Sabres announce Don Granato, Jason Christie and Matt Smith have been relieved of their duties

[Weave]

11 minutes ago, xzy89c1 said:

Happy Birthday?

 

What does everyone think about PECA as potential candidate?

No. More. Rookies.

[eman]

2 hours ago, Malazan said:

Dan Blysma had experience too. Hiring just for the sake of 'experience' as the only qualifier isn't a great idea. It has to be the right guy.

and we know how adept this organization is at hiring "the right guy"! 13 seasons strong!!!

[USMCSnyper]

IMO the hire needs to be from outside the Sabres family. Berube, Gallant etc...No college coaches or hopefuls. We need to stabilize the organization.

[DarthEbriate]

3 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Where is Matt Ellis’s name on this list??

The real phantom menace. 

Always two there are. The master and the apprentice. Maul Ellis!

[erickompositör72]

4 minutes ago, Mango said:

Turn down interviews or turn down job offers? I am mostly speaking to job offers. 

I am not an NHL or NFL coach, but have worked with the NCAA and USOC. There are 2 types of coaches that will turn down a chance at a HC position at National Championship/Olympic level. 

1. Senior Head Coaches with accomplished resume's. They will take a year off, work as an independent contractor, advisor, etc. before the enter a program without institutional support. 
2. Assistants in top tier programs. Those coaches have stability and are already competing for National, World, or Olympic Gold Medals. At that point in their career they will hold out for the right promotion, not take the first promotion. 

Of course there is a whole slew of coaches who don't fall into either of those buckets who would certainly take the first NHL HC job offered to them. But the rule you are playing by is not hard and fast. Sometimes no credit is better than bad credit. The Sabres seem to have the stench of "bad credit" at the moment. 

I was mostly inclined to respond because of the quote of turning down an interview.

 

The points you make definitely make sense. However (and now this is a different point), I don't think the Sabres situation is as dire as some might be making it. It could be a great opportunity for a coach to really turn things around, with many building blocks in place.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

48 minutes ago, jad1 said:

Sabres have been turned down by experienced coaches over the last 13 years, so this isn't true.

Not true..... they were turned down for greener pastures. Leafs over the Sabres, no brainer....etc.

[Doohicksie]

58 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

I'm sorry, but the reality is: 32 jobs exist in the world for this profession, and if one is open and you get offered one, you take it. Plus, the ego of a head coach-type is such that they will believe they have what it takes to improve any situation, even if presenting a great challenge.

Is the Buffalo job that great of a challenge?

• The roster has a just a few holes, some of which at least might be filled internally
• They're one season removed from being the 3rd highest scoring team in the league, and all the top scores, save Mitts & Olofsson, are still here
• They have a good cap situation
• They have one of the top prospect pools
• Their core is just coming into their prime
• They have a good and deep defensive core
• They have a goalie that just stepped up to a high quality starter and another close prospect on the rise
• They just fired a fine development coach that couldn't quite get the team to win enough games
• With the a new perspective and the right coaching, the Sabres could easily be a playoff team, perhaps SC contenders

 

[That Aud Smell]

43 minutes ago, Mango said:

The Sabres have a large fan and marketing problem. 

36 minutes ago, Big Guava said:

You can both be good at developing young players and still not be good enough to take them to the next level.

With all the excitement going on, I'm getting tripped up by stuff like there being both Mango and Guava poster accounts.

[ska-T Chitown]

Just now, Doohickie said:

Is the Buffalo job that great of a challenge?

• The roster has a just a few holes, some of which at least might be filled internally
• They're one season removed from being the 3rd highest scoring team in the league, and all the top scores, save Mitts & Olofsson, are still here
• They have a good cap situation
• They have one of the top prospect pools
• Their core is just coming into their prime
• They have a good and deep defensive core
• They have a goalie that just stepped up to a high quality starter and another close prospect on the rise
• They just fired a fine development coach that couldn't quite get the team to win enough games
• With the a new perspective and the right coaching, the Sabres could easily be a playoff team, perhaps SC contenders

 

Is this the slide deck they will be passing around to potential candidates? How's the insurance? Dental? What about 401k matching? lol

[Believer]

27 minutes ago, Mango said:

There will be coaches old and young who view the Sabres as "bad credit" and dangerous for their career going forward.

Ha… If what might be “dangerous for his career” is a coach’s focus… we wouldn’t want him anyway… The focus has to be an “exciting opportunity.”

The Sabres can offer their next HC every bit of an exciting opportunity…

Only those who see it need apply.

[erickompositör72]

3 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Is the Buffalo job that great of a challenge?

• The roster has a just a few holes, some of which at least might be filled internally
• They're one season removed from being the 3rd highest scoring team in the league, and all the top scores, save Mitts & Olofsson, are still here
• They have a good cap situation
• They have one of the top prospect pools
• Their core is just coming into their prime
• They have a good and deep defensive core
• They have a goalie that just stepped up to a high quality starter and another close prospect on the rise
• They just fired a fine development coach that couldn't quite get the team to win enough games
• With the a new perspective and the right coaching, the Sabres could easily be a playoff team, perhaps SC contenders

 

Completely agree, which (IMO) makes the sentiments I was responding to hold even less water

[Buffalonill]

Better not be seth appert

[LTS]

25 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

He hasn't been good in the NHL in years for 1. And before ANYONE quotes the Devils record, that was Burnette's doing and the proof is that the guy who made Florida the president trophy team, made Devils a playoffs team, and made the Predators a playoff team in back to back to back years. Every team he left dropped down after he left. Florida appears to have recovered and replaced him and deserves credit. 

I'll quote the Devils record with Ruff. 128-125-28. 

Granato 122-125-27.

As you rightly point out, the only good season was with Brunette behind the bench with him.  Lindy is most assuredly not the answer.

 

[jad1]

7 minutes ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

Not true..... they were turned down for greener pastures. Leafs over the Sabres, no brainer....etc.

Right, same point.  The guys offered interviews or jobs by the Sabres turned them down for better opportunities. 

In other words, the candidate didn't say the Sabres are offering me 1 out if 32 jobs in the NHL, so I'm taking it.  They weighed the Sabres opportunity and found it lacking.

The veteren, experienced coaches that we want Adams to chase will also have other opportunities and, my guess, will turn down Adams, as they find his reign in Buffalo lacking.

 

 

[Mango]

25 minutes ago, Believer said:

Ha… If what might be “dangerous for his career” is a coach’s focus… we wouldn’t want him anyway… The focus has to be an “exciting opportunity.”

The Sabres can offer their next HC every bit of an exciting opportunity…

Only those who see it need apply.

Institutional support is a very real concern. It can be managed or even improved upon, but it is a reasonable concern for any candidate. 

Imagine being an assistant basketball coach at UConn and you get an opportunity to take over Dayton (ranked 24th). But Dayton only has 9 scholarships (EEE) out of the maximum 13 and the roof of the arena has been leaking on fans for years (just like the KBC). Staying at UConn isn't an issue with the candidate it is an issue of a track record bad institutional support. 

 

Edited April 16 by Mango

[rickshaw]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

But...

what about Brind'Amour?

We can work with him, can’t we? He’s as ugly as we should go 😂 

[rickshaw]

I’m not so sure Ruff is the answer. Been there, done that. It’s not a slight to say this. I think we look even more foolish by bringing back the guy who was the last to get us in the playoffs. It would be a why’d ya get rid of him in the first place narrative and just give more ammunition to the pundits. 
 

We do need someone who will hold these kids more accountable though. Again, Tocchet, wasn’t sold on him being the answer in Vancouver but they’ve gone wire to wire this season and few  saw them making the playoffs this year. He holds those kids accountable. All of them, from top to bottom.

[msw2112]

I don't think the Sabres will have a difficult time finding candidates interested in the job.  This is not the team that finished last in the league a few short years ago.  The team is in the .500 range, with lots of young talent at all 3 levels.  They are regarded for having one of the top pipelines of young talent in the league, if not the top.  Their owner has deep pockets and has spent money before.  The same owner has had a lot of success with the Bills.  Adams seems like an easy guy to work for/with and the Mittelstadt trade and Granato firing show that he's willing to make some tough decisions (which has previously been a knock on him).  Buffalo has a great fanbase in place.  While Buffalo may not be the most desired destination for 20-something millionaire athletes (although it's usually fine for hockey players), coaches are older, established adults who are past they partying days and may well enjoy a great community like Buffalo.

I don't think the new coach is coming into a mess.  Rather, they would be coming into a great situation with a team that is on the cusp.  With the right coaching and system, I believe this is easily a playoff team and with some roster tweaks to go along with that coaching, could be a contender within a couple of years.  That's my glass half-full assessment.  Fix the power play alone and this is a playoff team.  Get a full season out of the current version of a UPL and this is a playoff team.  Improve on first period play out of the gate and this is a playoff team.  Fix any one of those things, and it's a playoff team.  A new coach can fix all 3 of those things in short order.

Edited April 16 by msw2112

[Broken Ankles]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

  🎶 wasted away again in Pegulaville ... 🎶

Why was he extended BEFORE his most pivotal season?  That is the more perplexing move.  

(To the tune of Margaritaville)

 

Listen’ to Punch scoff

Watching the playoffs

All of those fans covered with paint

Swingin’ my sand wedge

When postseason was a firm pledge

Hearin’ the Spacers well, they're beginning to boil

 

Wasting away again in T-Pegulaville

Searching for my next head coach with shame

Some people (PASabres fan) claim that there's a woman to blame

But I know, it's always Terry’s fault

[Mango]

4 minutes ago, msw2112 said:

I don't think the Sabres will have a difficult time finding candidates interested in the job.  This is not the team that finished last in the league a few short years ago.  The team is in the .500 range, with lots of young talent at all 3 levels.  They are regarded for having one of the top pipelines of young talent in the league, if not the top.  Their owner has deep pockets and has spent money before.  The same owner has had a lot of success with the Bills.  Adams seems like an easy guy to work for/with and the Mittelstadt trade and Granato firing show that he's willing to make some tough decisions (which has previously been a knock on him).  Buffalo has a great fanbase in place.  While Buffalo may not be the most desired destination for 20-something millionaire athletes (although it's usually fine for hockey players), coaches are older, established adults who are past they partying days and may well enjoy a great community like Buffalo.

I don't think the new coach is coming into a mess.  Rather, they would be coming into a great situation with a team that is on the cusp.  With the right coaching and system, I believe this is easily a playoff team and with some roster tweaks to go along with that coaching, could be a contender within a couple of years.  That's my glass half-full assessment.  Fix the power play alone and this is a playoff team.  Get a full season out of the current version of a UPL and this is a playoff team.  Improve on first period play out of the gate and this is a playoff team.  Fix any one of those things, and it's a playoff team.  A new coach can fix all 3 of those things in short order.

The biggest issue won't be the roster. It will be the unwillingness to fix a leaky roof for years, having half the scouting department other franchises do, and an unwillingness to spend much of the cap. 

[bunomatic]

More than a few decent coaches will shake loose throughout the playoffs. KA should be patient.

[LGR4GM]

30 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Better not be seth appert

There has been some rumor rumblings it will be. Nothing concrete just ppl speculating. 

Edited April 16 by LGR4GM

[TageMVP]

If it's not Gallant or someone of that ilk, the Sabres could end up being worse off 

If they did procure Gallant, I'd be excited every day until the new season starts no question 

[ska-T Chitown]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

There has been some rumor rumblings it will be. Nothing concrete just ppl speculating. 

Plz no. If for no other reason than finally settling the "so-and-so coach could whip these [insert toxic masculinity slander here] into a playoff team!" argument.

[msw2112]

6 minutes ago, Mango said:

The biggest issue won't be the roster. It will be the unwillingness to fix a leaky roof for years, having half the scouting department other franchises do, and an unwillingness to spend much of the cap. 

I don't see a passionate hockey coach caring that much about the roof.  (Plus, didn't they announce a new roof, along with the scoreboard?)  Also, the Sabres are said by the national experts to have the top pipeline in the NHL (and if not the top, one of the best), so what they have in place for scouting the last few years seems to be working.

Also, not spending to the cap, in my opinion, is less about saving money than it is about letting the young core develop rather than displacing them with expensive veterans.  When they have tried to spend (Leino, Ehrhoff, Taylor Hall, etc. and arguably Okposo and Skinner) it has not typically gone well.  Given where the team is in the development cycle, I think they'll be willing to spend a little more this offseason to fill in some of the holes in the roster (RHD, veteran "power" forward types).  I also think that the new coach will have a lot of input on how they shape the roster.  That can certainly be discussed at the interview and/or laid out as terms for accepting the job.

Edited April 16 by msw2112