Rumor: Sabres interested in bringing in Swedish National Team coach Rikard Grönborg

Wisent42

Registered User
Jan 9, 2012
2,183
230
Södertälje
The article says that Sabres and Hurricanes have asked for his number. He also states that "both those teams have head coaches and that is the only position that interests me".
I'm not a super fan of Grönborg, he's not a bad coach and certainly gives the impression that he handles players way better than Housley - we haven't had so many players say yes to playing for the national team since the Sundin/Forsberg era. But he comes across as a bit of a smooth talker.
If we're talking swedes my favourite head coach is Roger Rönnberg. He has mastered completely different styles with his different teams and when he was the HC of Luleå they p***** off the whole SHL with their ultra defensive hard working hockey. Think Vegas but way more destructive, it was glorious. He could help a team transition from establishing a good defense to a more flamboyant approach.

Sam Hallam is another good one, but he has the benefit of working for the best GM in the league.
Sam Hallam would be really interesting to see in the NHL. Rönnberg is a very good coach indeed. My favourite coach, for his work with Brynäs, is Thomas Berglund. His style of play was aggressive and offense, very entertaining to watch. Basically the opposite of the Sabres last few years. ;) And While Berglund is yet to have success with Luleå, what I'm hearing is that people are pleased with his work there too.
 

Icicle

Think big
Oct 16, 2005
6,055
1,007
I haven't heard anyone from management or ownership give him a vote of confidence. Maybe I missed it.

Botterill this offseason has stated that both he and Phil have the same idea and agree on how to best play the game. I interpreted that as they were on the same page.

Unless Botterill has some epiphany that despite them being on the same page, he just can’t coach (that is, get the message across), then I don’t see it happening either.

Comes down to whether one believes the players are to blame or whether the coach is to blame.

Maybe LVK’s run under Gallant is giving him second thoughts on how much he’s blaming the players.
 

Jim Bob

RIP RJ
Feb 27, 2002
55,647
34,477
Rochester, NY
I haven't heard anyone from management or ownership give him a vote of confidence. Maybe I missed it.

Botts said Phil was coming back at his end of season presser.

Botterill promises change at end-of-season press conference

Housley will remain coach

Botterill said he enjoyed working with Housley during their first year together and confirmed Housley will be returning as coach next season.
"I feel he improved his communication with the players, I like how he wants to play, I like the system that he wants to play," Botterill said. "You just look at the development of a player like Sam Reinhart who struggled at the start of the year, came on in the second half of the year. You look at how some of our players such as Casey Nelson and Brendan Guhle came up from Rochester and how they performed here. I like what he's done from a development standpoint."
That being said, Botterill added that communication between coaches and players remains an area in need of improvement. Inconsistency when it comes to following game plans has been an issue cited by veteran players in years past, and it continued this season.
"You can just see it in any successful organization, you see some of the teams that have turned it around this year," Botterill said. "You talk about the relationship with star players, the relationship with core players and the coaches all being on the same page. The good thing with our team is whenever we did it, we did have success.
"Look we finished 31st, we deserved to finish 31st. But against some of the top teams, especially the top teams in the East, we had some strong performances. When we were on the same page, when we played the system, when we were prepared, we had good results. We just were far too inconsistent in that throughout the year."
 

joshjull

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
78,463
39,917
Hamburg,NY
Given the Friedman report that the Sabres were talking to Glen Gulutzan about an assistant coaching job, this report doesn't surprise me that much.

It seems obvious that while Phil is likely back, they will be shaking up his staff, at least a little bit.

That should have been obvious when Botts said he was going to review the coaching staff with Phil at the locker clean out presser.
 

nihlify

Registered User
Jan 20, 2010
776
262
I've seen Dahlin's English speaking/understanding skills in action. There is basic proficiency there, sure, but let's not pretend there won't be communication issues as he transitions his life to North America.

And no, I don't see Phil benching Dahlin due to communication issues. Like I said, it was a joke. Right? Right??

Grönborg have lived and coached in America for years, have an American passport and is moving there. I think his communication would be fine.
 

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