Sabres Head Coaching Search

[Flashsabre]

If they had settled on Granato they would not be wasting money on flying multiple coaches in for an interview.  They don’t care about backlash, look at the season they just had.  I think Adams wants to get this right. They probably have no problem going with Granato if he is the best candidate but if one of the interviews blows them a way and fits like a glove then they will hire that person.

 

They are not going to hire Granato because he is the cheap option and yet turn around and spend a lot of money co ordinating to bring in a ton of coaches to interview to “save face.”

[Taro T]

24 minutes ago, Curt said:

I can’t imagine that Appert signed just a 1 year contract.  I’m sure he will be back.

His still being under contract is likely.  But, depending upon who the coach ends up in Buffalo, it is possible that Appert's philosophy/ style may not mesh with the new coach.  Not saying that he will be gone, & @dudachek has since said management has talked up Appert in their post Sabres season comments, but his future is lower on the priority list than the NHL Coach (&) Granato's status.  Based on the comments, expecting now that Appert will be back, but it is far from a foregone conclusion IMHO.

[Huckleberry]

Please no, not Tocchet 🤢 , rather have granato x 10 

[Pimlach]

Anyone think Gallant is an option to talk to?  

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

I believe buffalo already has the coached picked.

 They are just doing this so it seems like they did a "search" so there isn't any  backlash.

 

 I find it incredibly odd that teams haven't asked about Granato or  Interviewed him .

Even if Granato is the favorite coaching candidate doing an extensive search is in itself a useful exercise. The front office can learn what others outside the organization think of the roster and organization and how it can be better managed. Getting a variety of outside perspectives can provide ideas that can be useful in critiquing your own organization. Widening one's horizon is better than being insular, especially considering what you have been doing has not worked out well.  

[Ducky]

I think management has to talk to ALL possible candidates.

Why would anyone prefer they not?

Boudreau is a good regular season coach but he wouldn't be near the top of the list for me. Gallant and Julien would be the (former) coaches I would be interested in but only if there is not a complete rebuild in the future. If the direction is a rebuild, I'm not sure they are who you want or even if they would take a job on a rebuilding team. There are many college and Europeans that I haven't seen coach but some think it is a matter of time before they are in the NHL.

It depends a lot on which direction the team is headed. Rebuild? Retool? If they don't know by now, the first thing they have to figure out is whether Eichel, Sam, Risto and, to a lesser extent, Ullmark want to stay or not. I think they already know 2 for sure and maybe 3.

I'd stay away from Babcock but if Rod Brind'Amour hasn't signed in Carolina, I'd make him a priority. Offer him 4m or 5m and talk him into leaving Carolina. 4 x 4.5m and the Canes won't come near to matching it and you'd have the best up and coming coach in the league.

I think Maurice is great for an up and coming team but whether he is the right coach for where the Jets are now, I am not sure. I do think he'd look a helluva lot better if Chevy got him some D help.

Edited May 21, 2021 by Ducky

[Radar]

22 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Anyone think Gallant is an option to talk to?  

Option? Yes. Is he interested?? Have to assume they have those answers and it wouldn't require an interview face to face.

[Flashsabre]

36 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Anyone think Gallant is an option to talk to?  

Adams watches his Team Canada lose 2-0 to Latvia and slowly crosses him off the list.😜

[klos1963]

5 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

I believe buffalo already has the coached picked.

 They are just doing this so it seems like they did a "search" so there isn't any  backlash.

 

 I find it incredibly odd that teams haven't asked about Granato or  Interviewed him .

How many teams have coaching vacancies right now?

[Huckleberry]

37 minutes ago, Ducky said:

I think management has to talk to ALL possible candidates.

Why would anyone prefer they not?

Boudreau is a good regular season coach but he wouldn't be near the top of the list for me. Gallant and Julien would be the (former) coaches I would be interested in but only if there is not a complete rebuild in the future. If the direction is a rebuild, I'm not sure they are who you want or even if they would take a job on a rebuilding team. There are many college and Europeans that I haven't seen coach but some think it is a matter of time before they are in the NHL.

It depends a lot on which direction the team is headed. Rebuild? Retool? If they don't know by now, the first thing they have to figure out is whether Eichel, Sam, Risto and, to a lesser extent, Ullmark want to stay or not. I think they already know 2 for sure and maybe 3.

I'd stay away from Babcock but if Rod Brind'Amour hasn't signed in Carolina, I'd make him a priority. Offer him 4m or 5m and talk him into leaving Carolina. 4 x 4.5m and the Canes won't come near to matching it and you'd have the best up and coming coach in the league.

I think Maurice is great for an up and coming team but whether he is the right coach for where the Jets are now, I am not sure. I do think he'd look a helluva lot better if Chevy got him some D help.

Think he signed a really cheap extension 🙂

edit: nvm rumours are cheap at 1.8 mill and that he would sign, hasn't yet though.

Edited May 21, 2021 by Huckleberry

[Ducky]

7 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Think he signed a really cheap extension 🙂

edit: nvm rumours are cheap at 1.8 mill and that he would sign, hasn't yet though.

That's what I mean. Make him an offer he can't refuse. A fully guaranteed 5 year deal worth 18m-20m. I'd do it as soon as he is available.

[Marvin]

1 minute ago, Ducky said:

That's what I mean. Make him an offer he can't refuse. A fully guaranteed 5 year deal worth 18m-20m. I'd do it as soon as he is available.

I think BrinD'Amour hates us more than he hates other teams.  I can see him going to Philly or Columbus, though.

[Ducky]

26 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Adams watches his Team Canada lose 2-0 to Latvia and slowly crosses him off the list.😜

Team Canada has a ***** team this year. He, like most coaches, likes his vets though. Perfetti was a threat most times on the ice and he got under 10 minutes.

If that's the best Henrique and Pirri have got, they might as well retire for God's sake.

2 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I think BrinD'Amour hates us more than he hates other teams.  I can see him going to Philly or Columbus, though.

I think he signs that ridiculous contract but I'd try hard if I were the Sabres' GM.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Anyone think Gallant is an option to talk to?  

Anyone think they have already talked?

[kas23]

53 minutes ago, Ducky said:

Team Canada has a ***** team this year. He, like most coaches, likes his vets though. Perfetti was a threat most times on the ice and he got under 10 minutes.

If that's the best Henrique and Pirri have got, they might as well retire for God's sake.

I think he signs that ridiculous contract but I'd try hard if I were the Sabres' GM.

Well, considering our roster, then Gallant wouldn’t be the best HC for the Sabres. 

[bunomatic]

I lean toward Granato. Anyone but old leatherface( Babdick ). Anyone will be a vast improvement on ‘he that shall not be spoken of again’.

[Scottysabres]

So, trades and it's Meatballs, no trades and it could be someone else.

[Doohickie]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Anyone think Gallant is an option to talk to?  

Yes.

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, Ducky said:

I think management has to talk to ALL possible candidates.

Why would anyone prefer they not?

Boudreau is a good regular season coach but he wouldn't be near the top of the list for me. Gallant and Julien would be the (former) coaches I would be interested in but only if there is not a complete rebuild in the future. If the direction is a rebuild, I'm not sure they are who you want or even if they would take a job on a rebuilding team. There are many college and Europeans that I haven't seen coach but some think it is a matter of time before they are in the NHL.

It depends a lot on which direction the team is headed. Rebuild? Retool? If they don't know by now, the first thing they have to figure out is whether Eichel, Sam, Risto and, to a lesser extent, Ullmark want to stay or not. I think they already know 2 for sure and maybe 3.

I'd stay away from Babcock but if Rod Brind'Amour hasn't signed in Carolina, I'd make him a priority. Offer him 4m or 5m and talk him into leaving Carolina. 4 x 4.5m and the Canes won't come near to matching it and you'd have the best up and coming coach in the league.

I think Maurice is great for an up and coming team but whether he is the right coach for where the Jets are now, I am not sure. I do think he'd look a helluva lot better if Chevy got him some D help.

Excellent post and analysis. However,  I have a slightly different take. Whether the players you mentioned are kept or dealt the rebuild or retool will not fall in the category of a total breaking down in order to start over again. For the sake of argument if Jack, Sam and Risto are dealt there will be some additional young players coming back who are NHL ready to add to the young core (Mitts, Dahlin, Thompsosn, Joki, Asplund, Arttu, Olofsson, Bryson, Samuelsson and assuming Ullmark re-signs) that already exists. The reason I have strenuously been arguing on behalf of Granato, regardless which way the front office decides to go, this roster is going to be very young. Granato has clearly demonstrated that he works well with a young roster and he is also adept and handling the more experienced players. And it should be noted that veteran players such as Okposo played better under the Italian coach than with the former more articulate coach. 

[Hoss]

I have a feeling Tocchet will be the guy with how involved AGMJK reportedly is.

[Radar]

8 hours ago, Hoss said:

I have a feeling Tocchet will be the guy with how involved AGMJK reportedly is.

Hope you're wrong. I'd rather have Granato.

[LGR4GM]

13 hours ago, Ducky said:

That's what I mean. Make him an offer he can't refuse. A fully guaranteed 5 year deal worth 18m-20m. I'd do it as soon as he is available.

His wife is from Raleigh and he's been there for 20 some odd years. He's not leaving for Buffalo. 

[FogBat]

On 5/19/2021 at 11:24 AM, nfreeman said:

Me too.  BTW, I just learned last night that his brother is the GM of the Miami Dolphins

Now THAT'S a scary thought!

Man! We can't ever keep our tuna "dolphin safe", can we?!!

[Gatorman0519]

On 5/18/2021 at 6:58 PM, PerreaultForever said:

If the other options are college and unproven in the NHL coaches I'd rather keep Granato. 

Rangers, on the other hand, are looking at all the veteran coaches people here like, with Gallant as the frontrunner apparently.

https://thehockeywriters.com/rangers-quinn-gallant-leetch/

 

Gallant, imo, should of been the obvious choice. Should of been handed the reigns as soon as RK was removed. We didn’t need a coaching search with a coach of that caliber available. The Rangers will be in the playoffs next year with Gallant. Drury knows what he’s doing. We are always a step behind. 

[dudacek]

After reading this list of 23 candidates reviewed by the athletic, I think Donnie went up a few notches.

https://theathletic.com/2586742/2021/05/13/has-don-granato-done-enough-to-be-the-sabres-head-coach-who-are-the-other-candidates/

When “experience” means names like Gulutzan, Yeo, Capuano, Quinn, Martin, Stevens, Hartley and Patrick ***** Roy, and fresh faces are Steve Ott and Luke Richardson...

Talk about garage sale shopping.

Edited May 22, 2021 by dudacek