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


BillsFan4

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6 hours ago, K-9 said:

Nice debut for Ukko. My question is, will 6K get a look in the playoffs given the struggles of Wedgewood lately. 

Wondering the same thing myself. 

 

Goaltending killed the Amerks in the playoffs last year. Don’t want to see that happen again this year. 

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damn it. I really wanted AV. 

 

That about does it for the few big name veteran coaches that were on the market. 

I don’t think we were high on their lists though, seeing as we didn’t even get an interview with Q or AV. 

 

I know some will say that anyone is an upgrade in Housley (like they said about Bylsma...) but I was in the camp that if we fired Housley I wanted it to be for a clear upgrade. I am still hoping that ends up being the case. 

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8 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

damn it. I really wanted AV. 

 

No loss IMO. 

 

AV is the classic "looks good initially but wears out his welcome in 2-3 years" kind of coach that doesn't get you a cup.    Sort of fools gold, rather than the real thing.

 

IMO, there are no good options among the "retreads" left on the market, so I suspect they'll have to go with another young, "up-and-comer" when the coaching carousel music stops...   

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31 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

No loss IMO. 

 

AV is the classic "looks good initially but wears out his welcome in 2-3 years" kind of coach that doesn't get you a cup.    Sort of fools gold, rather than the real thing.

 

IMO, there are no good options among the "retreads" left on the market, so I suspect they'll have to go with another young, "up-and-comer" when the coaching carousel music stops...   

We need someone that can get us back to respectability and consistently making the playoffs before we even start to worry about whether or not a coach can win us a Cup. 

 

AV has a track record of making every team he takes over better. He made the playoffs 9 out of the past 10 seasons, 2 of those being cup final appearances with 2 separate teams. 

 

It it doesn’t matter now, but I feel we would have been lucky to have him. Even if his voice wore out in 4 years, who cares if he got us consistently in the playoff mix.

Then you look to hire that coach to put you over the top.

 

 

I just really wanted a veteran coach that’s had experience improving teams and has that instant credibility with the players in the locker room, since buy-in has been such an issue. This is clearly a tough job. I worry that another newcomer will be overwhelmed by the size of the task at hand. 

 

I guess I also just feel like the Sabres are one of the teams that can least afford to take a risk with their next coaching hire... 

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16 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Bring back Lindy! Enough time has past. Enough personnel have been purged. 

You know.... that’s not the worst idea I’ve heard. 

 

We know he loves Buffalo. 

 

He could probably help re-establish the sense of pride these players should have in putting on that Sabres jersey (or any NHL jersey for that matter), with the history he has with this franchise. 

 

One things for sure, when he was here the players were not running the show.

 

Even the face of the franchise (at the time) Ryan Miller, during his peak US olympic years, was scared to complain about Lindy. I remember the media asking him about his playing time, or being pulled or something like that, and trying to bait him into saying something and Miller wouldn’t dare. He even said something like “that’s the guy who controls my playing time. Whatever he says, goes”. 

 

Miller knew that even though he was the sabres franchise player, Lindy was still in charge. I don’t think we’ve had that since Lindy left to be honest. 

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

Even if his voice wore out in 4 years, who cares if he got us consistently in the playoff mix.

 

Having a quality roster gets you in the playoff mix.    A quality coach gets you playoff wins (and sometimes a Cup).

 

AV would have not elevated this roster.  Only Botts can do that...

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15 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

We need someone that can get us back to respectability and consistently making the playoffs before we even start to worry about whether or not a coach can win us a Cup.

 

AV has a track record of making every team he takes over better. He made the playoffs 9 out of the past 10 seasons, 2 of those being cup final appearances with 2 separate teams. 

 

It it doesn’t matter now, but I feel we would have been lucky to have him. Even if his voice wore out in 4 years, who cares if he got us consistently in the playoff mix.

Then you look to hire that coach to put you over the top.

 

 

I just really wanted a veteran coach that’s had experience improving teams and has that instant credibility with the players in the locker room, since buy-in has been such an issue. This is clearly a tough job. I worry that another newcomer will be overwhelmed by the size of the task at hand. 

 

I guess I also just feel like the Sabres are one of the teams that can least afford to take a risk with their next coaching hire... 

I'm not fixated on who the next HC is going to be as I am more focused on what players are going to be brought in to fortify the roster. That's the more critical issue. When you have an incomplete roster your team on the ice is going to be exploited. Who is the GM going to bring in to maximize his assets and minimize his liabilities? Make no mistake that next year's roster might be even younger than this year's roster. Who best can manage that type of roster? 

 

Different coaches emphasize different systems. Yet, the reality is that there is a basic and fundamental nature to the game that all teams play. It's not so much about innovation as it is having enough talent and having the right mix of players. The biggest consideration that the GM has to make when deciding on a HC is how does he relate to young players and how does he handle dealing with their inevitable mistakes. Does the GM make the short term decision to go with a veteran/retread coach who leans toward experienced players or does he widen the net and select an upcoming coach from the minors or promising assistant who is more inclined to working with young and developing players. 

 

There is no reason to hurry with this critical coaching selection. Let the playoffs conclude and then scan the field for either an appealing assistant coach or a coach who has had success in the minors such as the coach of the Marlies and Taylor from the Amerks. 

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3 hours ago, Helpmenow said:

Stop with bringing ruff back. Only here folks want an old timers. How about  don lever, Scott arniel, Craig Ramsey, Jim schoenfeld, Ted sator, Rick Dudley. Their all out there.

 

 

Joe Crozier and Scotty Bowman are still alive too!

 

Seriously, at 59, Ruff is still relatively young, and possibly the best coach the Sabres have had.  An assistant with the Rangers now, he’d probably jump at the chance to return to Buffalo.

 

It’s not the worst idea I’ve heard.

 

JMO

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38 minutes ago, Helpmenow said:

They hire Ruff that would be  like hiring levy for the bills.

 

Hardly.  Ruff is 59, Levy is 93.

 

You had a problem with Coach Levy?  GM Levy, I could understand, but as Bills coach, Marv has more wins than any other.

 

Same goes for Lindy Ruff and the Sabres.

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Edited by The Senator
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For anyone wanting to watch the Amerks playoff run -

 

https://www.watchtheahl.com/#/

 

AHLtv came out with their playoff package today. It’s actually pretty reasonable. 

 

Quote
PRICING
2019 CALDER CUP PLAYOFF PACKAGES
$24.99 - Playoff All-Access
Access to every game of the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs
$7.99 - Daily All-Access
Access to every game for one day (only valid on date of purchase)

 

 

You can also occasionally find the Amerks games on YouTube. 

 

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