Player Discussion Any interest in Claude Julien now that he's available?

[BFLO]

Title says it all.

Promote Krueger to some nebulous position above HC and hire Julien as HC? Keep our assistant coaches as we have one of the best special teams this season?

I think Julien got a lot out of a mediocre Habs roster and had the team earning more points than their talent level.

Click to read more...

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

My preference would be Boudreau, Julien, Gallant, in that order. Not gonna hold my breath, though...

 

[slip]

But has he written a book on winning? I thought so. Hard pass.

 

[KiwiGriff]

My preference would be Boudreau, Julien, Gallant, in that order. Not gonna hold my breath, though...

Boudreau expresses interest in Kraken coaching job: report

There's another team that available coaches would be more interested in than the Sabres ...

 

[EichHart]

My preference would be Boudreau, Julien, Gallant, in that order. Not gonna hold my breath, though...

I'd take any of them over Krueger.

 

[Royisgone]

I would love for them to hire Julien TODAY, but what is it with these never-ending comments about somehow re-positioning Krueger within the organization first?

Why? I would make Julien HC and GM if he wanted it. Or at least promise him final say on player decisions.

We won't do any of this.

 

[Royisgone]

My preference would be Boudreau, Julien, Gallant, in that order. Not gonna hold my breath, though...

I would take Julien over Boudreau, but it doesn't matter.

You list 3 solid names, all of which could work in terms of trying to turn a corner in Sabreland.

It won't happen.

 

[Fjordy]

Of course

 

[Caroline Says ll]

Yes Krueger should instantly be fired and replaced with Julian if he is willing to sign here. If not it should be the same for Gallant or Boudreau.

Julian is a coach with a pedigree of success who is known for his teams strong 5 on 5 play. With a Montreal team devoid of talent with aging slow players in core positions he had them overachieving. Julian has successful runs in Montreal, Boston and New Jersey(fired due to Lou). He will be snatched up anytime within a year and we should be the ones.

 

[flashsabre]

Non starter. Pegulas are not paying another coach millions of dollars to sit at home and paying millions more for yet another coach.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I said in another thread, we don't have the offense to sustain Julian's system. If you watch the Canadians they win by out scoring their opponents.

Im fine with Kruger. I don't think our problems are all on the coach in the first place anyways.

 

[sufferer]

He would've been a really good get for the Tim Murray era team but this one needs a Boudreau/Gallant type, not that I would balk at him because just about anyone is better than what we currently have.

 

[Fezzy126]

I would love for them to hire Julien TODAY, but what is it with these never-ending comments about somehow re-positioning Krueger within the organization first?

Why? I would make Julien HC and GM if he wanted it. Or at least promise him final say on player decisions.

We won't do any of this.

Because it has been widely reported that the Pegulas are firmly behind Krueger, and the players are as well. As a result most don't think he'll get outright fired, especially in such an odd year.

I liken it to a similar situation in Philadelphia; As a GM Paul Holmgren depleted the pipeline, put the team in cap jail, and eventually drove the on-ice performance into the ground. Ownership promoted him into a nice figurehead position rather than outight firing him.

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

I said in another thread, we don't have the offense to sustain Julian's system. If you watch the Canadians they win by out scoring their opponents.

Im fine with Kruger. I don't think our problems are all on the coach in the first place anyways.

1 - My recollection of Julien (mainly thinking of his time in Boston) was that his teams were a very defense-first style that won a lot of games only scoring 1-3 goals.

2 - On paper, the Sabres should be a team that gets by on their offensive talent. Eichel, Hall, Skinner, Reinhart, Olofsson, Staal, Cozens,Dahlin, Risto... It stands to reason that instead of it being that every one of these players is underperforming based on their expectations, the coach isn’t providing the right structure for them to thrive in.

 

[Fjordy]

Gallant, Boudreau or Julien would make a lot of sense right now.

 

[OkimLom]

Fire Smith, and allow Julien to come on to coach the defense and PK.

That way, you can move things around in the organization if you want to keep Ralph but need a better coach behind the bench.

 

[OkimLom]

I said in another thread, we don't have the offense to sustain Julian's system. If you watch the Canadians they win by out scoring their opponents.

Im fine with Kruger. I don't think our problems are all on the coach in the first place anyways.

I think it's that we don't have the speed and grit on the team to sustain a Julian system. Julian's systems, when at its most effectiveness, has players on top of players with backchecking and forechecking and cycles the players to keep it alive in all 3 zones.

 

[tunaboy]

the hell with julien i want kirk mueller as a head coach !

 

[Buffaloed]

Julien lacks the empathy to connect with the players on an emotional level. Sure they're here for the hockey, but these are human beings with thoughts and feelings.

 

[Kyndig]

Insert "Good coach won't come here."
Insert "Sabres only sign unproven coaches."

If only I could make a connection here...

 

[BFLO]

Hockey Heaven. Dig another well Terry!

Julien will coach the team at 5v5(We're 30th in GF% at 5v5)

Kreuger and his assistants coach the PP. (we're tied for first in the league at 33.3%)

Lets goooooo

 

[toomuchsauce]

i just seen bruce boudreau on my tv talking about julien being fired, get him

 

[Rowley Birkin]

My choice would be Gallant. Quite easily.

 

[OkimLom]

Hockey Heaven. Dig another well Terry!

Julien will coach the team at 5v5(We're 30th in GF% at 5v5)

Kreuger and his assistants coach the PP. (we're tied for first in the league at 33.3%)

Lets goooooo

If you're getting Julien, you're getting him to get a more defensively structured, responsible team, not exactly a coach that is known for and capable of creating/improving offense. If this team was capable of creating offense at will, and you wanted to clean up their defensive side of the game, then he's your guy. This is not to mention we don't have the player types, or speed, to make what makes his systems successful.

 

[explore]

I'd be satisfied if they brought him in as an assistant for at least his 5v5 coaching strength, don't see it happening though

Just don't see Krueger being let go before his contract ends