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

[dire wolf]

Playoff winning% for some of the guys that have been mentioned:

Ruff .538
Gallant .517
Brind'Amour .508
Boudreau .478
Berube .466
Yeo .436

Personally, I do not place a lot of value in the playoff winning percentage of these candidates when discussing who is likely to be the best fit. This team needs a coach that gets them into the playoffs before we start talking about whether the coach can get them deep into the playoffs, IMO.

Coach Q: .593

 

[Chainshot]

This playoff stuff reminds me of the chatter the first time BB was an option and people were concerned about his Game Seven record. Let’s see them GET THERE first. Get there, win consistently enough to be a playoff team that isn’t just a fluke to get in. FFS…

 

[Fjordy]

Maybe. Or maybe there are better options out there. Eg. Gallant

I don't really see how Gallant could be a better fit for Buffalo than Lindy. I think even Boudreau is a better fit than Gallant. Gallant does not rely on or develop young players, the Rangers players said about Gallant literally the same thing as our players about Granato. He certainly seems like a good coach, but I'm not sure he's the right fit for Buffalo specifically.

 

[Jeremy2020]

Every experienced NHL head coaching candidate that will be mentioned has been fired from at least one NHL team. Most will have been fired by multiple teams.

Wait, you mean the Sabres can't get a coach with NHL Head Coach experience who hasn't been fired?!

Pegula is cheap.

 

[Fjordy]

This playoff stuff reminds me of the chatter the first time BB was an option and people were concerned about his Game Seven record. Let’s see them GET THERE first. Get there, win consistently enough to be a playoff team that isn’t just a fluke to get in. FFS…

Absolutely, BB has a wealth of experience in building teams and good play and results in the regular season, and one failure in one season in Vancouver for reasons unknown to me (you have to dig into the statistics, look at the roster and injuries), does not make him a loser as a coach. I think he would be a good option.

 

[Chainshot]

Absolutely, BB has a wealth of experience in building teams and good play and results in the regular season, and one failure in one season in Vancouver for reasons unknown to me (you have to dig into the statistics, look at the roster and injuries), does not make him a loser as a coach. I think he would be a good option.

Even beyond him, citing playoff records does not mean anything for any of these guys one way or another.

 

[Tatanka]

A consistent theme around here seems to be a notion that any addition to the staff or roster has to eventually have a retirement ceremony. Things change. Often without notice. The goal of the Sabres should be to make the playoffs. Then if the team seems to underperform, you can make changes to the roster or staff. The message has to be that making the playoffs is not a hope but the expectation year in and year out. And we will hold those who fail to meet those expectations accountable and reward those that exceed them. This isn’t rocket surgery.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

So far all of the smoke is pointing to Ruff or Berube. Everyone else has enough evidence against them where I'm kinda counting them out for the moment, as far as people who Adams has on his shortlist based on his presser the other day.

I've been wondering if Sullivan would get added to the list, but people who follow the team don't seem to think he will:

Can or will Sullivan be fired?

You get 2 choices - based on the amount of options. All options assume a fresh start today, October 31st.

forums.hfboards.com

So I think it's a two-horse race at this point.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

A consistent theme around here seems to be a notion that any addition to the staff or roster has to eventually have a retirement ceremony. Things change. Often without notice. The goal of the Sabres should be to make the playoffs. Then if the team seems to underperform, you can make changes to the roster or staff. The message has to be that making the playoffs is not a hope but the expectation year in and year out. And we will hold those who fail to meet those expectations accountable and reward those that exceed them. This isn’t rocket surgery.

 

[Reddawg]

So far all of the smoke is pointing to Ruff or Berube.

Underwhelming

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Underwhelming

Just based on what I'm seeing...i could totally be wrong.

 

[Reddawg]

Just based on what I'm seeing...i could totally be wrong.

I'm just really hoping for a home-run this time. For once, you know?

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

I'm just really hoping for a home-run this time. For once, you know?

Like who is a home run? coaches are sort of like the draft to be honest. It’s a total crapshoot if it’s going to work or not and eventually it’s going to stop working anyways. but at least we can pick someone with traits that we want… A coach that makes people more accountable and has experience so they’re not learning on the job.

Given that, every single one of the coaches that we’re going to be looking at is a retread so that means they’ve been fired from somewhere

The only home run I could see would be would be RBA , but do we even know if he’s available? And if he is, I’m sure he’s already on the list…

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

I just hope they do the right choice.

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

Coach Q: .593

Sabres coaches last 13 years .000000.. .

 

[Reddawg]

Like who is a home run?

Mentally I'm all in on Coach Q, whether that's even feasible or otherwise. I just think he would be the perfect guy to pick this team up and motivate them to be the best version of themselves possible.

It's worth noting that the last time I felt that way about a coaching candidate, it was Phil Housley...so what do I know. I got exactly my way with PH and we all know how well that turned out.

 

[oldgoalie]

I don't believe it's gonna be Lindy.

 

[TehDoak]

So, my completely unsubstantiated thoughts on what has happened and what is going to happen

1. The plan wasn’t to fire Granato. The Pegulas told Adams to fire Granato. It’s why it got announced the day after and not after getting player feedback on the year. It’s also why Adams went out of his way to say. ‘This was my decision’ about four times in the press conference

2. The replacement is most likely Ruff, whom Terry has probably been texting for weeks about the job. The real question is will we do any sort of formal interview process or will there just be a presser introducing ruff.

 

[Reddawg]

I don't believe it's gonna be Lindy.

I'm all for the Lindy in the front office school of thought, I really like that idea. Not as the head coach though, we've seen that show already.

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

Mentally I'm all in on Coach Q, whether that's even feasible or otherwise. I just think he would be the perfect guy to pick this team up and motivate them to be the best version of themselves possible.

It's worth noting that the last time I felt that way about a coaching candidate, it was Phil Housley...so what do I know. I got exactly my way with PH and we all know how well that turned out.

Coach Q is not gonna happen - he can’t even happen until he gets reinstated by the league, but what he did previously is unforgivable and don’t think Adams wants to be answering questions about that when he has already enough questions about fixing his team…

 

[enthusiast]

So, my completely unsubstantiated thoughts on what has happened and what is going to happen

1. The plan wasn’t to fire Granato. The Pegulas told Adams to fire Granato. It’s why it got announced the day after and not after getting player feedback on the year. It’s also why Adams went out of his way to say. ‘This was my decision’ about four times in the press conference

2. The replacement is most likely Ruff, whom Terry has probably been texting for weeks about the job. The real question is will we do any sort of formal interview process or will there just be a presser introducing ruff.

It wouldn’t surprise me.

 

[SundherDome]

So, my completely unsubstantiated thoughts on what has happened and what is going to happen

1. The plan wasn’t to fire Granato. The Pegulas told Adams to fire Granato. It’s why it got announced the day after and not after getting player feedback on the year. It’s also why Adams went out of his way to say. ‘This was my decision’ about four times in the press conference

2. The replacement is most likely Ruff, whom Terry has probably been texting for weeks about the job. The real question is will we do any sort of formal interview process or will there just be a presser introducing ruff.

You seem to be zeroing in on Pegula being a negative when in the scenarios above, he is actually a positive.

 

[CowbellConray]

So, my completely unsubstantiated thoughts on what has happened and what is going to happen

1. The plan wasn’t to fire Granato. The Pegulas told Adams to fire Granato. It’s why it got announced the day after and not after getting player feedback on the year. It’s also why Adams went out of his way to say. ‘This was my decision’ about four times in the press conference

2. The replacement is most likely Ruff, whom Terry has probably been texting for weeks about the job. The real question is will we do any sort of formal interview process or will there just be a presser introducing ruff.

Adams:
"It was my decision"
"This wasn't something that was decided yesterday"

Doak:
"It was Terry's decision"
"It was not the plan to fire Granato. Pegula's told Adams to fire Granato"

Doak, I respect you. But you are really trying to stretch every word possible to carry this crusade of yours that Adams just does what Terry says to do. Even stating the complete opposite of what Adam's said in the press conference as reality.

 

[Mattilaus]

So, my completely unsubstantiated thoughts on what has happened and what is going to happen

1. The plan wasn’t to fire Granato. The Pegulas told Adams to fire Granato. It’s why it got announced the day after and not after getting player feedback on the year. It’s also why Adams went out of his way to say. ‘This was my decision’ about four times in the press conference

2. The replacement is most likely Ruff, whom Terry has probably been texting for weeks about the job. The real question is will we do any sort of formal interview process or will there just be a presser introducing ruff.

Honest question, what can Adams do at this point to convince you that he makes any decisions at all?

 

[dire wolf]

Coach Q is not gonna happen - he can’t even happen until he gets reinstated by the league, but what he did previously is unforgivable and don’t think Adams wants to be answering questions about that when he has already enough questions about fixing his team…

You might be right -- but I bet he comes back as coach of the Leafs or something like that.

So, my completely unsubstantiated thoughts on what has happened and what is going to happen

1. The plan wasn’t to fire Granato. The Pegulas told Adams to fire Granato. It’s why it got announced the day after and not after getting player feedback on the year. It’s also why Adams went out of his way to say. ‘This was my decision’ about four times in the press conference

2. The replacement is most likely Ruff, whom Terry has probably been texting for weeks about the job. The real question is will we do any sort of formal interview process or will there just be a presser introducing ruff.

Unsubstantiated is correct. To my knowledge, this is based on no known facts.