Speculation: The Sabres Need a Coaching Change

[SabresFan26]

The time has come. This joke of a franchise needs a proven winner who can right the ship before it’s too late.

We have no organization, we play uninspired hockey and are a soft team that teams enjoy playing against.

Our entire coaching staff has 0 playoff experience as coaches in the NHL.

Our GM has 0 experience before this job other then being a fired assistant coach for a year.

We should get a new GM too who is proven at improving organizations but I’ll settle for a coaching change.

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[Bobby Bottle Service]

The time has come. This joke of a franchise needs a proven winner who can right the ship before it’s too late.

We have no organization, we play uninspired hockey and are a soft team that teams enjoy playing against.

Our entire coaching staff has 0 playoff experience as coaches in the NHL.

Our GM has 0 experience before this job other then being a fired assistant coach for a year.

We should get a new GM too who is proven at improving organizations but I’ll settle for a coaching change.

Outside of EJ, Cliffy and KO... No one in this entire organization has playoff experience.

Time to hire someone with an actual body of work.

 

[Nevins]

Buffalo need a winner coach…. Claude Julien,Gerard Gallant or Patrick Roy?

 

[Gras]

They may need a coaching change but does it really need another thread

 

[Ace]

We’ll add it to Adams list of things they need and see when he gets to it.

You might want to have a seat while you wait.

 

[beerme1]

We’ll add it to Adams list of things they need and see when he gets to it.

You might want to have a seat while you wait.

Yes. You're number 18,700 please hold.

 

[Archie Lee]

If Adams/Pegula fire Granato they will rightly be savaged by the pro hockey media and community. Granato brought the best out of young players, some of whom appeared to be busting, and took the team to the cusp of the playoffs. The front office then did next to nothing to add talent or experience in the off-season and bet on internal growth and a rookie goalie. The goalie faltered and the internal growth has stalled or been derailed by injury. I’m not saying Granato is the right guy long term, but it will not look good on the Sabres if he is fired.

 

[oldgoalie]

If Adams/Pegula fire Granato they will rightly be savaged by the pro hockey media and community. Granato brought the best out of young players, some of whom appeared to be busting, and took the team to the cusp of the playoffs. The front office then did next to nothing to add talent or experience in the off-season and bet on internal growth and a rookie goalie. The goalie faltered and the internal growth has stalled or been derailed by injury. I’m not saying Granato is the right guy long term, but it will not look good on the Sabres if he is fired.

lol. Their stellar reputation will be besmirched? Say it ain’t so…

 

[Tatanka]

Who would want to work for Adams? I het there are only so many jobs, but I bet all the hot commodities will wait for a better opportunity.

 

[slip]

lol. Their stellar reputation will be besmirched? Say it ain’t so…

We don't want the league thinking we're a bunch of losers or anything. That might discourage UFA talent from making Buffalo one of their top destinations.

 

[BuffaloMango]

BrindA’mour hasn’t signed an extension which is actually shocking at this point.

McDermott came from Carolina. Then Bean. Followed by Adams. Rob must complete the circle.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

I agree they need to move on.

With that being said he signed an extension until 2026. The rumor has it that the Pegulas are refusing to pay any more people to not work for them. We are stuck with Granato for the foreseeable future. Maybe they can tell their GM to get some players while they’re at it. OH WAIT. Everyone worth a damn has Buffalo at #1 on their NTC. We’re screwed.

 

[Deleted member 346512]

In any other franchise the coach would have been fired long ago, except for the Sabres. This is a farce and I'm getting tired of putting this shit through me year after year after year after year. 14 years of this alibi hockey...you have to imagine that! Nothing will change in 20 years as long as this damn cuddly course is maintained. They can show off how well they are dressed, but that's not what matters and no one cares. Kindergarten franchise ..ridiculous

 

[sabremike]

If Adams/Pegula fire Granato they will rightly be savaged by the pro hockey media and community. Granato brought the best out of young players, some of whom appeared to be busting, and took the team to the cusp of the playoffs. The front office then did next to nothing to add talent or experience in the off-season and bet on internal growth and a rookie goalie. The goalie faltered and the internal growth has stalled or been derailed by injury. I’m not saying Granato is the right guy long term, but it will not look good on the Sabres if he is fired.

He's a one trick pony who the entire league has caught onto and now he's flailing away helplessly like a fish out of water. The idea that being the 19th best team in the league was some great and monumental feat IS the problem.

 

[sabremike]

I agree they need to move on.

With that being said he signed an extension until 2026. The rumor has it that the Pegulas are refusing to pay any more people to not work for them. We are stuck with Granato for the foreseeable future. Maybe they can tell their GM to get some players while they’re at it. OH WAIT. Everyone worth a damn has Buffalo at #1 on their NTC. We’re screwed.

Basically we are going to be a Wang Islanders style poverty franchise because Pegula is responsible for cost overruns of the new throwball stadium.

 

[toddkaz]

If Adams/Pegula fire Granato they will rightly be savaged by the pro hockey media and community. Granato brought the best out of young players, some of whom appeared to be busting, and took the team to the cusp of the playoffs. The front office then did next to nothing to add talent or experience in the off-season and bet on internal growth and a rookie goalie. The goalie faltered and the internal growth has stalled or been derailed by injury. I’m not saying Granato is the right guy long term, but it will not look good on the Sabres if he is fired.

I dont know what savaged means but its probably happening right now.

 

[Irie]

What we do not know is how much of this roster building is actually Granato's choice.

I think it is extremely clear that Adams went out and acquired Greenway and Stillman at Donny's request.

Bryson remaining with the big club also screams of Granato's choice of keeping the happy family together, the way the assistant coaching staff was all retained despite some obvious failures.

Adams is clearly working the cap situation and the player extensions, but it feels like he is building the team Granato wants, as much or more so than him having his own plan and vision of trades or acquisitions to make.

We know Adams and Granato have presented a united front and said they are building it together, and I don't think Adams would trade away any of the kids for a guy like Chuychrun without Granato signing off on it, but it actually feels like Adams is letting the coaching staff take the lead on the majority of personnel decisions. I get the feeling that he is ultimately fine having more "develop the kids years" and is only making moves when the staff requests it.

 

[Dreakon13]

I'm not sure where the happy medium is with this group. Not saying the coaching staff couldn't use some turnover and more experience, but I'd be concerned going with a "hard nosed coach" that "can whip these kids into shape" would just turn into another Kruger. Rewarding the grinders that tow the line and punishing our talented players in an open offense that take risks and make mistakes.

I think Granato is the guy, at least for the moment. We have the talent, we see flashes of what they're capable of, for a moment around the end of last season we felt like Buffalo was becoming a hockey destination again... I think it's on the players at this point to have a little pride in being here and play like it. Canning everyone and starting over again doesn't really foster that kind of environment.

 

[toddkaz]

I'm not sure where the happy medium is with this group. Not saying the coaching staff couldn't use some turnover and more experience, but I'd be concerned going with a "hard nosed coach" that "can whip these kids into shape" would just turn into another Kruger. Rewarding the grinders that tow the line and punishing our talented players in an open offense that take risks and make mistakes.

I think Granato is the guy, at least for the moment. We have the talent, we see flashes of what they're capable of, for a moment around the end of last season we felt like Buffalo was becoming a hockey destination again... I think it's on the players at this point to have a little pride in being here and play like it. Canning everyone and starting over again doesn't really foster that kind of environment.

When you say rewarding grinders are you talking about Granato and Okposo?

 

[Irie]

I'm not sure where the happy medium is with this group. Not saying the coaching staff couldn't use some turnover and more experience, but I'd be concerned going with a "hard nosed coach" that "can whip these kids into shape" would just turn into another Kruger. Rewarding the grinders that tow the line and punishing our talented players in an open offense that take risks and make mistakes.

I think Granato is the guy, at least for the moment. We have the talent, we see flashes of what they're capable of, for a moment around the end of last season we felt like Buffalo was becoming a hockey destination again... I think it's on the players at this point to have a little pride in being here and play like it. Canning everyone and starting over again doesn't really foster that kind of environment.

I've been critical of Granato for two years now, and I never felt like he was the head coach that would get this group to the playoffs but I would much rather have him around for a year or two longer than bring in a guy like Torts who may get them to the playoffs sooner, but would likely destroy the locker room in the process and make Buffalo a toxic destination no UFAs will come to again.

Playoffs were never really in the cards this season, imo. I look at the age of the roster and the likely depth recalls:

Benson 18
Kulich 19
Rosen 20
Peterka 21
Quinn 21
Power 21
Levi 21
Krebs 22
Cozens 22
R. Johnson 22
Samuelsson 23
Dahlin 23

Skinner 31
Okposo 35
E Johnson 35

That is ridiculous for a team hoping to compete.

Now while I can say that age is a definite factor in their ability to compete, it does not discount the fact that this team has a ton of bad habits that should not be recurring game after game. The coaching staff is oblivious and no one is teaching these young kids the small details that will make them better pros. For that reason alone, I pray that at the very least there is an assistant change and the organization brings in a veteran accomplished NHL coaching presence somewhere on the staff that will work with the young kids and help them better develop.

 

[Dreakon13]

When you say rewarding grinders are you talking about Granato and Okposo?

Playing the captain a few more minutes than he probably should on a team where no one is playing particularly well isn't the most grave sin IMO.

 

[May Day 10]

Even if there is a coaching change, I can't picture them looking far outside the building for a replacement. I could see one of the assistant coaches or Appert being hired as an 'interim', things getting slightly better around .500 and ending with a few wins..... then in June, the Sabres excitedly putting out a social media blast that says HERE TO STAY and Appert is signed until 2029.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Given the recent string of terrible coaching hires, and the overall youth of the roster, I'm on Team Granato. Team Granato needs to find new assistant coaches.

 

[Chainshot]

Playing the captain a few more minutes than he probably should on a team where no one is playing particularly well isn't the most grave sin IMO.

I would like to see more of the kids worked into the PK to give them more defensive pressure.

As for the PP... there is almost no one on the team who has shown a willingness to screen a goalie. They have a couple who do it - Tuch, Okposo and Girgensons and Benson. When a few more of these guys decide to camp in front of the net, I could see the incessant ragging on Okposo on PP2 being a cause for concern but they aren't asking Benson to do that - he seems like their best bumper to me and he's already on PP2 - and that leaves no one else.

Feels like the late 2000's when people would endlessly bag on Hecht being on the PP when his job was puck retrieval and net front so he didn't get touches for many PP points. Anyway...

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I've been critical of Granato for two years now, and I never felt like he was the head coach that would get this group to the playoffs but I would much rather have him around for a year or two longer than bring in a guy like Torts who may get them to the playoffs sooner, but would likely destroy the locker room in the process and make Buffalo a toxic destination no UFAs will come to again.

Playoffs were never really in the cards this season, imo. I look at the age of the roster and the likely depth recalls:

Benson 18
Kulich 19
Rosen 20
Peterka 21
Quinn 21
Power 21
Levi 21
Krebs 22
Cozens 22
R. Johnson 22
Samuelsson 23
Dahlin 23

Skinner 31
Okposo 35
E Johnson 35

That is ridiculous for a team hoping to compete.

Now while I can say that age is a definite factor in their ability to compete, it does not discount the fact that this team has a ton of bad habits that should not be recurring game after game. The coaching staff is oblivious and no one is teaching these young kids the small details that will make them better pros. For that reason alone, I pray that at the very least there is an assistant change and the organization brings in a veteran accomplished NHL coaching presence somewhere on the staff that will work with the young kids and help them better develop.

They will be even younger next year with four of the oldest players being the only ones on the way out.

Adams has to make a ton of changes to get this team into the playoffs in the next 5 years. Because the way he's going, it will never not be the youngest team. Not in 3-5 years.