GDT: Sabres @ Avs - Wed. 10 pm ET, Dec 13, 2023, TNT, MAX, ALT 📺 WGR 📻

[FrenchConnection44]

On 12/13/2023 at 10:20 PM, bunomatic said:

Insightful commentary from the panel 

when they weren’t laughing at the Sabres about accountability and how you choose to play. Also about the Sabres staff allowing these players to continue to make mistakes without fixing it. About how winning teams don’t allow players to get away with making mistakes over and over again. Are you listening Donnie ? Not sure this team has it in them. Its about time they start to hold each other accountable.

Yep. And I think the only way is a new coach. But whole staff needs to go. It’s really an embarrassment. Here is the audio about “accountability on every play.” Lundquist is spot on. And every game. Just terrible hockey. As much as we want to blame the goalie - and there are problems there - it is a team game. The team starts playing better and the goaltender gets confidence. And vice versa. But it’s just not happening.
 

An entire new coaching staff and major revision of the player development department is an absolute necessity, imo. I don’t know why they don’t talk to successful teams who develop players from other sports. 
 

 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

4 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Yep. And I think the only way is a new coach. But whole staff needs to go. It’s really an embarrassment. Here is the audio about “accountability on every play.” Lundquist is spot on. And every game. Just terrible hockey. As much as we want to blame the goalie - and there are problems there - it is a team game. The team starts playing better and the goaltender gets confidence. And vice versa. But it’s just not happening.
 

An entire new coaching staff and major revision of the player development department is an absolute necessity, imo. I don’t know why they don’t talk to successful teams who develop players from other sports. 
 

 

He's hit the nail on the head.

[MISabresFan]

8 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Yep. And I think the only way is a new coach. But whole staff needs to go. It’s really an embarrassment. Here is the audio about “accountability on every play.” Lundquist is spot on. And every game. Just terrible hockey. As much as we want to blame the goalie - and there are problems there - it is a team game. The team starts playing better and the goaltender gets confidence. And vice versa. But it’s just not happening.
 

An entire new coaching staff and major revision of the player development department is an absolute necessity, imo. I don’t know why they don’t talk to successful teams who develop players from other sports. 
 

 

Time for change....

[Pimlach]

Hank had some excellent and very pointed words last year too.  He is repeating the same thing, which is sad. 

[PASabreFan]

47 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Yep. And I think the only way is a new coach. But whole staff needs to go. It’s really an embarrassment. Here is the audio about “accountability on every play.” Lundquist is spot on. And every game. Just terrible hockey. As much as we want to blame the goalie - and there are problems there - it is a team game. The team starts playing better and the goaltender gets confidence. And vice versa. But it’s just not happening.
 

An entire new coaching staff and major revision of the player development department is an absolute necessity, imo. I don’t know why they don’t talk to successful teams who develop players from other sports. 
 

 

Go get em Lance! Don't have the nerve to say it yourself. FTR Henrik wasn't critiquing one period.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Yep. And I think the only way is a new coach. But whole staff needs to go. It’s really an embarrassment. Here is the audio about “accountability on every play.” Lundquist is spot on. And every game. Just terrible hockey. As much as we want to blame the goalie - and there are problems there - it is a team game. The team starts playing better and the goaltender gets confidence. And vice versa. But it’s just not happening.
 

An entire new coaching staff and major revision of the player development department is an absolute necessity, imo. I don’t know why they don’t talk to successful teams who develop players from other sports. 
 

 

I said I would comment on the coaching more at the Holidays. Well they are here.  We have 12 wins in 30 games, 0.400 winning percentage.   We have to play somewhere around .650 -.700  hockey to get into the race.  

If you fire DG now and replace him with Appert as the interim, then maybe they wake up and play better.   The problem with that is this cheesy organization will most likely stay with Appert, and next year we back where we started with an unproven NHL Coach that is part of the losing culture.   

Painful as it sounds, I keep going with DG a bit longer, with the thought of doing a thorough coaching search in the off season. Not the laughable coaching search they did when Granato got the job.  

I want to them talk to Berube, Gallant, anyone else who becomes available, and to also talk to the highest regarded assistants in the NHL.  

The time to retool is the off season when the coach gets input into the roster, the GM makes the changes, the owner stays far away on his yacht. 

 

 

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Willing to accept Berube?   That sounds funny.  Willing to accept a recent Cup winner.   Is he willing to accept Adams or Pegula?  

Berube is both a motivator and a good X & O guy.  He is not going to jump on a Sabres offer.  He will be coaching in the NHL next season, but not in Buffalo.  

I’d rather wait to throw “highest paid coach in league history” money at Brind’Amour if/when he becomes available after the season. That said, they shouldn’t wait to jettison DG. 

[SabresVet]

On 12/15/2023 at 9:17 AM, Pimlach said:

Really?   Fan apathy is now the reason that they stick with this coaching staff?   There will be no change to GM and coach because ownership does not care enough.  They have guys that do the job without making waves.  That is most important to ownership.  Stay under the cap and don’t make waves.   Fan apathy is merely a byproduct of the worst ownership in any era of NHL history.  By any measure, the ownership is a gigantic, colossal failure, and they don’t care.   That’s why good veteran players that want to win still will not come here.  

My point is there's a disconnect between ownership and the fans.  They don't consider the lack of fan support as crucial to overall success because they're aloof.  Always have been.  

Still, the apathy has been growing for several seasons now and that should drive change(s).  We see that, but their main concern after the Murray and Botterill hirings is having a GM whom they can trust.  And of course, there's major drawbacks to that being the prime job requirement.   

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, SabresVet said:

My point is there's a disconnect between ownership and the fans.  They don't consider the lack of fan support as crucial to overall success because they're aloof.  Always have been.  

Still, the apathy has been growing for several seasons now and that should drive change(s).  We see that, but their main concern after the Murray and Botterill hirings is having a GM whom they can trust.  And of course, there's major drawbacks to that being the prime job requirement.   

Disagree with the bolded.

[bob_sauve28]

 

[eman]

On 12/15/2023 at 9:26 AM, Pimlach said:

Willing to accept Berube?   That sounds funny.  Willing to accept a recent Cup winner.   Is he willing to accept Adams or Pegula?  

Berube is both a motivator and a good X & O guy.  He is not going to jump on a Sabres offer.  He will be coaching in the NHL next season, but not in Buffalo.  

Oh I agree. Berube just may be able to write his own ticket. I still prefer Gallant (which is the real reason I said I'd be willing to accept Berube) Basically, I'd like a coach who is a bit harder on the boys and will hold them accountable for their play. Not to make excuses for them. In other words, a little more "old school". I'd be happy with either guy. Very happy.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, eman said:

Oh I agree. Berube just may be able to write his own ticket. I still prefer Gallant (which is the real reason I said I'd be willing to accept Berube) Basically, I'd like a coach who is a bit harder on the boys and will hold them accountable for their play. Not to make excuses for them. In other words, a little more "old school". I'd be happy with either guy. Very happy.

Gallant is tough but he is also known as a players coach.  From what I hear, he is harder on management above him than on his players.  

I do think Berube was tough on his team, but they lost their vet core, and they needed constant prodding.   That is usually when the coach runs out of runway. 

Seems like I see a lot of good former Blues are on other teams (we just saw Barbashev and Peiterangelo last night in Vegas, and we saw Perron and Fabrbri in Detroit last week).  Their younger stars like Kyrou and Thomas are not yet at the leadership level of the vets they traded away.  There ownership does not want to miss the playoff two years straight.  They sent a message, changes are coming.  

When you think about what the Sabres did with Eichel and Reinhart, you can really understand why their reputation around the league stinks.  I also fear it does not happen again to the next group.  

For the Sabres, I would be very happy if they interviewed Gallant and Berube and Brind'Amour, but I don't see it happening.