Phil Housley discussion thread

[Kyndig]

63 points with 24 games left versus 62 points at the end of last season. Sounds like progress to me.

What were your expectations at the beginning of the season?

Borderline playoff team...which is where we're at currently but we're trending the wrong way in the worst way. We're 1 point away from being the worst team in the league over the last 33 games

 

[sabremike]

I don't buy it.

The Sabres finished dead-last in 2017-18, with 62 points, 35 points out of a playoff spot. The average points earned by the 8th place EC team over the past 5 years is 96. Please name me the mythical "good coach" who would have produced a 34 point improvement with the current roster.

In all likelihood, the Sabres will finish at least 20+ points better than last season. That's excellent progress, and I suspect almost everyone on HF Sabres would have been quite satisfied with that result if asked in early October. (I couldn't find a relevant poll.)

Please note - this is not a defense of Phil. He was a poor choice, hired at least in part due to the foolish sentimentality of the owner. The team should be in more capable hands; I think most of us agree on that.

But the guy is being unfairly scapegoated. This team has 3 genuine top-6 forwards. Our defense is capable, but not exactly the late-70s Canadiens. The goaltending is maddeningly inconsistent. This is not a playoff team under Scotty Bowman, let alone Phil Housley.

Mythical coach- The guy who took over a team that missed the playoffs by seventeen points (and saw their franchise player walk out the door) and has them running away with their division.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

I don't buy it.

The Sabres finished dead-last in 2017-18, with 62 points, 35 points out of a playoff spot. The average points earned by the 8th place EC team over the past 5 years is 96. Please name me the mythical "good coach" who would have produced a 34 point improvement with the current roster.

In all likelihood, the Sabres will finish at least 20+ points better than last season. That's excellent progress, and I suspect almost everyone on HF Sabres would have been quite satisfied with that result if asked in early October. (I couldn't find a relevant poll.)

Please note - this is not a defense of Phil. He was a poor choice, hired at least in part due to the foolish sentimentality of the owner. The team should be in more capable hands; I think most of us agree on that.

But the guy is being unfairly scapegoated. This team has 3 genuine top-6 forwards. Our defense is capable, but not exactly the late-70s Canadiens. The goaltending is maddeningly inconsistent. This is not a playoff team under Scotty Bowman, let alone Phil Housley.

Ok can you explain Montreal and the Islanders this year? Both teams were expected to finish below Buffalo the Islanders just happen to hireTrotz Canadians with Julien of course.We have a good young core not great but better than them teamsThey just happen to have better structure which is coaching we agree to disagree I guess

 

[Gordo21]

If only Housley knew the damnedest thing about hockey.

Phil Housley at eliteprospects.com

 

[sabremike]

If only Housley knew the damnedest thing about hockey.

Phil Housley Stats and News

Wayne Gretzky is the consensus greatest player ever. He was also a terrible head coach. In fact the list of great players who became great coaches is pretty damned small.

 

[Gordo21]

He's got nothing to offer. Everyone here is right. He sucks and so does Botts. Murray left everyone with a championship waiting in the wings.

Just imagine how badly the Pegula's f***ed up on both these hires when you could literally feel success around the corner.

We obviously need new owners.

 

[SabresSharks]

Mythical coach- The guy who took over a team that missed the playoffs by seventeen points (and saw their franchise player walk out the door) and has them running away with their division.

Islanders finished 18 points better than the Sabres last year, and had a dreadful season made worse by having arguably the league's worst coach. Their forward crew is deeper, more talented, and more experienced than ours, even without you-know-who. Last time I looked, Greiss and Lehner were 1 and 2 in save percentage.

Trotz is arguably the league's best coach, which has surely helped the Isles this season, but he doesn't take this Sabres roster to the playoffs.

 

[Sabreality]

He's got nothing to offer. Everyone here is right. He sucks and so does Botts. Murray left everyone with a championship waiting in the wings.

Just imagine how badly the Pegula's ****ed up on both these hires when you could literally feel success around the corner.

We obviously need new owners.

Not sure why you feel the need to 'white knight' these guys so much, I'm not nearly as down on Botts as many, I believe he has a longer view of this team (18 months from now), but Phil hasnt shown the ability to adapt and his lineup decisions have been maddening, many are fed up and have seen enough.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

He's got nothing to offer. Everyone here is right. He sucks and so does Botts. Murray left everyone with a championship waiting in the wings.

Just imagine how badly the Pegula's ****ed up on both these hires when you could literally feel success around the corner.

We obviously need new owners.

I don't think Botterill has been bad at all. That is a bit far off. However, the choice of Housley was a fine idea at the time with the first year GM / head coach montage. It definitely has not worked out with Housley and we're better off keeping him until end of season and parting ways off-season.

 

[SabresSharks]

Ok can you explain Montreal and the Islanders this year? Both teams were expected to finish below Buffalo the Islanders just happen to hireTrotz Canadians with Julien of course.We have a good young core not great but better than them teamsThey just happen to have better structure which is coaching we agree to disagree I guess

See above re Islanders.

Montreal finished 9 points ahead of the Sabres last season, and are 6 points clear of them now, having played one more game. Doesn't sound to me like Julien is exactly working miracles.

Again, guys, I'm not defending Phil. I'd take Julien or Trotz over him in an instant. Just making the point that this is not a playoff roster, regardless of who's coaching.

 

[sabremike]

Islanders finished 18 points better than the Sabres last year, and had a dreadful season made worse by having arguably the league's worst coach. Their forward crew is deeper, more talented, and more experienced than ours, even without you-know-who. Last time I looked, Greiss and Lehner were 1 and 2 in save percentage.

Trotz is arguably the league's best coach, which has surely helped the Isles this season, but he doesn't take this Sabres roster to the playoffs.

90% of the team last year looked like AHL'ers. Trotz steps in and as if by magic they all now look like actual NHL players. Even Cal Clutterbuck, a guy who was Sobotka level useless and terrible last season. Coaching matters.

 

[Gordo21]

We just need to release Scandella, Ristolainen Thompson and Sobotka and according to most here we just ride Pilut's coat tails to the Stanley Cup.

Thank f***ing God the Pegula's don't pay attention to this ridiculousness!!!

 

[Gordo21]

Phil has the f***ing Torpedo on the ice!

 

[sabremike]

I don't think Botterill has been bad at all. That is a bit far off. However, the choice of Housley was a fine idea at the time with the first year GM / head coach montage. It definitely has not worked out with Housley and we're better off keeping him until end of season and parting ways off-season.

Blues are a tire fire under Yeo. They fire him and now can't stop winning.

Flyers are an embarrassment under Hakstal. They fire him and are now in playoff contention.

Hawks fire Q who after a decade in charge had run his course. They have since roared back into playoff contention.

Ducks finally fire Carlyle after losing 18 of 20. They instantly win several games in a row.

My question: after reading that why keep Housley untill the end of the season?

 

[OkimLom]

I don't think Botterill has been bad at all. That is a bit far off. However, the choice of Housley was a fine idea at the time with the first year GM / head coach montage. It definitely has not worked out with Housley and we're better off keeping him until end of season and parting ways off-season.

In what way was it a fine idea at the time? It was a horrible choice for a team that had maturity issues, that had consistent issues, that didn’t know how to win, for a guy who has never done or taught ANY of that and never had the experience to create a pro-level system and had control over a full roster.

The only reason he was hired is because of his Sabres Alum history. If his history of working with defenseman was so important, we wouldn’t have such a low level of talent on the defense.

 

[Snippit]

Any chance he's gone tonight?

 

[Buffaloed]

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