Ralph Krueger needs to go - like yesterday.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

9 minutes ago, freester said:

Anyone who suggests hiring a coach without successful NHL head coaching experience should be permanently banned from this board. The same is true for a GM. The Sabres never learn from their mistakes. 

Proven NHL experience is no guarantee of success.  Babcock went to Toronto and they stacked the roster with offensive stars.  He could not win there.  Now he is coaching in Saskatoon.  I love Saskatoon, but ...

[freester]

Just now, New Scotland (NS) said:

Proven NHL experience is no guarantee of success.  Babcock went to Toronto and they stacked the roster with offensive stars.  He could not win there.  Now he is coaching in Saskatoon.  I love Saskatoon, but ...

We could only be so lucky to have Babcock. He would have done fine had he be given more time. Mathews has developed into the best player in the game now. He had Marner and Mathews and Nylander when they were very young. Similar to what bylesma had with Eichel and Reinhart and Risto. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

29 minutes ago, freester said:

Anyone who suggests hiring a coach without successful NHL head coaching experience should be permanently banned from this board. The same is true for a GM. The Sabres never learn from their mistakes. 

If someone only hired successful GM's and HC's with past NHL experience no AGM or AHC would ever get a chance in the NHL.  While I agree on that premise for a rebuild such as our initial one, I disagree in general.  Remember for the BIlls' McDermott and Beane never had those positions before they were hired by the Bills.

A couple of other notes.  No HC in the NHL has a Cup with more then one team except Scotty Bowman.  Also almost all Cup winning coaches have coached two or more teams before finally getting it right, although DB won a Cup in his first year in Pitt.  LR did a great job in his time as Sabres HC in his first NHL HC gig. I haven't done similar research on GM's, but first time GM Yzerman did a great job in TB (2 Cup finals) and the team he built and drafted finally won the Cup this past season.  

Ultimately I think it depends on many factors.  For HC's, I don't care what your experience is or how good a coach you are, you have to have talent to win. The thing I'm so upset about with RK is that I think, despite some flaws that can be corrected with use of the kids, this is the most talented team we have fielded in a decade.  We should be at least playoff caliber good and we aren't.  

For GM's good senior management is a must.  When we hired TM and Jbot, I was adamant they also hire someone like Rick Dudley so that the rookie GM would have an experienced ear to bounce things off of.  I think both would have done much better jobs with such a mentor.  KA is again on his own and this doesn't bode well long-term.

 

Edited February 21, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Sabre fan]

so I keep hearing where some are saying we should put RK upstairs and hire a new coach. I really think at thus point we should try and do anything and everything to get Jim Rutherford to come here  and let him decide who coaches. Someone on here mentioned how Scotty Bowman is the only NHL coach to win two cups with different teams...well Jim Rutherford is the only NHL GM to do that (Carolina & Pittsburg). he should be made President and given total 100% control.This team desperately needs someone like him to run the whole ship. Let him decide who stays and who goes (although I think he's like KA as GM)

[LTS]

18 hours ago, freester said:

We could only be so lucky to have Babcock. He would have done fine had he be given more time. Mathews has developed into the best player in the game now. He had Marner and Mathews and Nylander when they were very young. Similar to what bylesma had with Eichel and Reinhart and Risto. 

Given the commentary on how Babcock treated players perhaps he's not the best choice.  The dude has tarnished himself heavily, that's why he's in Saskatoon.  The point here is that Krueger ain't gettin' it done and some seasoned hockey coach would be better.  This I believe.  Especially after the Vogl tweet regarding off-sides in practice.

It's clear the "little things" aren't being enforced.  it shows on the ice.

[freester]

Just now, LTS said:

Given the commentary on how Babcock treated players perhaps he's not the best choice.  The dude has tarnished himself heavily, that's why he's in Saskatoon.  The point here is that Krueger ain't gettin' it done and some seasoned hockey coach would be better.  This I believe.  Especially after the Vogl tweet regarding off-sides in practice.

It's clear the "little things" aren't being enforced.  it shows on the ice.

Saskatoon is his home.  He is guaranteed a huge amount of money from the Leafs so why not kick back with the family and enjoy life and still make 6 million a year.  I imagine 6 million goes pretty far in Saskatoon.  He is exactly what we need in the coaching department, a demanding experienced winner, but we also need an experienced GM that he can work with.

[nfreeman]

I'd guess that everyone here would be pretty happy if the Sabres' organization included Rutherford at Pres or GM and Babcock at HC.

[Brawndo]

2 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I'd guess that everyone here would be pretty happy if the Sabres' organization included Rutherford at Pres or GM and Babcock at HC.

That’s a no on both from me. 
 

Mike Gillis and Bruce Boudreau, the latter being interested in Seattle of course, would be My Choices. 

[LTS]

17 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I'd guess that everyone here would be pretty happy if the Sabres' organization included Rutherford at Pres or GM and Babcock at HC.

Yep. After all the comments on Babcock I'm firmly out on him.

[nfreeman]

47 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

That’s a no on both from me. 
 

Mike Gillis and Bruce Boudreau, the latter being interested in Seattle of course, would be My Choices. 

 

33 minutes ago, LTS said:

Yep. After all the comments on Babcock I'm firmly out on him.

These are both reasonable, but still -- if the Sabres limp home to a bottom-5 finish this year, and the day after the season ends there is a presser at which Rutherford and Babcock are introduced -- would you not be excited?  The (theoretically) perfect should not be the enemy of the good, especially when compared to 10 years of very bad.

[Brawndo]

14 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

 

These are both reasonable, but still -- if the Sabres limp home to a bottom-5 finish this year, and the day after the season ends there is a presser at which Rutherford and Babcock are introduced -- would you not be excited?  The (theoretically) perfect should not be the enemy of the good, especially when compared to 10 years of very bad.

Truthfully no, Rutherford has a tendency to make spur of the moment decisions and he has had Crosby and Malkin to cover up His Mistakes. He hasn’t drafted well and trades futures too readily.JR needs an Asst GM to keep Him in check. Botterill and Karmonos filled that role for Him. He’s not what the team needs. 

Babcock shunned the Sabres once before and His Team tuned him out, rapidly in Toronto even after making the playoffs in Matthews First Year.  And when The behind the scenes info came out with His Mind Games not what this team needs 

[Kruppstahl]

21 hours ago, freester said:

Anyone who suggests hiring a coach without successful NHL head coaching experience should be permanently banned from this board. The same is true for a GM. The Sabres never learn from their mistakes. 

I agree the Pegulas never learn from their mistakes, but how could anyone else in the organization learn from these mitsakes?  No one has kept their job long enough to learn from a bad decision and modify how they do things going forward.

With each new regime we start over and get a new blank slate and new learning curve.

It's just one more reason why organizational continuity is a so important and why turning over regimes every few years is a recipe for failure.

And yet which one of the failed Sabres regimes should have been allowed to remain?  None of them! 

So the spotlight again shines first and foremost on ownership; it's their job to put the right people in the right places to begin with--and then leave them there.

 

 

[Doohickie]

The Sabres prior to Krueger:

Granted they missed the playoffs, so there is that, but here they are with Krueger:

 

[Doohickie]

The Pegulas have NEVER hired a winning coach.  Ever.

[freester]

16 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

I agree the Pegulas never learn from their mistakes, but how could anyone else in the organization learn from these mitsakes?  No one has kept their job long enough to learn from a bad decision and modify how they do things going forward.

With each new regime we start over and get a new blank slate and new learning curve.

It's just one more reason why organizational continuity is a so important and why turning over regimes every few years is a recipe for failure.

And yet which one of the failed Sabres regimes should have been allowed to remain?  None of them! 

So the spotlight again shines first and foremost on ownership; it's their job to put the right people in the right places to begin with--and then leave them there.

 

 

When you continually hire coaches and GMs with no experience this is what happens.

[Radar]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

Truthfully no, Rutherford has a tendency to make spur of the moment decisions and he has had Crosby and Malkin to cover up His Mistakes. He hasn’t drafted well and trades futures too readily.JR needs an Asst GM to keep Him in check. Botterill and Karmonos filled that role for Him. He’s not what the team needs. 

Babcock shunned the Sabres once before and His Team tuned him out, rapidly in Toronto even after making the playoffs in Matthews First Year.  And when The behind the scenes info came out with His Mind Games not what this team needs 

Babcock and Rutherford may be wrong examples but the argument is valid. Pegulas have been a disaster and it's primarily in their hires. Not sure if they made a few and now just want people they like and can control. It's almost unbelievable that you can make so many hiring mistakes. The best coach and GM team he's had he inherited.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Radar

[pi2000]

I want to believe in KA.    He's a good kid, I know him a bit as our paths crossed a few times on the ice as young players.     My concern is that he'll hesitate to make those ruthless cut throat type decisions every GM has to make at some point.     Eg, if it comes to time fire RK, I just can't seem him pulling the trigger, maybe he'll surprise me, but I'm not sure he has it in him.     The idea that he's simply a Pegula puppet is very possible.

I'm not even going to entertain idea's of who would be a good replacement at GM and coach, because we have this conversation every year and watch as qualified candidates gets scooped up and have success.     I'll go back to John Cooper almost 10 years ago...  there was a group on here who were banging the drump for him for a couple seasons before he got promoted to the Lightning.      Gerard Gallant, when he was let go by Florida, before Vegas grabbed him.     It's exhausting and pointless....  Until there's a president/czar who knows hockey and has connections, nothing is going to change. 

[LGR4GM]

23 hours ago, freester said:

Anyone who suggests hiring a coach without successful NHL head coaching experience should be permanently banned from this board. The same is true for a GM. The Sabres never learn from their mistakes. 

Bylsma was an NHL head coach. Botterill had years of experience as an Assistant GM. 

47 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

I want to believe in KA.    He's a good kid, I know him a bit as our paths crossed a few times on the ice as young players.     My concern is that he'll hesitate to make those ruthless cut throat type decisions every GM has to make at some point.     Eg, if it comes to time fire RK, I just can't seem him pulling the trigger, maybe he'll surprise me, but I'm not sure he has it in him.     The idea that he's simply a Pegula puppet is very possible.

I'm not even going to entertain idea's of who would be a good replacement at GM and coach, because we have this conversation every year and watch as qualified candidates gets scooped up and have success.     I'll go back to John Cooper almost 10 years ago...  there was a group on here who were banging the drump for him for a couple seasons before he got promoted to the Lightning.      Gerard Gallant, when he was let go by Florida, before Vegas grabbed him.     It's exhausting and pointless....  Until there's a president/czar who knows hockey and has connections, nothing is going to change. 

I laughed at your suggestion that KA has the authority to fire Krueger. 

[Brawndo]

56 minutes ago, Radar said:

Babcock and Rutherford may be wrong examples but the argument is valid. Pegulas have been a disaster and it's primarily in their hires. Not sure if they made a few and now just want people they like and can control. It's almost unbelievable that you can make so many hiring mistakes. The best coach and GM team he's had he inherited.

I agree wholeheartedly, upthread I suggested Mike Gillis as POHO and Bruce Boudreau as HC. 
Organizational Changes are needed 

[LGR4GM]

On 2/21/2021 at 3:42 PM, Brawndo said:

Krupp’s Coaching Tenure is highlighted by being named DEL Coach of the Year 2012-13 and lead His Team to the DEL Finals in 2013 and 2014.  That’s too far removed for My Taste. 
 

Bruce Boudreau has lead His Teams to the Playoffs 10 of 12 seasons where he coached the entire year.
 

He has a .635 Winning Percentage, the Sabres Winning Percentage is .441 in the full seasons that the Pegulas have owned the team, .471 if you remove the tank seasons . 
 

Oh and Staal had 65, 76 and 52 points in the full three seasons BB was His HC. 

Should have hired Boudreau. 

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

I agree wholeheartedly, upthread I suggested Mike Gillis as POHO and Bruce Boudreau as HC. 
Organizational Changes are needed 

I would cry if they managed to be this smart.

[Carmel Corn]

Another game, another loss...this time after having a lead.  Another game with no goals from Eichel, Hall, Skinner scratched.  They are proven goal scorers and all three look like crap.  Ralph obviously not getting output from his stars and also very little 5-on-5 production.  

I'd rather risk looking foolish with another revolving door coaching change vs. continuing to watch this team lose.  Please cut your loses and get an experienced HC asap!

[Gatorman0519]

With the turnovers we had, we were lucky they only scored 3.  If that was Tampa or Colorado the score would of been 5 or 6 to 2. 

[MODO Hockey]

 

Have a look at these clips, how he lives and breathes hockey and all that comes with it. This is the type of coach this org needs, a coach that the players
actually respects and listen to, that is why he has been so successful. He is so good at getting under the skin of oponents.

He tends to make players believe the unbelievable which in some situations is a must as a coach.

 

 

4 world championships won, second place 8 times. Now that tells you something. But obviously Pegulas dont understand jack sh1t, neither did Jason noob botter either.

Now go look at what mr Ralph Kreuger has succeeded with, nothing. Yea nothing, 5 times austrian league champion in a league that is even worse than ECHL is not even worth mentioning. But yet, Pegulas hires this trash to coach a team in NHL. Pisses me off so bad.

 

 

 

Emotions is important, specially if they actually are legit. A good coach dont eat cupcakes and talk like a primadonna after a game like Ralph does, a good coach tells the truth no matter how much it hurts. 

 

 

 

[Cascade Youth]

RK fully endorses the Dick Jauron strategy of hiding under a blanket so as not to get embarrassed by a blowout loss.  That’s why the “advanced stats” aren’t terrible - they play to keep it close, preferring to lose by 1 goal every night.

I haven’t seen a single exciting PLAY out of this team in two years.  The Isles had multiple such plays in each period last night.

SELL THE TEAM TERRY.

Edited February 23, 2021 by Cascade Youth

[Carmel Corn]

2 hours ago, Cascade Youth said:

RK fully endorses the Dick Jauron strategy of hiding under a blanket so as not to get embarrassed by a blowout loss.  That’s why the “advanced stats” aren’t terrible - they play to keep it close, preferring to lose by 1 goal every night.

I haven’t seen a single exciting PLAY out of this team in two years.  The Isles had multiple such plays in each period last night.

SELL THE TEAM TERRY.

If there was a "Participation Cup" award, Buffalo would be a contender every single year...maybe even the favorite.  Any team playing against Ralph's Sabres can have an exciting night because they have absolutely nothing to fear on the ice.  Go to the front of the net?  No problem (nobody will move them out).  Opposing D-man retrieving a puck?  No problem (nobody will hit them on the forecheck), Give Jack a cheap-shot?  No problem (nobody will drop the gloves), etc.