Who will be the next Head Coach of the Buffalo Sabres?

dudacek · April 17

1 hour ago, LTS said:

Devils fans chant "Fire Lindy" - November 13, 2022
Sabres fans change "Fire Donnie" - December 23, 2023

Why do I bring this up? Everyone keeps looking at only last year to this year for Ruff. But people seem to ignore that the Devils sucked the year before their great year last year.

Lindy Ruff - year over year with NJ

2020-2021 - 19-30-7
2021-2022 - 27-46-9
2022-2023 - 55-22-8
2023-2024 - 30-27-4

He had ONE good year. There's nothing here that says he's going to perform better with the Sabres. Do the Sabres have Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Graves, Damon Severson? Nope. So if Ruff's success is because of the players then why do you expect he'll have success with this roster?

Brunette took over in Florida and had a 51-18-6 record. Florida last year? 42-32-8. Nashville this year 47-30-5. The man coaches winning teams.

When Brunette came to NJD he ran the power play, that improved from 28th the year before to 13th. That NJD last year also boasts the largest single season turnaround in NHL history. It's not all Brunette, but it's also an outlier at this point.

There's just not much to give Ruff all the credit here. And if people point to the roster for the reasons of his success then you have to account the Sabres roster and ask if that roster will give him success.. because either he's a coach that wins because of the roster or he's a coach that can make the roster win.

The difference is important.

I hope nobody thinks my post upthread was me advocating for Ruff.

Its me looking at the tea leaves and saying what I think will happen, not what I want to happen.

I like Lindy and think he’s a good coach. Also think he’s easy to cheer for and can’t think of a better story than his return ending the nightmare Sabres fandom has been since he left.

All that said, I think the team is better off looking ahead than looking behind.

(Still think he’s going to be the guy, and sooner than you think)

Indabuff · April 17

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

I’m already picturing the Home Opener with the team wearing the goatheads coming out to a new video montage with Better Days playing in the background

And they then promptly lose 7-2.

... · April 17

I am getting the sense from across the interwebz that the bias amongst the fans is against making Lindy HC again.

Which most certainly means Adams will...

Make It So Star Trek GIF

thewookie1 · April 17

I had a dream once that Lindy came back as an assistant coach. Not terribly relevant but hey?

Indabuff · April 17

13 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

I had a dream once that Lindy came back as an assistant coach. Not terribly relevant but hey?

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Flashsabre · April 17

https://buffalonews.com/sports/professional/nhl/sabres/buffalo-sabres-coaches-lindy-ruff-craig-berube-gerard-gallant-bruce-boudreau-rod-brindamour/article_d20b4f6c-fcd8-11ee-8014-9b0e2397515e.html

Flashsabre · April 18

Adams ass is on the line. If Brindamour is not leaving then I think he turns to Lindy. He knows him, trusts him, can work with him. The other wildcard is Quenneville but that is a long shot like Brindamour.

Edited April 18 by Flashsabre

Pimlach · April 18

On 4/16/2024 at 11:43 AM, msw2112 said:

Brind'Amour-Peca would be a great duo. I'm not sure I see it happening. I could live with a Ruff-Peca duo, with the idea that Ruff is an older guy who might put in a couple of years to change the culture, then pass the reins onto Peca. Or even something like Ruff-Appert. Maybe set it up where Ruff will coach 2 years, then turn over the reins to the younger guy and move into a front-office job. I don't know if something like that is realistic, but I do think it could work.

What you’re talking about happened. Roger Neilson took over for Scotty Bowman in 1980 as coach in the same manner you described.

Doohickie · April 18

11 hours ago, pi2000 said:

D. Sutter

His press conferences would be gold but otherwise I'm not a fan.

Doohickie · April 18

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

Adams ass is on the line. If Brindamour is not leaving then I think he turns to Lindy. He knows him, trusts him, can work with him. The other wildcard is Quenneville but that is a long shot like Brindamour.

I may leave this forum and Sabres fandom if they bring Lindy back. He won't make it to Christmas and Kevyn will be out on his ass too.

PerreaultForever · April 18

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

His press conferences would be gold but otherwise I'm not a fan.

Damn. Sutter. I never even thought about him. That would be a huge departure so I don't see it happening. Not even a remote possibility BUT if it did I'd be willing to give it a chance to see what happens. It would definitely mean a lot of changes. Not sure it would work, but it won't be boring.

MISabresFan · April 18

Lol - I asked an AI program who will be the sabers next head coach. Here is the response:

The Buffalo Sabres recently dismissed head coach Don Granato after a 13-season playoff drought. General Manager Kevyn Adams is now searching for a replacement.

1-Craig Berube: Former St. Louis Blues head coach who led the team to a Stanley Cup victory in 2019. Berube has experience and knows how to work quickly.

2-Bruce Boudreau: A seasoned coach who has won 1,087 games as a head coach in Anaheim, Washington, Minnesota, and Vancouver. He’s been to the playoffs 10 times in 16 seasons and won the Jack Adams Award for outstanding coaching with the Washington Capitals.

3-Dallas Eakins: Previously coached the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks. While his tenure with the Oilers was short-lived, he has a good rapport with players.

4-Gerard Gallant: Known for leading the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup finals in their inaugural season. He also had success with the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers.

The Sabres are looking for someone who can relate to young players and push the team to perform better. The goal is to find the perfect hire and end their playoff drought.

inkman · April 18

19 hours ago, Brawndo said:

I’m already picturing the Home Opener with the team wearing the goatheads coming out to a new video montage with Better Days playing in the background

I’m so glad I never caught wind of the Better Says schtick. I guess because I didn’t really attend games at that point in my life? Mad cringy.

Doohickie · April 18

8 minutes ago, inkman said:

I’m so glad I never caught wind of the Better Says schtick. I guess because I didn’t really attend games at that point in my life? Mad cringy.

tbh, whenever a Goo Goo Dolls song comes on the radio I switch it immediately. Depressing emo crap.

inkman · April 18

2 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

tbh, whenever a Goo Goo Dolls song comes on the radio I switch it immediately. Depressing emo crap.

Long Way Down is a good jam. That was the end of it for them tho.

PromoTheRobot · April 18

On 4/16/2024 at 11:25 AM, LabattBlue said:

My choice…”doesn’t matter until Pegula sells the team and a real GM is hired”.

"Ladies and gentlemen... Please welcome your Atlanta Sabres!"

CallawaySabres · April 18

I am torn between Gallant and Berube as far as realistic targets. Zero chance Brindy looks in this direction.

nfreeman · April 18

Well, if Lindy is KA's top choice, it will probably happen by tomorrow.

KA said a couple of times that he has a plan. I kinda think that means he has a list of guys ordered by preference. If the guy at the top of his list isn't yet available -- like Brind'Amour or Sullivan -- then he needs to wait until his top choice becomes available.

OTOH, if his top choice is available now -- like Lindy or Quenneville (and I think there is zero possibility that it's Quenneville -- although based on the Jenner & Block report it sounds like the key factual question of whether or not Quenneville knew comes down to his word vs one other member of Hawks' management's word, I think there is too much smoke for TP to be OK with it) -- then it should be wrapped up quickly.

I'm not sure whom I want. I freaking love Lindy, and I'm pretty sure that he would've gotten them into the playoffs this year, and this team kinda feels like they could bust out like Lindy's 2005-06 Sabres, but bringing him back kinda feels like a desperation move by a loser franchise.

What I really want is for KA to do what a really good GM would do and choose the right guy.

Doohickie · April 18

3 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

I am torn between Gallant and Berube as far as realistic targets. Zero chance Brindy looks in this direction.

They keep saying the deal in CAR is "almost done" but won't be complete until after their season ends. I've seen a lot of verbal agreements fall through. Unlikely? Yes. Zero? No.

inkman · April 18

6 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

I am torn between Gallant and Berube as far as realistic targets. Zero chance Brindy looks in this direction.

Or leaves Carolina

Doohickie · April 18

7 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I'm not sure whom I want. I freaking love Lindy, and I'm pretty sure that he would've gotten them into the playoffs this year, and this team kinda feels like they could bust out like Lindy's 2005-06 Sabres, but bringing him back kinda feels like a desperation move by a loser franchise.

My view is more practical than that: There's too much baggage here between Lindy (who still lives in Clarence I believe), the city, the franchise and Kevyn himself. Lindy was the guy who hired Kevyn into the Sabres org as an assistant coach. I think there is literally too much of a conflict of interest here.

Two scenarios: Lindy gets them to the playoffs this coming season and it's a storybook ending. Or the team struggles out of the gate and Lindy needs to be let go. Everyone projects the first scenario, but if the second occurs it will crumble any thoughts that Kevyn can exercise sound judgment. If Lindy stumbles it would likely mean both Lindy and Kevyn would be done. It's one thing to pick the wrong coach. It's something else to pick the wrong coach because he's an old buddy of yours.

Edited April 18 by Doohickie

mjd1001 · April 18

I haven't found the betting odds for who is the next Sabres coach, but I did find the site from when Kreueger was fired in 2022, and the list of the betting odds back then. The moral....don't trust the betting odds:

Full article here: https://www.oddsshark.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres-next-head-coach-odds#:~:text=In looking to project what the Sabres will,Rick Tocchet (%2B600) next up on the oddsboard.

some highlights from the 2022 article just before Granato was hired:

On March 17, the Buffalo Sabres announced that head coach Ralph Krueger had been relieved of his duties.

Assistant coach Don Granato will take over on an interim basis for the Sabres, but the chances of him becoming the next permanent coach appear to be slim.