon-keefe-has-led-the-leafs-ahl-affiliate-to-historic-heights/
 

“I’ve been around for a little bit, but I feel this is probably the most I’ve grown in the seven years that I’ve played,” said Brennan, 27. “To me, that’s all the credit towards the coaching staff and Sheldon. He’s done a great job. He demanded respect right away and never settles for less than the best out of us. He’s always expecting a little bit more and has high expectations. He’s a great coach and I’ve really loved playing for him.”

Added Frattin: “He’s very knowledgeable in games and he can kind of sense how the game is going (and) switch things up.”

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/jrhockey-buzzing-the-net/sheldon-keefe-brings-winning-touch-to-marlies-job--leafs-system-165851668.html

“The biggest change for the Greyhounds was in the style of player which was appealing to Kyle. The way it worked out, it’s become the same type of player I’m attracted to and see value in. So our visions aligned,” says Keefe.

“For us, the value of speed and skill and hockey sense would far outweigh any physical attributes. We wanted people who have the ability to make plays and have speed.

“The foundation is the understanding that when we carried the puck over the blue line offensively, we created more offence,” he says. “Within that, we understood there was a correlation between carrying puck over our own blue line and how it influenced what we could do at the other team’s blue line, so we worked on different schemes and mechanisms to do that. After that, it just made sense we had to try and prevent the opposition from doing the same. I’ve enjoyed watching it a lot. It’s been fun to see the whole thing develop.”
https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2015/03/27/sheldon-keefe-builds-second-career-out-of-second-chance.html


There are so many articles about him that I could post...but the guy can develop players, he relates to young players, he is all about creating offense and he knows how to accomplish that with his teams, and he's always trying to prove the people who hired him right.

“Much of my motivation on a daily basis is to prove those people right.”


(Someone is going to hire this guy and get a great, young coach...I wish the Sabres would jump at the chance.)

 

[Huckleberry]

Ok I'm sold on keefe now.