Dreger: Expects Sabres Head Coach will be hired next week

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

Cascading @LGR4GM's original and @PerreaultForever's response.

Waitaminnit, waitaminnit, waitaminnit. 

If you are arguing that the teams is built wrong as a response to Dahlin being neutered by Kruger, are you arguing some variation that Dahlin is part of the improper building?  It sure looks that way.

Not sure why you're asking me about Dahlin. He mentioned the Kreuger neutering not me. I wasn't talking about Dahlin at all. But since you asked........

The Dahlin situation isn't about "neutering" him in any way it's about developing  a talented young D man who has strengths and skills but also lacks in many areas. We should NEVER have thrust him into the ice time and huge roles we did so fast and so young. As a desperate team we once again rushed a young guy, didn't coach him enough, didn't bring him along slowly, we just screwed the pooch on the whole thing. As usual. 

Kreuger wasn't wrong in wanting Dahlin to work on his defensive skills, he just did it all wrong. I blame Steve Smith cause I don't think Kreuger actually "coached" anybody. Unleashing Dahlin isn't fixing him either. You want a long term dominant D man he still has a LOT of work to do on his defensive game. 

Dahlin was at his best early on paired with Bogo, who, for all his flaws, was the best veteran D man we had at the time. We needed a Chara to pair with him the way they paired Chara with McAvoy, and I think you saw how he has become a complete player. In general, the offensive skills are based more on talent, but the defensive skills have to be taught. We don't do that Dahlin will become a different version of Risto (less physical and more offensive, but still running round and making constant poor judgements and errors). We ruined Risto. He should have become a much better player but likely never will now. Dahlin will go the same way. Good, really good at times, but never great, and he should be great. 

[Taro T]

24 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well in fairness, we're not much of anything. We're the worst team in hockey. Continuing on with the same core will yield the same results. You want to do that? If so, enjoy. You won't have to worry about arguing with me about new directions, I will be gone. 

 

This team needs more talent, not less.  (Gee, thanks. / No Schlitz Sherlock. 😉 )

They FINALLY are at a point where guys like Eichel, & Reinhart, & yes, even Ristolainen (who isn't in the same class as the other 2 but is included here because he's another guy rumored to soon be jettisoned) have teammates ready to actually provide competent support.

The problem hasn't been the core.  It's been the complete dearth of talent anywhere else except on the 4th line.  Bringing back the core doesn't doom this team to continued failure.  Building a team with only 3 top 6 F's & 2 top 4 D & subpar goaltending & coaching is what will yield the same results.

Keep the current core, bring back McCabe & Ullmark and then add Danault, another goalie at least as good as Linus, & a competent coach and you're on the right track.  A couple side pieces would be nice, but not absolutely necessary.

My 2 cents.

Edited June 28, 2021 by Taro T

[pi2000]

If it's gonna be Granato, wouldn't they have announced it already?

[Flashsabre]

How do the Pegulas sign off on Tocchet and keep up the charade of Christian values?

[WildCard]

Off day on the SC Final...gonna go out on a limb here and predict todays the day.

[JohnC]

11 hours ago, pi2000 said:

If it's gonna be Granato, wouldn't they have announced it already?

This issue was talked about on WGR. It was theorized that Granato may already be the designated coach but the public announcement is not being made until the Eichel trade is made. The reasoning/conjecture is that if a press conference was called to make the coaching announcement before the high profile trade that questions about Eichel and other trade deals would dominate the coaching hire. Does this line of thinking have merit? It makes sense but I can't say for sure.  

[PASabreFan]

This week then? Or still next week?

[dudacek]

13 minutes ago, JohnC said:

This issue was talked about on WGR. It was theorized that Granato may already be the designated coach but the public announcement is not being made until the Eichel trade is made. The reasoning/conjecture is that if a press conference was called to make the coaching announcement before the high profile trade that questions about Eichel and other trade deals would dominate the coaching hire. Does this line of thinking have merit? It makes sense but I can't say for sure.  

I think this is likely a very strong element at play.

I also wonder about the July 1 element. It has long been rumoured that Adams is bringing more people into the hockey department. I’m wondering if they are planning to stack up multiple hirings in a single announcement, but need to wait until contracts expire before making things official.

There is very much a business/marketing element to this whole next month - giving the fans and sponsors a reason to invest and to be invested.

Of course this is premised on the coaching decision being already made. Unless they have extraordinary interest in one of assistants still in play, there is no reason for it not to be.

[Brawndo]

 

[Marvin]

25 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

This week then? Or still next week?

To quote the old "Bugs Bunny - Road Runner Hour":

Daffy Duck: Last week, you said I could host next week.

Bugs Bunny: Right.  But this isn't 'next week'.

Daffy Duck: Your dog gone tooth it isn't.  This is 'this week' and 'next week' is uh, is, uh, hmm.  (Daffy heads off the stage.)  This week was 'next week' last week, so that makes 'this week' 'last week' next week...

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I think this is likely a very strong element at play.

I also wonder about the July 1 element. It has long been rumoured that Adams is bringing more people into the hockey department. I’m wondering if they are planning to stack up multiple hirings in a single announcement, but need to wait until contracts expire before making things official.

There is very much a business/marketing element to this whole next month - giving the fans and sponsors a reason to invest and to be invested.

Of course this is premised on the coaching decision being already made. Unless they have extraordinary interest in one of assistants still in play, there is no reason for it not to be.

You make a keen observation about fan disinterest and the disconnect between the fans and business interest in their diminished product. What is worse than antipathy is apathy. Adams is very aware of the community disinterest and it is reflected in his numerous public references to it. What does this mean from a hockey and business standpoint? It's not too difficult to conclude that he will make a number of high profile moves to jolt the organization and establish a line of demarcation between the old failed era and this new and era. From a hockey standpoint it might make more sense to reconcile the Jack issue and keep your star player in the fold. But from a business sense if you want to jolt the fan base and promote interest in a remade product making some major change makes a lot of sense. What's obvious to me is that Adams has set a course and he is determined to implement it. Where he is going to be judged is the return on the departing assets. 

I'm not saying anything new here. But what I am emphasizing is that the GM has set a course and he is not deviating from it. There is no question that the Buffalo franchise has been an invisible franchise on the NHL stage. As the draft approaches and the Cup series concludes I see the Sabres getting a lot of attention. That in itself is a change. 

[Flashsabre]

16 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

I can confirm this. They called me this morning to tell me I was out. I thought my NHL’18 presentation on my PlayStation was pretty thorough and compelling but I guess they didn’t.😜😂

[kas23]

It’s extremely unlikely that an Eichel trade is holding up a coaching hire. That’s the type of trade that’s going to take 1-2 months to consummate. Teams still have to review his medical records and probably speak with him. 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

This issue was talked about on WGR. It was theorized that Granato may already be the designated coach but the public announcement is not being made until the Eichel trade is made. The reasoning/conjecture is that if a press conference was called to make the coaching announcement before the high profile trade that questions about Eichel and other trade deals would dominate the coaching hire. Does this line of thinking have merit? It makes sense but I can't say for sure.  

It makes more sense that the holdup has been that Lambert was unavailable until a couple of days ago and Richardson is still unavailable.

An Eichel (or Reinhart or Ristolainen or other) deal might not happen until right before the draft as Adams tries to pry the most value out of his asset (still expect the assets have more valuable where they are, but ...).  Do we really anticipate the coach not to be announced prior to the draft?

Plus, scouts are normally under contract through the draft.  They league year this year doesn't end on July 1, so that is an irrelevant milestone in all likelihood.  (Someone like Rutherford might have their personal contract signed years ago terminate on July 1, but any active scouts the Sabres have their eyes on likely aren't available yet.)

Edited June 29, 2021 by Taro T

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

It makes more sense that the holdup has been that Lambert was unavailable until a coup,couple, of days ago and Richardson is still unavailable.

An Eichel (or Reinhart or Ristolainen or other) deal might not happen until right before the draft as Adams tries to pry the most value out of his asset (still expect the assets have more valuable where they are, but ...).  Do we really anticipate the coach not to be announced prior to the draft?

Plus, scouts are normally under contract through the draft.  They league year this year doesn't end on July 1, so that is an irrelevant milestone in all likelihood.  (Someone like Rutherford might have their personal contract signed years ago terminate on July 1, but any active scouts the Sabres have their eyes on likely aren't available yet.)

One of Friedman’s 31 Thoughts was about a team offering 30 day extensions to its Scouts to get through the draft.

[WildCard]

4 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

One of Friedman’s 31 Thoughts was about a team offering 30 day extensions to its Scouts to get through the draft.

I was really hoping that wasn't us.

Everything other 'insiders' have been reporting contradicts this idea that the Sabres are waiting for a Eichel deal to announce the head coach.

[JohnC]

6 minutes ago, Taro T said:

It makes more sense that the holdup has been that Lambert was unavailable until a couple of days ago and Richardson is still unavailable.

An Eichel (or Reinhart or Ristolainen or other) deal might not happen until right before the draft as Adams tries to pry the most value out of his asset (still expect the assets have more valuable where they are, but ...).  Do we really anticipate the coach not to be announced prior to the draft?

Plus, scouts are normally under contract through the draft.  They league year this year doesn't end on July 1, so that is an irrelevant milestone in all likelihood.  (Someone like Rutherford might have their personal contract signed years ago terminate on July 1, but any active scouts the Sabres have their eyes on likely aren't available yet.)

I not only believe that Granato is the best coaching candidate for this team but also am inclined to believe that he already has been notified that he is the choice or at least the heavy favorite to be the coach. And it shouldn't be surprising that if his hiring news conference was called before the trades that it would be the focus of attention of the reporters at the conference. 

[Taro T]

9 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I not only believe that Granato is the best coaching candidate for this team but also am inclined to believe that he already has been notified that he is the choice or at least the heavy favorite to be the coach. And it shouldn't be surprising that if his hiring news conference was called before the trades that it would be the focus of attention of the reporters at the conference. 

So, you're expecting them not to announce a coaching hire until after Eichel is gone?  Even if that means waiting until the draft?

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

So, you're expecting them not to announce a coaching hire until after Eichel is gone?  Even if that means waiting until the draft?

Yes. 

[Taro T]

Just now, JohnC said:

Yes. 

And, the answer to the 2nd question is?

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

And, the answer to the 2nd question is?

Yes. 

[Flashsabre]

Jeff Halpren of TB is another name mentioned as someone Kevyn might want to talk to.  If the Sabres are letting candidates know they are out then it must be done or down to the final candidates.

[WildCard]

Feel like press conferences are usually announced for the dat by 11am or so, so nothing today it appears.

[Doohickie]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

That doesn't mean they've decied, but it probably does mean they've downselected to a small number of candidates.

[tom webster]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

I not only believe that Granato is the best coaching candidate for this team but also am inclined to believe that he already has been notified that he is the choice or at least the heavy favorite to be the coach. And it shouldn't be surprising that if his hiring news conference was called before the trades that it would be the focus of attention of the reporters at the conference. 

Either you are Paul Hamilton or you have the same speech writer. For what it’s worth, I don’t believe this is the reason for the delay.