Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2018-19: Sabres picking 7th overall (6/21/19). Ralph Krueger hire as new head coach!

[BillsFan4]

15 minutes ago, row_33 said:

No Mario or McDavid on paper?

 

No. It’s a very nice top 2 but not on that level. I would easily put them behind the top 2 in 2015 (McDacid, Eichel), and behind the top pick in 2016 (Matthews). I’d put them behind Dahlin too. 

 

Hughes is probably about what Pat Kane was as a #1 pick and Kakko’s game is kind of like a lesser Matthews or a guy like Rantanen.

Edited April 7, 2019 by BillsFan4

[Rockpile233]

Housley out.

 

 

[BringBackFergy]

Feel bad for Housley. Good guy. But it’s a bidness

[BillsFan4]

Oh wow. I am surprised to be honest. I thought they’d keep him another year. I kinda figured it’d be tough to survive that insane collapse in March though. 

 

Now, please go get Quenneville or Boudreau or someone on that level! 

Edit - here’s the tweet from the Sabres -

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by BillsFan4

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

11 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Oh wow. I am surprised to be honest. I thought they’d keep him another year. I kinda figured it’d be tough to survive that insane collapse in March though. 

 

Now, please go get Quenneville or Boudreau or someone on that level! 

Edit - here’s the tweet from the Sabres -

 

 

...sure is surprising...if "Q" was interested, he'd command Babcock+ money and I'd bet Pegula would pony up in a nanosecond.....

Edited April 7, 2019 by OldTimeAFLGuy

[BillsFan4]

16 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...sure is surprising...if "Q" was interested, he'd command Babcock+ money and I'd bet Pegula would pony up in a nanosecond.....

I am actually hoping that is one of the advantages the Sabres have (Eichel + Dahlin being others) is that they can offer a coaching salary that most teams won’t match. 

 

I think that Philly is going to go hard after Q though, and their GM has a prior relationship with Q. In fact, iirc Chuck Fletcher’s dad gave Q his first professional head coaching job (with the marlies I believe). 

 

Oh, and Paul Holmgren is still their team president and no one likes a to make a big splash more than him. 

 

 

There will be a lot of teams after him, I’m sure. 

Edited April 7, 2019 by BillsFan4

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

3 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I am actually hoping that is one of the advantages the Sabres have (Eichel + Dahlin being others) is that they can offer a coaching salary that most teams won’t match. 

 

I think that Philly is going to go hard after Q though, and their GM has a prior relationship with Q. In fact, iirc Chuck Fletcher’s dad gave Q his first professional head coaching job (with the marlies I believe). 

 

Oh, and Paul Holmgren is still their team president and no one likes a to make a big splash more than him. 

 

 

There will be a lot of teams after him, I’m sure. 

...so who would be other options?.....

[BillsFan4]

14 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...so who would be other options?.....

 

It depends on who’s fired. I’m hoping/thinking Bruce Boudreau will be fired in Minnesota. I would love that hire. 

 

Alain Vigneault might be a name to watch. He has a lot of experience, was known as an innovator and has taken 2 teams to the Cup finals. 

He was named the head coach for team canada at the upcoming worlds, where Botterill is the GM. 

 

Some other experienced veteran coaches out there:

 

- Michel Therrien (HC in Pittsburgh when botterill was hired)

- Todd McLellan

- Darryl Sutter 

- Randy Carlyle (puke...)

 

Rikard Grönborg could be another name to watch. He’s been team Sweden’s coach for years and is said to be looking for NHL opportunity. Botterill clearly loves the way Swedish players are developed (and has said as much). 

 

 

If Botterill goes with less experience again, Chris Taylor (Amerks Head Coach) could be a candidate (too inexpensive need IMO. Only 2yrs as a head coach at any level)

 

Or Sheldon Keefe of the Marlies. That’s a hire I wouldn’t mind. He’s won at every level. 

 

Q is definitely my #1 choice, though. 

 

 

I don’t know if Botterill will be looking for a veteran HC or not. I think he 100% should, but I worry that he may go with a less experienced candidate again. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

Just now, BillsFan4 said:

 

It depends on who’s fired. I’m hoping/thinking Bruce Boudreau will be fired in Minnesota. I would love that hire. 

 

Alain Vigneault might be a name to watch. He has a lot of experience, was known as an innovator and has taken 2 teams to the Cup finals. 

He was named the head coach for team canada at the upcoming worlds, where Botterill is the GM. 

 

Some other experienced veteran coaches out there:

 

- Michel Therrien (HC in Pittsburgh when botterill was hired)

- Todd McLellan

- Darryl Sutter 

- Randy Carlyle (puke...)

 

Rikard Grönborg could be another name to watch. He’s been team Sweden’s coach for years and is said to be looking for NHL opportunity. Botterill clearly loves the way Swedish players are developed (and has said as much). 

 

 

If Botterill goes with less experience again, Chris Taylor (Amerks Head Coach) could be a candidate (too inexpensive need IMO. Only 2yrs as a head coach at any level)

 

Or Sheldon Keefe of the Marlies. That’s a hire I wouldn’t mind. He’s won at every level. 

 

Q is definitely my #1 choice, though. 

 

 

I don’t know if Botterill will be looking for a veteran HC or not. I think he 100% should, but I worry that he may go with a less experienced candidate again. 

...good assessment bud....think Amerks Taylor is out because Pegula aims to "swing for the fences".....so is Boudreau on the "hot seat"?...guy has asbestos trousers....Therrien and Vigneault have been on the sidelines for awhile, but both are experienced.....stay tuned.......

[BillsFan4]

 

crap. The Q dream may be over before it even started...

[snafu]

I never take joy in anyone’s firing, but this is a good move for the team.

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

23 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

crap. The Q dream may be over before it even started...

...Pegula probably bids $7.5........

[boater]

Perversely, Housley's success early in the season with that winning streak may have been his ultimate undoing.

 

The October winning streak may have indicated to the Pegulas that the talent was on the roster to be a playoff team. I know that's what the winning streak meant to me.

 

If the talent was on the roster for playoffs, the only excuse for the late season collapse is coaching.

 

 

[BillsFan4]

11 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...Pegula probably bids $7.5........

Maybe....

 

 

still sounds like Florida is the front runner, though. 

 

Dale Tallon (their GM) hired Q in Chicago and assembled much of the team that Q won 3 cups with. Plus, the panthers are currently a better team than the Sabres. 

 

 

But hey, at least it sounds like we might be trying to go after him. 

[ChevyVanMiller]

51 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

It depends on who’s fired. I’m hoping/thinking Bruce Boudreau will be fired in Minnesota. I would love that hire. 

 

Alain Vigneault might be a name to watch. He has a lot of experience, was known as an innovator and has taken 2 teams to the Cup finals. 

He was named the head coach for team canada at the upcoming worlds, where Botterill is the GM. 

 

Some other experienced veteran coaches out there:

 

- Michel Therrien (HC in Pittsburgh when botterill was hired)

- Todd McLellan

- Darryl Sutter 

- Randy Carlyle (puke...)

 

Rikard Grönborg could be another name to watch. He’s been team Sweden’s coach for years and is said to be looking for NHL opportunity. Botterill clearly loves the way Swedish players are developed (and has said as much). 

 

 

If Botterill goes with less experience again, Chris Taylor (Amerks Head Coach) could be a candidate (too inexpensive need IMO. Only 2yrs as a head coach at any level)

 

Or Sheldon Keefe of the Marlies. That’s a hire I wouldn’t mind. He’s won at every level. 

 

Q is definitely my #1 choice, though. 

 

 

I don’t know if Botterill will be looking for a veteran HC or not. I think he 100% should, but I worry that he may go with a less experienced candidate again. 

That’s a great rundown of available candidates. Thank you.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

Oh wow. I am surprised to be honest. I thought they’d keep him another year. I kinda figured it’d be tough to survive that insane collapse in March though. 

 

Now, please go get Quenneville or Boudreau or someone on that level! 

Edit - here’s the tweet from the Sabres -

 

 

It would have been more possible to survive the insane March collapse if not for the just as insane collapse in December, January, and February. 

 

The sorry fact is that for 139 of the 164 games he coached here, we were the worst team in hockey. 

[Boca BIlls]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

Oh wow. I am surprised to be honest. I thought they’d keep him another year. I kinda figured it’d be tough to survive that insane collapse in March though. 

 

Now, please go get Quenneville or Boudreau or someone on that level! 

Edit - here’s the tweet from the Sabres -

 

 

Did you not watch this season? I can't possibly believe anyone was surprised about this... Unless you really didn't see them play.

 

Housley is the only guy I have seen actually discover what is below rock bottom.

Edited April 7, 2019 by Boca BIlls

[Doc Brown]

1 minute ago, snafu said:

I never take joy in anyone’s firing, but this is a good move for the team.

 

After Rex Ryan ruined our defense I took a little joy in him getting fired.

 

The Pegula's at least know when they made a mistake and I'm glad Housley is gone.  Now go and convince Quenneville that Buffalo is superior to Florida.

[Marv's Neighbor]

Always hate to see anyone fired, but REALLY, should have happened at the all star break.

[eball]

Need to hit a home run with the next hire. No more first-timers.