Don Granato as a HC

[Doohickie]

I will applaud the job he did but I want the best coach available.  I hope that the organization keeps him on in some capacity but that's between him and the team.

[Doohickie]

15 minutes ago, Sabre fan said:

With these changes the new coach will look great no doubt but does DG not deserve a shot with this new improved lineup?

It's not a given that a new coach will look great after the Sabres off-season moves, but no, DG is not entitled to a shot with the new team.  If they select him after talking to other candidates that's one thing, but to me he's just another name on the list, and an underdog at that.

[Radar]

15 minutes ago, Sabre fan said:

does anybody really think they would or can be any better under another coach? I mean I get that next year a new coach will start fresh with a (hopefully) healthy Jack and (hopefully) 2 NHL goalies and (hopefully) a re-signed McCabe and maybe some new faces like (hopefully) some bangers (and even one fighter) on the 4th line and (hopefully) lose Eakin Bjork Caggiula Rieder (I love Oko but hopefully he will retire). With these changes the new coach will look great no doubt but does DG not deserve a shot with this new improved lineup?      

Deserve a shot? I think he does. At the same time I want them to seriously look at all options. I think if they aren't getting an established, and successful NHL coach I go with Granato over any other options.

[Thorny]

18 minutes ago, Sabre fan said:

does anybody really think they would or can be any better under another coach? I mean I get that next year a new coach will start fresh with a (hopefully) healthy Jack and (hopefully) 2 NHL goalies and (hopefully) a re-signed McCabe and maybe some new faces like (hopefully) some bangers (and even one fighter) on the 4th line and (hopefully) lose Eakin Bjork Caggiula Rieder (I love Oko but hopefully he will retire). With these changes the new coach will look great no doubt but does DG not deserve a shot with this new improved lineup?      

No, he certainly doesn't deserve a shot at it. 

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, Sabre fan said:

does anybody really think they would or can be any better under another coach? I mean I get that next year a new coach will start fresh with a (hopefully) healthy Jack and (hopefully) 2 NHL goalies and (hopefully) a re-signed McCabe and maybe some new faces like (hopefully) some bangers (and even one fighter) on the 4th line and (hopefully) lose Eakin Bjork Caggiula Rieder (I love Oko but hopefully he will retire). With these changes the new coach will look great no doubt but does DG not deserve a shot with this new improved lineup?      

He has earned the right to be in the conversation.  Should he somehow after an extensive search wind up in Sabres management's opinion as the best choice, so be it.  (Though IMHO it will & should be viewed as a mistake until Granato proves otherwise.)  But there are better choices available today & it will be disappointing if he gets the nod.

He hasn't been the hockey coaching equivalent of Kurt Warner (who would likely be Pat Burns) stocking shelves in a grocery store playing in the Arena League waiting for a break.  He's the brother of one of the upper tier of US born NHLers & his sister is the most recognizable US Women's player.  He's had coaching jobs all throughout hockey but still hadn't gotten his "big break" until his early 50's even with the doors that were opened for him by his pedigree & his resume.

He seems to be a good coach.  The Sabres need (& IMHO the fans deserve after all the guys trying to figure something out that WE'VE suffered through watching since Ruff was canned) a great coach.  There are some of those available.  Adams needs to land one.

[inkman]

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

No, he certainly doesn't deserve a shot at it. 

[Marvin]

I want the best guy out there.  If that's Granato, then that's fine.  As a matter of honour and principle if nothing else, I would interview him at the very least.

Let us understand what he has done.  The team went from embarrassingly sloppy to a basic level of NHL competence.  I would like to think that any passable coach could do that.  What Granato has done which I want in the next coach, whoever he be, is to continue to develop the youngsters.  We must hire a good coach (preferably a great coach) who can continually help the youngsters improve.  For the first time in a decade, the youth shows a lot of promise.  I want that talent developed.

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Marvin, Sabres Fan
Grammar

[pi2000]

They're definitely worse defensively under Granato (I've been saying this since two weeks into his tenure) , but everyone is blinded by the improvement in offensive output from guys like Mittlestadt and Dahlin.

The games they've won were due to league high shooting % and near league high sv %.  We knew that was unsustainable and it was.

 

[inkman]

3 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

They're definitely worse defensively under Granato (I've been saying this since two weeks into his tenure) , but everyone is blinded by the improvement in offensive output from guys like Mittlestadt and Dahlin.

The games they've won were due to league high shooting % and near league high sv %.  We knew that was unsustainable and it was.

 

Well we knew The midnight Toker and Ukko-Pekka Luuking over my shoulder again weren’t going to maintain that pace.  Toker won player of the week FFS.  He was out of the league for 6 years!!

[pi2000]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

Well we knew The midnight Toker and Ukko-Pekka Luuking over my shoulder again weren’t going to maintain that pace.  Toker won player of the week FFS.  He was out of the league for 6 years!!

Goaltending is more important than coaching.

[Radar]

6 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

They're definitely worse defensively under Granato (I've been saying this since two weeks into his tenure) , but everyone is blinded by the improvement in offensive output from guys like Mittlestadt and Dahlin.

The games they've won were due to league high shooting % and near league high sv %.  We knew that was unsustainable and it was.

 

Yes defense has been looking weak but goalkeeper has something to do with this. Overall still think this team at the very least has been more watchable under Granato.

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Goaltending is more important than coaching.

True.  But goaltending alone, while necessary, is not sufficient to make a team a winner.

Teams need at least 3 of: goaltending, talent, coaching, & injury luck.  And even 3 of the 4 won't necessarily get it done.  (Especially not when they've got injury bad luck in spades.)

[Marvin]

16 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

They're definitely worse defensively under Granato (I've been saying this since two weeks into his tenure) , but everyone is blinded by the improvement in offensive output from guys like Mittlestadt and Dahlin.

The games they've won were due to league high shooting % and near league high sv %.  We knew that was unsustainable and it was.

This is why I want the Sabres' off-season shopping list to include 2-3 sage, veteran, positionally sound, defencive defencemen.  I see a lot of promise in the youth, but I also see what Harry Neale calls "cranial vapour-locks" due to the lack of experience.  I personally think they are more likely to be overlooked in FA and that teams will value them less than a younger piece somewhere else.  These are the kind of boring hockey trades which could markedly improve the team and develop the talent simultaneously.

 

[Weave]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

The fact that the kids are playing, and playing reasonably well...

 

I’m not sure I am willing to say this anymore given the eye opening similarities in records between RK and DG.  

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Weave said:

I’m not sure I am willing to say this anymore given the eye opening similarities in records between RK and DG.  

I don't think there is any way to dismiss the clear improvements in the games of Mittelstadt and Dahlin, at minimum — both statistically and to the eye test.

[Weave]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

I don't think there is any way to dismiss the clear improvements in the games of Mittelstadt and Dahlin, at minimum — both statistically and to the eye test.

Better or just better deployed?

[PASabreFan]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I don't think there is any way to dismiss the clear improvements in the games of Mittelstadt and Dahlin, at minimum — both statistically and to the eye test.

Just go out and play in games that mean nothing against opponents who don't take you seriously.

[dudacek]

4 minutes ago, Weave said:

Better or just better deployed?

Not sure where you are going here...?

 

3 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Just go out and play in games that mean nothing against opponents who don't take you seriously.

And this is different from February and March how?

[Doohickie]

51 minutes ago, Weave said:

I’m not sure I am willing to say this anymore given the eye opening similarities in records between RK and DG.  

Against Boston they still play like Krueger's Sabres.

[Taro T]

59 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Against Boston they still play like Krueger's Sabres.

Well, except for 1 game where Bah-stan scored on their 1st shot against a rookie playing his 1st game and B's then decided it would be a walk.  Baah-stan's goalie had his worse game of the year & the B's didn't get out of their funk until the final 10 minutes.  Fortunately, they didn't get out of the funk until it was too late.

[Marvin]

I understand that we should not and do not want to inflate what IHCDG has done, but denigrating it and downplaying strikes me as disingenuous.

At the very least, he has the team performing at minimal NHL competence.  The team generates more scoring chances, but it also yields more scoring chances.  The line-up has been missing its #1 forward, #1 defenceman, and #1 goaltender for both coaches at various times.  Compare the quality of the competition for the coaches.  Usually, the team seems to start slowly and improves as the game goes on -- which is the reverse of usual trend under XHCRK.  IMHO, the players are more comfortable in their roles than before.  But they still lose more often than not -- but their optics are better.

There are things to like and things not to like.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

Against Boston they still play like Krueger's Sabres.

I think the Bruins were not going to let the Sabres embarrass them again.

[PerreaultForever]

I'm getting sick and tired of all the press saying there's a huge turnaround and so many people thinking we're better. A little perspective. 

In the last 10 we are 3-7. So if you take Kreuger away and take that pace back to 50 games we're 15 wins instead of 13. Still dead last in the entire league. 

There is no marvelous turnaround. The kids might provide a little more energy and speed and it might look a little more like real hockey and provide a little more offensive excitement but we still suck bad. Really really bad. 

Staying the course is folly. 

[PASabreFan]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

Not sure where you are going here...?

 

And this is different from February and March how?

The difference in the situations of the respective coaches should be apparent.

[Marvin]

5 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I'm getting sick and tired of all the press saying there's a huge turnaround and so many people thinking we're better. A little perspective. 

In the last 10 we are 3-7. So if you take Kreuger away and take that pace back to 50 games we're 15 wins instead of 13. Still dead last in the entire league. 

There is no marvelous turnaround. The kids might provide a little more energy and speed and it might look a little more like real hockey and provide a little more offensive excitement but we still suck bad. Really really bad. 

Staying the course is folly. 

"Staying the course", in my case, involves adding 2-3 defencemen to mentor the youth, swapping out 2-3 forwards to get some variety of styles in the forward ranks, and 2 reliable goaltenders, whether Ullmark is one or not.  I personally would pick another coach.  I expect Eichel's presence to be a huge bonus.  That is 4-8 players I want to change before next season.  But I don't want a complete teardown.