Sabres Head Coach Search 2

[Chainshot]

We have a sample size of one, he has hired one bad coach. I will reserve judgement until I see how the team performs next year.

Well there is that he hired a bad coach and the left him behind the bench for about 40 games (or longer) than he deserved with only making one meaningful roster adjustment and allowing his coach free reign over systems and deployment.

 

[Moskau]

Choosing Martin out of the average list of coaches currently available would be like having the chance to pick from the St. Louis Blues' 5 worst roster players and choosing Vladimir Sobotka. No competent organization would ever do such a thing.

 

[Mattilaus]

Well there is that he hired a bad coach and the left him behind the bench for about 40 games (or longer) than he deserved with only making one meaningful roster adjustment and allowing his coach free reign over systems and deployment.

I agree he should have been fired sooner, but I understand why he didn't. He's already being crucified over the Sabres having too much turn over when it comes to coaches. People are already speculating that coaches do not want to come here because they get fired too quickly. That's even worse if he doesn't even give Housley the full 2 years. It was a bad decision and he should have been fired earlier but I understand his line of thinking.

 

[Chainshot]

He is the exact opposite of a dinosaur

Dave Tippett hired to set up NHL Seattle's foundation - NHL to SEATTLE







Dave Tippett And Thinking About Defense Differently



This next part is gold with how he views things. Its from his junior days.

I wonder if those were defensemen on the Areos? As far as I know, he went from playing with Houston ('94-95) to an assistant with them the next year ('95-96) and they sacked blast from teh ancient past Terry Ruskowski in the season and gave him the job.

He did three full seasons as Areos HC, then three years as an assistant in LA under Andy Murray before getting the Stars job in '02-03.

 

[Revelate]

Why? 3/4 CF coaches were fired as NHL head coaches before.

It excludes Keefe and if Tippett goes to EDM there isn’t much I like.

 

[SabresSharks]

Yep, the second and third lines both need lots of help. When you look at a team like SJ, who has guys like Donskoi, Meier, Hertl, Labanc, Nyquist, Sorensen floating around their secondary lines, it's easy to see how far behind the Sabres are in that regard.

The #1 line is typically Meier-Couture-Pavs. Strike Meier from your list, and add Big Joe and Kane. That's an impressively deep forward group. Doug Wilson has been a genius at staving off a rebuild, while keeping the roster highly competitive.

Any competent coach would do well with that team. That's all I ask for with this hire - competence. We didn't get that last time around.

 

[kirby11]

Choosing Martin out of the average list of coaches currently available would be like having the chance to pick from the St. Louis Blues' 5 worst roster players and choosing Vladimir Sobotka. No competent organization would ever do such a thing.

Well, ****

I was listening to GR a bit this morning and Howard mentioned Botts may be tempted to play it safe because this will probably be his last shot at hiring a coach/being GM here. So I'm expecting a retread already and won't be too surprised if he picks the worst of the bunch.

 

[Myllz]

The #1 line is typically Meier-Couture-Pavs. Strike Meier from your list, and add Big Joe and Kane. That's an impressively deep forward group. Doug Wilson has been a genius at staving off a rebuild, while keeping the roster highly competitive.

Any competent coach would do well with that team. That's all I ask for with this hire - competence. We didn't get that last time around.

It's probably a bit of an unfair comparison since the Sharks are likely the deepest deep in the league right now, but still.

 

[joshjull]

I wonder if those were defensemen on the Areos? As far as I know, he went from playing with Houston ('94-95) to an assistant with them the next year ('95-96) and they sacked blast from teh ancient past Terry Ruskowski in the season and gave him the job.

He did three full seasons as Areos HC, then three years as an assistant in LA under Andy Murray before getting the Stars job in '02-03.

Probably. I was going off the article which referenced his junior days.

 

[Chainshot]

I agree he should have been fired sooner, but I understand why he didn't. He's already being crucified over the Sabres having too much turn over when it comes to coaches. People are already speculating that coaches do not want to come here because they get fired too quickly. That's even worse if he doesn't even give Housley the full 2 years. It was a bad decision and he should have been fired earlier but I understand his line of thinking.

The criticism evaporates if he makes the move to fire Phil and has the sort of bounce nearly every other team that fired their coach had, even if the guy coming in was Payne and had the "interim" tag. That's a sort of decisiveness Botterill has lacked. Is there a cry that Armstrong was too quick to sack Yeo who didn't even have two years on the job? Gulutzan only got two years in Calgary and they had the audacity to go with a friend of the GM who was a pedestrian coach in Carolina... and got great results out of Peters' hire. The comments about tenure are tied to results. Teams that fire and win don't get stigmatized.

 

[Fezzy126]

I agree he should have been fired sooner, but I understand why he didn't. He's already being crucified over the Sabres having too much turn over when it comes to coaches. People are already speculating that coaches do not want to come here because they get fired too quickly. That's even worse if he doesn't even give Housley the full 2 years. It was a bad decision and he should have been fired earlier but I understand his line of thinking.

Is there any legitimate truth to this, or are you simply referring to posters on this board? Don't confuse posters with real people

 

[Chainshot]

Well, ****

I was listening to GR a bit this morning and Howard mentioned Botts may be tempted to play it safe because this will probably be his last shot at hiring a coach/being GM here. So I'm expecting a retread already and won't be too surprised if he picks the worst of the bunch.

I want Botts to go have lunch with Jarmo Kekalainen and see if some guts rub off on him.

 

[Mattilaus]

The criticism evaporates if he makes the move to fire Phil and has the sort of bounce nearly every other team that fired their coach had, even if the guy coming in was Payne and had the "interim" tag. That's a sort of decisiveness Botterill has lacked. Is there a cry that Armstrong was too quick to sack Yeo who didn't even have two years on the job? Gulutzan only got two years in Calgary and they had the audacity to go with a friend of the GM who was a pedestrian coach in Carolina... and got great results out of Peters' hire. The comments about tenure are tied to results. Teams that fire and win don't get stigmatized.

You raise a good point. I hadn't considered us potentially starting to win after a coaching change lol

 

[Myllz]

Well, ****

I was listening to GR a bit this morning and Howard mentioned Botts may be tempted to play it safe because this will probably be his last shot at hiring a coach/being GM here. So I'm expecting a retread already and won't be too surprised if he picks the worst of the bunch.

Tippett's the safe option at this point, and I'd be fine with that.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I still wish they'd have snap fired Phil after Trotz was let go *frowny face*

 

[Mattilaus]

Is there any legitimate truth to this, or are you simply referring to posters on this board? Don't confuse posters with real people

I don't know how you got me speaking truth from an authority by saying "people are already speculating". The word speculate is right in there and you can read the boards and reasonably surmise that there are likely more people who think the same way. I need proof some people speculate? What has this forum devolved to?

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I don't know how you got me speaking truth from an authority by saying "people are already speculating". The word speculate is right in there. I need proof some people speculate? What has this forum devolved to?

Well, there's weasel words and then there's weasel words. I think subsequent poster was curious if you had read something he'd missed.

 

[Moskau]

I was listening to GR a bit this morning and Howard mentioned Botts may be tempted to play it safe because this will probably be his last shot at hiring a coach/being GM here. So I'm expecting a retread already and won't be too surprised if he picks the worst of the bunch.

It's also why I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that Keefe would come here. If you've been the hottest coaching prospect in Hockey for the last 2-3 years why would you risk Dallas Eakins-ing yourself by going to a franchise that has finished dead last 3 out of the last 6 seasons? Especially when the GM will likely be fired if he produces similar results in 2020? Toronto will just pay him like an NHL coach next season and he will either be coaching the Maple Leafs in 2021 or get hired by a more stable franchise.

 

[Mattilaus]

Well, there's weasel words and then there's weasel words. I think subsequent poster was curious if you had read something he'd missed.

Well it's a poor way to ask by starting out with "is there any legitimate truth to this?" I have eyes and ears and there has been people both on here and in real life who have said they think the Sabres job is undesirable. I never said nor implied it was a reported, never said there was an article or a tweet, and never said any kind of insider, player, or coach said it.

EDIT: to clarify this is not my stance

 

[Sabre the Win]

Sabres roster isnt that bad.

No it really is.. we have no center spine.

 

[SabresSharks]

It's probably a bit of an unfair comparison since the Sharks are likely the deepest deep in the league right now, but still.

Fair comment, but as you said above, our roster isn't really all that bad.

We have an incredibly talented franchise center and a budding perennial Norris candidate to build around. Get Olafsson, Pilut, Nylander, etc. here permanently, bring in an improved Tage after some proper development in ROC, have Chubbyface Mitts focus on the squat rack this summer instead of chugging beers with his bros, realize some synergy with sensible d-pairings, and we're much improved from last season. A goalie coach that can sand off the rough edges, and a 7th OA that makes the middle-6 at some point in 2019/20 would be huge bonuses.

Again, a merely competent head coach, instead of one whose ineptitude costs us standings points, will suffice, at least for now.

 

[Montag DP]

Well it's a poor way to ask by starting out with "is there any legitimate truth to this?" I have eyes and ears and there has been people both on here and in real life who have said they think the Sabres job is undesirable. I never said nor implied it was a reported, never said there was an article or a tweet, and never said any kind of insider, player, or coach said it.

EDIT: to clarify this is not my stance

I think he was just wondering whether you were only referring to people in this forum speculating, or if any "real people" have said it.

 

[GellMann]

Columbus reporter saying word around league is that Martin is the Sabres guy

Reporters have been wrong like every single turn in this thing lol

 

[UnleashRasmus]

If Jacques Martin is the choice, I will be so pissed off. Even the Providence College coach is more appealing than that.

 

[Fezzy126]

Well it's a poor way to ask by starting out with "is there any legitimate truth to this?" I have eyes and ears and there has been people both on here and in real life who have said they think the Sabres job is undesirable. I never said nor implied it was a reported, never said there was an article or a tweet, and never said any kind of insider, player, or coach said it.

EDIT: to clarify this is not my stance

I think he was just wondering whether you were only referring to people in this forum speculating, or if any "real people" have said it.

^^^ This

There's a lot of things that are repeated ad nausea through the echo chamber of these boards, and read it enough times it becomes truth in one's own mind. I was just curious if any real media outlets have reported on this topic. I haven't seen anything myself, and our coaching turnover over the past 4 years appears to be more in line with league norms than an outlier.