Post-Game Talk (GBU): Outcoached

[jvirk]

I know this is probably me dreaming, but I wonder if Babcock doesn't resign in detroit after this season what it would take for Buffalo to get him (if Nolan was let go after this season...which again, is probably highly unlikely). I wonder if the pegulas could throw BIG money at him. The offer would be intriguing:
- Highest paid coach in the NHL by farrrr
- Plethora of GREAT talent to work with that's ready for the NHL (fingers crossed I'd love to add McDavid to that talent as well, along with 2 other top notch 1st rounders)

Don't rip me to shreds just yet, I was just thinking if pegula bucks and our team's direction could possibly get arguably the best coach in the league.

 

[brian_griffin]

I have no problem with the logic of Risto and Reinhart (when he was up) receiving substantially greater D-zone starts than their equivalent youthful peers around the NHL.

Context: Other teams are actually playing for playoffs; Sabres are not.

R & R are viewed as part of the future in Buffalo, and will be expected to develop into puck-posession players. The puck-possession assymptote has already been reached for Ennis / Hodgson / insert-veteran-here, and it's not gonna grow. Why take those opportunities away from Risto / Reinhart?

I doubt their confidence will be shattered due to disproportionately fewer O-zone starts. Moreover, I assume on BUF, there about 2 d-zone starts for every 1 o-zone starts, so, as the season progresses, it will be harder to increase a players % of o-zone starts as you'd need to add a lot more to the numerator.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

I have all the data from last year. Its something I could certainly look into as we get closer to 20 games. I have corsi and fenwick 5on5 and 5on5 close from last year game by game, and I even have each of the opponents from last year season corsi and fenwick same situations. I do that so I can have some point of reference to the strength of our opponents, rather than ignoring that some stretches of games are easier or harder than others.

I do agree that there seems to be some intangibles that look better under Nolan compared to Rolston. But everything comes back to the schedule to me, I wonder if things would have "turned around" last year even if Rolston remained the coach. Our first 20 games last year really was the gauntlet. We didn't come close to touching such a tough stretch of games the rest of the season. This year is a very similar schedule through the 1st 20 games, so the results so far haven't been surprising. I expect to see an uptick (such that it is) around the same time we saw one last year around games 30-50. We were only a -6 goal differential team through those 20 games last year when the scheduled eased off a lot, before getting tougher again down the stretch.

Wow, sounds like you have quite a stat collection. If you do end up comparing this years first 20 against last year's, i'd be curious what the results are.

I know this is probably me dreaming, but I wonder if Babcock doesn't resign in detroit after this season what it would take for Buffalo to get him (if Nolan was let go after this season...which again, is probably highly unlikely). I wonder if the pegulas could throw BIG money at him. The offer would be intriguing:
- Highest paid coach in the NHL by farrrr
- Plethora of GREAT talent to work with that's ready for the NHL (fingers crossed I'd love to add McDavid to that talent as well, along with 2 other top notch 1st rounders)

Don't rip me to shreds just yet, I was just thinking if pegula bucks and our team's direction could possibly get arguably the best coach in the league.

I won't rule out as being impossible, but i think there is a lot faith placed in "Pegula bucks" than what is reality. Can Pegula agree to pay whatever GMTM is willing to offer Babcock to switch teams? Sure! If anything lures Babcock here, though, i figure it would be the chance to coach a group of youngsters from nothing to something. I just don't know how much babcock would be interested in Buffalo.

 

[jBuds]

This game was fun to watch. We forechecked. We played tough. We worked. Foligno played his first great game in two years. Ennis was good.

I don't mind losing like that.

 

[1972]

It's apparent to me that Ted Nolan cannot coach in this league anymore.

I think we need to bring in a Jon Cooper type of coach this off season. Luke Richardson seems like a possibility but If Babcock signs an extension you have to think Jeff Blashill could be a front runner for any coaching position, I think he has those qualities that Babcock displays. He gets it, period.

I like Nolan, I feel bad for him because of the position he was put in.

I didn't really want this in this thread, I was hoping we had a thread for possible coaching candidates after Nolan.

 

[1972]

How is it possible to sound that similar to Babcock?