Speculation: The Coaching Search (Friedman: Ruff to be next HC)

[Jimmybarndoor2]

Who are you considering the vets? Plenty of the core guys could/should be considered vets. If you’re talking about Jost and Girgs, fine but losing them isn’t going to impact the changes much. Are including Greenway in that discussion?

I like greenway. And consider him a new guy. And think he should stay but whatever it takes

 

[Ace]

I was worried that UPL’s unexpected great year would save Don’s bacon…and watching Georgiev right now I’m starting to think it is going to make the opening incredibly attractive. So many teams with nothing in goal. Even great teams felled by it often. Between UPL and Levi a coach has two legit shots at sealing the position for the duration of their time here. They might walk into an eventual tandem that many other coaches envy. And that’s based on their play behind a team that was such a mess the coaching job is open. If you think you can fix the PP or cut down on high danger scoring chances even more…you take this job.

 

[Fjordy]

Maybe I’m grasping at straws but the Blues teams he coached had so much talent. Binnington was channeling his inner Dryden on that cup run too. But hey he’s definitely an upgrade either way.

I wouldn't say that St. Louis' rosterwas that much better than the others, but they played a good strong style, they had some young players, big defs, which we have as well. Binnington had a really great performance, but I don't agree that St. Louis came out of last place and won the cup only because of him. And then they started having problems with goalies. I think whether it's Berube, Ruff or Gallant, any of them could be the right choice, it's also important to hire some good assistants.

 

[Ace]

Maybe I’m grasping at straws but the Blues teams he coached had so much talent. Binnington was channeling his inner Dryden on that cup run too. But hey he’s definitely an upgrade either way.

I mean…they were in literal last place halfway through that season.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I have to think we start hearing some whispers (other than Chad) this week ?

 

[Jacob582]

delete

 

[Yultron]

If the Leaf’s get swept I wonder if Sheldon Keefe becomes availAble. I would at least interview him

 

[Chainshot]

I have to think we start hearing some whispers (other than Chad) this week ?

Started the morning's 32 Thoughts wondering if there will be a mention, but nothing thus far. I'm only 15-ish minutes in and of course it was a big night for Vancouver and Winnipeg so they are covering that to start.

 

[joshjull]

It would definitely be an important thing to figure out if the Sabres were interested! But I know what you mean, a lot of land mines

The biggest land mine is the NHL has to allow him to coach again. They don’t seem in any rush to do so.

 

[Jim Bob]

The biggest land mine is the NHL has to allow him to coach again. They don’t seem in any rush to do so.

With Q giving the interview on the Cam & Strick podcast, there are some people guessing that Q did have conversations with the NHL before going on there and that it may have been a bit of a trial balloon to see what the response to it would be amongst fans and media. There are also some guesses that perhaps the Blues might be interested in Q.

Ultimately, I would be really shocked if Pegula hired Quenneville, even if the NHL was OK with it.

 

[joshjull]

I think Fairburn made a fair point - the roster type (run and gun) will dictate the coach.

Some coaching names on 'the list' will not want to coach the weakest hitting & weak defensive team. At the very least there would be pushback.

Ruff may be the only coach willing to accept Adams' soft-hockey philosophy.

“Run and gun” isn’t a roster type. It’s a style of play.

Fairburn was talking about a coach's style not being a good fit. As an example, one that leaned heavily into a grinding defensive style. Since our roster has a ton of offensive talent.

It really has nothing to do with being soft or not.

 

[rams]

“Run and gun” isn’t a roster type. It’s a style of play.

Fairburn was talking about a coach's style not being a good fit. As an example, one that leaned heavily into a grinding defensive style. Since our roster has a ton of offensive talent.

It really has nothing to do with being soft or not.

Small, fast, perimeter players is a roster type. Guys who are afraid to go to the net. Guys who are constantly smacked into the boards, knocked off pucks (knocked down), bullied. Guys who cannot (or refuse) to defend their own crease. Doesn't matter whether you call it a style or type, that's just semantics.

 

[Jimmybarndoor2]

I have to think we start hearing some whispers (other than Chad) this week ?

Sabres are not the newsmakers right now. The teams in playoffs are

 

[joshjull]

Small, fast, perimeter players is a roster type. Guys who are afraid to go to the net. Guys who are constantly smacked into the boards, knocked off pucks (knocked down), bullied. Guys who cannot (or refuse) to defend their own crease. Doesn't matter whether you call it a style or type, that's just semantics.

It’s not semantics.

The top players on this team are highly skilled offensive players. Adams needs a coach that can get the most out of that group offensively. But can also balance that offense with better defensive play. Coaches that want to play with heavy defensive focus or ave a primary offensive focus would be grinding heavy forecheck. Those types are probably not good fits. This would be true for a team like the Avs as well and no one thinks they’re soft.

Separate from that, the roster overall needs to get tougher. Adams seems to agree and talked about making the bottom 6 tougher to play against. But it’s not remotely accurate to say we have a roster of nothing but small perimeter players.

 

[TehDoak]

It’s not semantics.

The top players on this team are highly skilled offensive players. Adams needs a coach that can get the most out of that group offensively. But can also balance that offense with better defensive play. Coaches that want to play with heavy defensive focus or ave a primary offensive focus would be grinding heavy forecheck. Those types are probably not good fits. This would be true for a team like the Avs as well and no one thinks they’re soft.

Separate from that, the roster overall needs to get tougher. Adams seems to agree and talked about making the bottom 6 tougher to play against. But it’s not remotely accurate to say we have a roster of nothing but small perimeter players.

The roster change has to happen in concert with a coaching change though.

Adams has, for better or worse, given coaches what they've asked for during his tenure. It's been a pretty mixed bag (Hall for Krueger, Greenway/Clifton/Hinostroza for Granato)

The bigger name coach that the Sabres sign, I have to think, the bigger impact they will have on the roster.

Going into next season, the difference between running a rookie 3C/veteran 4C and adding a vet 3C/4C could possibly be a huge difference in what style the team plays

Are they going to lean into Cozens being a matchup center and opt for Savoie to be another high speed offensive first with low defensive responsibility center or are they going to get a matchup two way center and press cozens a bit more offensively.

From Adams comments with Granato, it certainly felt like they were going to go the rookie 3C route.

However, I think most offseason discussions are on hold a bit until they address the coach.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

I'm just afraid that after few years we let go another starting goalie for GM's/Coach incompetence.

 

[Chainshot]

Got on the road, finished 32 Thoughts, no mention of the Sabres coaching search (not surprised, it is supposed to be about the playoffs).

 

[Archie Lee]

McLellan half-assed his interview in Buffalo because he didn't want the job. He wasted their time. I hope they remember that and have him struck off their list.

Is this insider info or was it reported? My recollection is that it was reported that McLellan made it to a point in the process where he met with Pegula and candidly told Pegula that Pegula’s reputation around the league was that he was impatient with coaches.

The thing about all these veteran coaches we are talking about is that none of them need work (they are all rich beyond the average person’s wildest imagination). Also, many of them might be one bad job away from never being a head coach in the NHL again (see Nolan, Bylsma, Housley, Krueger). They will be interviewing Adams and Pegula as much as the other way around.

My take on McLellan is that he doesn’t suffer fools, knew Botterill didn’t have the balls to hire someone like him, and told Botterill and Pegula what he thought.

 

[Chainshot]

Is this insider info or was it reported? My recollection is that it was reported that McLellan made it to a point in the process where he met with Pegula and candidly told Pegula that Pegula’s reputation around the league was that he was impatient with coaches.

The thing about all these veteran coaches we are talking about is that none of them need work (they are all rich beyond the average person’s wildest imagination). Also, many of them might be one bad job away from never being a head coach in the NHL again (see Nolan, Bylsma, Housley, Krueger). They will be interviewing Adams and Pegula as much as the other way around.

My take on McLellan is that he doesn’t suffer fools, knew Botterill didn’t have the balls to hire someone like him, and told Botterill and Pegula what he thought.

He was in Buffalo because one of his kids was playing an NCAA game and the reports/scuttlebutt afterward was that he was unserious about the opportunity.

 

[Archie Lee]

He was in Buffalo because one of his kids was playing an NCAA game and the reports/scuttlebutt afterward was that he was unserious about the opportunity.

Another way to put it then was that he was in town and met with the Sabres and gave the impression, directly or indirectly, that he wasn’t particularly interested. I don’t blame him. The word at the time was that Krueger was the guy Botterill wanted. In hindsight, a coach as experienced as McClellan was likely wise enough to know that any team that had Krueger near the top of its list was not a team to be serious about.

 

[Byron Bitz]

With Sheldon Keefe playing Nylander in a meaningless game 82 and then him being injured for game one I think it’s very likely there will be another coach on the market.

 

[Zman5778]

With Sheldon Keefe playing Nylander in a meaningless game 82 and then him being injured for game one I think it’s very likely there will be another coach on the market.

The injury didn't happen in Game 82. Willie woke up with it Thursday morning.

Johnston: What I'm hearing about William Nylander's injury and availability for the Maple Leafs

Nylander skated Sunday and there's every expectation he will play at some point in the series, but when and what happened are still unclear.

theathletic.com

If he was able to play all 82 regular-season games, including a lengthy shift that bled into the final minute of Wednesday’s finale in Tampa, and there was no off-ice incident, what forced him to sit out Game 1 of the playoffs against the Boston Bruins on Saturday?

Per the sources, he is said to have woken up with an issue that needed attention Thursday morning and remained “pretty stiff” when the series got underway more than 48 hours later.

 

[Chainshot]

Another way to put it then was that he was in town and met with the Sabres and gave the impression, directly or indirectly, that he wasn’t particularly interested. I don’t blame him. The word at the time was that Krueger was the guy Botterill wanted. In hindsight, a coach as experienced as McClellan was likely wise enough to know that any team that had Krueger near the top of its list was not a team to be serious about.

From when he came to town:

As Sabres court Todd McLellan, a look at the philosophy he could bring to Buffalo

The Sabres are scheduled to interview the former Sharks and Oilers coach this week for their open coaching position.

theathletic.com

Report: Todd McLellan front-runner to land Sabres head coaching job

According to Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic, the Buffalo Sabres appear to be closing in on Todd McLellan to be their next head coach.

www.wkbw.com

Report: Todd McLellan no longer candidate for Sabres head coaching job

On Friday afternoon Bob McKenzie from TSN tweeted that McLellan was discussed as a candidate but a deal was never finalized.

www.wkbw.com

Per Boob, it was a lack of an offer at that time. It was also reported that he came to the Frozen Four to watch his son Tyson play for Denver.



Krueger wasn't in the running and there was no indication he had been spoken to at that time.


And JB even got into the commentary - that McLellan was a done deal to the Kings but came to Buffalo purely as part of seeing Tyson play.

There was no indication that they were even speaking to Krueger until after that.

Report: Todd McLellan won’t be Sabres’ next coach - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Todd McLellan won’t be the Buffalo Sabres’ next coach, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The Sabres identified McLellan as a candidate and talked to him this week but never made an offer, McKenzie tweeted this afternoon. McLellan was in Buffalo to watch his son, Tyson, a junior defenseman with...

www.buffalohockeybeat.com

He wasn't hired until mid-May, four weeks after McClellan was around.

 

[Reddawg]

The injury didn't happen in Game 82. Willie woke up with it Thursday morning.

Johnston: What I'm hearing about William Nylander's injury and availability for the Maple Leafs

Nylander skated Sunday and there's every expectation he will play at some point in the series, but when and what happened are still unclear.

theathletic.com

He's supposed to contact a doctor if it lasts more than four hours

 

[Chainshot]

Guys - coaching search thread. Nylander is not part of that.