Jump to content

RK hands down the worst coach in Sabres history


GASabresIUFAN

Recommended Posts

idk, Rolston was pretty bad.  I blame Steve Smith for the D problems. I suppose ultimately the head coach takes the blame but weren't we all praising him last year for fixing Risto? I think it likely Kreuger was a fraud. Like a motivational speaker a talker but not a doer. He convinced everyone with his words but really didn't have the coaching skills to deal with the players he had. 

Ultimately he was a bad fit for these players and they didn't or couldn't adapt to his style. If you don't change them you have to change him simple as that. I'm not convinced yet it's all fixed. the O numbers are up for guys like Dahlin but the D side is still in question. We still need to see how this plays out against the good teams. 

and Skinner still needs to start scoring. What's his excuse?

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The facts keep piling up, but RK, aka Rasputin, is the worst coach in Sabres history.  He nearly destroyed the franchise.

Today’s article about Dahlin is another illustration of how poor a coach he is. https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/confident-again-sabres-rasmus-dahlin-thriving-under-interim-coach-don-granato/article_a192bbde-97b1-11eb-ad7d-af46be9fa625.html

The ball and chain he placed on Dahlin and our other mobile D is in excusable.  Just look at the new Dahlin possession numbers in the article and it will make you puke when you realize that this could have been Dahlin all season had Rasputin had a clue.

The offense in general from 1.19 EV goals to over 2.5 in the last six.  This improvement without Eichel.

Ron Ralston was nominated as a rival, but he went 15-11-5 after replacing Lindy while the tank began in earnest.  RK was given a mediocre team which the GM added talent to and he destroyed the team.  The offense output of nearly every forward and every offensive D was destroyed under RK’s system.   

Maybe I’m just venting but RK is now my most despised person in Sabres history.  

Although nobody will confuse Dahlin's current defensive acumen with Mike Ramsey, his play is night and day different under Granato.  I've had my doubts that coaching could be that much of a difference, but I'm slowly awakening to the fact that it does matter quite a bit.

The fact that the Sabres are not only winning, but looking halfway competent without Eichel, Cozens, McCabe, and Hall is pretty impressive, and some credit must go to Granato.  As others have said, having Ullmark back is probably a bigger reason, but still need to give some props to Granato.

  • Like (+1) 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMO, when you have a young team with no experience of being on a team that wins, you need a veteran coach.  Then when/if the players experience winning and that coach gets you so far, you can make a change to a specific style coach.  We're hiring inexperience to coach inexperience.  It doesn't make sense.

Edited by 7+6=13
  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, 7+6=13 said:

IMO, when you have a young team with no experience of being on a team that wins, you need a veteran coach.  Then when/if the players experience and winning experience if that coach gets you so far, you can make a change.  We're hiring inexperience to coach inexperience.  It doesn't make sense.

Granato seems to get it 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

He's arrogant, plain & simple.  He thinks he knows better than those around him, that only his experience is valid.  That's arrogance.

Arrogance and a sense of superiority didn't allow him to be receptive to listen to outside voices. There are stories (not sure if it is true) that he not only didn't he want Chris Taylor on his staff but didn't want him in the organization because Taylor told him that his approach to hockey would not work in the NHL. Chris Taylor was exceptional in developing young talent in the AHL. He helped Tage, Mitts, Apslund in the AHL so that they would be better prepared when they moved up to the big league. This is another example of not only squandering player talent but also staff talent. 

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

RK was pretty God awful, but Ron Rolston was pretty assy too.

I'd take Rolston over Ted Nolan 2.0.  Nolan was great in his first stint with the Sabres....but conventional wisdom seemed to be that his coaching style didn't keep up with the game (and the players) years later in his second stint.  Not everyone agrees with that of course, but from what I saw I agree with it.  Ted Nolan 1.0 was really good...Ted Nolan 2.0 just was a bad coach for the current NHL.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, 7+6=13 said:

IMO, when you have a young team with no experience of being on a team that wins, you need a veteran coach.  Then when/if the players experience winning and that coach gets you so far, you can make a change to a specific style coach.  We're hiring inexperience to coach inexperience.  It doesn't make sense.

That was my exact argument against all the posters here that were clamoring for a coach that wasn’t a retread.  At least that has died off.

  • Thanks (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, JohnC said:

Arrogance and a sense of superiority didn't allow him to be receptive to listen to outside voices. There are stories (not sure if it is true) that he not only didn't he want Chris Taylor on his staff but didn't want him in the organization because Taylor told him that his approach to hockey would not work in the NHL. Chris Taylor was exceptional in developing young talent in the AHL. He helped Tage, Mitts, Apslund in the AHL so that they would be better prepared when they moved up to the big league. This is another example of not only squandering player talent but also staff talent. 

Too bad Taylor couldn’t be brought back in somehow now that Krueger has been given the boot. What an arrogant asshat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/8/2021 at 9:32 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

The facts keep piling up, but RK, aka Rasputin, is the worst coach in Sabres history.  He nearly destroyed the franchise.

Today’s article about Dahlin is another illustration of how poor a coach he is. https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/confident-again-sabres-rasmus-dahlin-thriving-under-interim-coach-don-granato/article_a192bbde-97b1-11eb-ad7d-af46be9fa625.html

The ball and chain he placed on Dahlin and our other mobile D is in excusable.  Just look at the new Dahlin possession numbers in the article and it will make you puke when you realize that this could have been Dahlin all season had Rasputin had a clue.

The offense in general from 1.19 EV goals to over 2.5 in the last six.  This improvement without Eichel.

Ron Ralston was nominated as a rival, but he went 15-11-5 after replacing Lindy while the tank began in earnest.  RK was given a mediocre team which the GM added talent to and he destroyed the team.  The offense output of nearly every forward and every offensive D was destroyed under RK’s system.   

Maybe I’m just venting but RK is now my most despised person in Sabres history.  

Rolston was the worst Sabres coach ever & 1 of the league's worst ever.  That he had success short term relieving Ruff says far more about the effects of mid-season coaching changes than it does his abilities at this level.  The team the following year was literally unwatchable under his watch.

Housley was hot garbage.

Krueger had this team at 4-4-2 with the best analytics this team has seen post tank prior to the shutdown even though they weren't getting the W's the metrics suggested that should've been there.

The team was coming out of the 0-3-0 streak upon resuming the season 2-1-0 and leading in the game that Ullmark broke which started the 18 game skid.  (Only 12 of which are on Ralph's record.)

When he's been given a competent goalie, the results have been good to mediocre.  When given no goaltending,  yes, the show was horrific.  Darn shame we don't know what Eichel's issue was to start the year.  Were he playing as expected, the team would've been on at least a playoff pace prior to the shutdown.  (Even with being run by the "hands down worst coach in Sabres history." ;) )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kruegers system or game if you wish was some of the most boring hockey I’ve ever watched. No entertainment value at all. There hasn’t been much to celebrate entertainment wise for quite some time but with him at the controls it sucked fierce cacka.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I fear that that the “efficient and economic” Pegula Sabres mantra will lead them into retaining Granato at coach, Adams at GM, and nothing else added.   

That's a real fear. And a lot of the fan base and media are pumping the tires for exactly this scenario. Be careful what you wish for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is RK the worst coach in history, I'll let you argue that but is there any question he is the worst talent evaluator in the history of the NHL, I don't think so. It isn't just the ATM line it's also Dahlin, Joker and Bryson. Those 3 in particular were so badly mishandled by this guy it's the most incompetent thing ever. It was as if he just stifled any creativity out of all these young guys. If anything is a light at the end of the tunnel for this team it's Dahlin's game. Nothing short of wow moments lately from this guy. When the WOW moments outnumber the mistakes, you just let this kid play.

  • Like (+1) 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jsb said:

Is RK the worst coach in history, I'll let you argue that but is there any question he is the worst talent evaluator in the history of the NHL, I don't think so. It isn't just the ATM line it's also Dahlin, Joker and Bryson. Those 3 in particular were so badly mishandled by this guy it's the most incompetent thing ever. It was as if he just stifled any creativity out of all these young guys. If anything is a light at the end of the tunnel for this team it's Dahlin's game. Nothing short of wow moments lately from this guy. When the WOW moments outnumber the mistakes, you just let this kid play.

Ralph’s 1.5 seasons as coach may have set this franchise back 5 years.  Eakin?  Irwin?  These guys are skating corpses.  

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, inkman said:

Ralph’s 1.5 seasons as coach may have set this franchise back 5 years.  Eakin?  Irwin?  These guys are skating corpses.  

Dahlin on the highlight reel? Okposo almost a point a game, Tage and Mitts looking every bit of where they should be?  The question is now, is Granato that good or was Ralph that bad?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Dahlin on the highlight reel? Okposo almost a point a game, Tage and Mitts looking every bit of where they should be?  The question is now, is Granato that good or was Ralph that bad?

To ask a question if Granato is good now is not a legit question to be honest, it's not even close to be a fair question.  What is obvious though is that anybody would do better than Ralph. Ralph destroyed any confidence this team had left from last season, and the signs were already there, that this stupid idiot would destroy this team. 

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, inkman said:

Ralph’s 1.5 seasons as coach may have set this franchise back 5 years.  Eakin?  Irwin?  These guys are skating corpses.  

So dramatic. Look up the Louis C.K. bit about some dude describing a chance meeting with an acquaintance as "hilarious." So funny it risked destroying the person's mind.

RaKru set back the franchise five years? Amazing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

So dramatic. Look up the Louis C.K. bit about some dude describing a chance meeting with an acquaintance as "hilarious." So funny it risked destroying the person's mind.

RaKru set back the franchise five years? Amazing!

Dramatic, or just not to your liking?  Those are 2 different things. 

Yesterday, Matt Larkin was on (Hockey News) with Bulldog for a 20 minute segment.  He suggested the Sabres have a great shot to set the record next year when we don't make the playoffs again...and that it might easily be 2-3 more years before we *do* make the playoffs.  

He's basing this on the entire state of the organization at this time.

He then worked that into a discussion about who might want to jump off the sinking ship because of this, including Eichel, and so on.  

If Eichel goes at any point in the next year or 2, there will be a further setback.

5 years is totally possible.  It's hard to say right now.  It's certainly not the stuff of "drama" and exaggeration.  

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/podcasts/schopp-and-bulldog-20261/04-09-matt-larkin-the-hockey-news-365196880

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Dramatic, or just not to your liking?  Those are 2 different things. 

Yesterday, Matt Larkin was on (Hockey News) with Bulldog for a 20 minute segment.  He suggested the Sabres have a great shot to set the record next year when we don't make the playoffs again...and that it might easily be 2-3 more years before we *do* make the playoffs.  

He's basing this on the entire state of the organization at this time.

He then worked that into a discussion about who might want to jump off the sinking ship because of this, including Eichel, and so on.  

If Eichel goes at any point in the next year or 2, there will be a further setback.

5 years is totally possible.  It's hard to say right now.  It's certainly not the stuff of "drama" and exaggeration.  

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/podcasts/schopp-and-bulldog-20261/04-09-matt-larkin-the-hockey-news-365196880

Yep, everything was fine before Ralph got here. His short stint set back the franchise five years. Say a lot of things about Ralph, but the statement is ludicrous — mainly because of how quickly other franchises turn things around and how easy it should be to get back and have "success" in a league where half the teams get in. Hell, just look at Granato's results so far. How is he possibly overcoming what Krueger wrought?

  • Thanks (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

So dramatic. Look up the Louis C.K. bit about some dude describing a chance meeting with an acquaintance as "hilarious." So funny it risked destroying the person's mind.

RaKru set back the franchise five years? Amazing!

Where would the Sabres be if Borgen, Bryson, Mitts, Thompson, Asplund, Dahlin had been handled properly instead of treated like they had cooties.  
 

Right now they are the foundation of this franchise moving forward, sans Jack and Sam obviously.  Now we are saddled with Eakin and god knows whoever else Ralph pushed out of the franchise. If not 5 years, he sure as hell threw 2 years of these guys prime years right down the Hershey highway.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...