The Ted Nolan thread

[Jacob582]

, but it was a bad decision at the time. He seems like a great coach, who got dealt a raw deal. Buffalo is lucky that he agreed to come back after being fired years ago.

Nolan's contract offer was pulled by Regier after he rejected it. Not sure it was a bad decision at the time. Nolan and Hasek didn't get along. Buffalo kept the future HOF'er.

Now in hindsight, maybe Regier should have started the rebuild then. Signed Nolan, trade Hasek for a ton of futures. We would have had a different chance of winning the Stanley Cup (or the team tanking and leaving town).

 

[ODAAT]

Bruins fan coming in peace and first time I have ever posted on an opponents site but thought I`d chime in on how impressed I was at the compete of the Sabres. New voice, and a respected voice in that room and behind the bench will do wonders for your boys.

Who knows where your team ends up in the end but one thing Sabres fans already know, and will continue to see is they won`t be ripped off in the effort department under Nolan. Looked like the Sabres were the toast of the East in that 3rd period with the way they dominated.

 

[TennisMenace]

From Nolan's post-game on Saturday (Q&A at 1:45), he notes that he's not a fan of staged fights off draws and has directed both Scott and the team that he doesn't want to see them talking in a faceoff circle saying "wanna fight?"

Good. Nolan is a great choice and a players coach. He should get the most out of these guys. I'm excited again to be a Sabres fan.

 

[Nedved]

Good. Nolan is a great choice and a players coach. He should get the most out of these guys. I'm excited again to be a Sabres fan.

I always loved the way Nolan approached the game, and I think he'll teach the young players how the nhl works, and they'll benefit greatly from it, even when he's not around anymore.


look forward to watching more buffalo games!

 

[Splintered Sherwood]

I never understood why he was treated as a leper from Molokai once he left the Sabres. That he did not have further offers from other teams aside from the Islanders is slightly odd.

I can understand the idea that he has the interim tag attached to him as it will ultimately be up to the new GM to decide who gets to coach, which is a pretty prudent thing to do. I hope he stays and wish Nolan the best of luck for the remainder of the season....but please, don't jeopardize the tank too much.

 

[joshjull]

I never understood why he was treated as a leper from Molokai once he left the Sabres. That he did not have further offers from other teams aside from the Islanders is slightly odd.

I can understand the idea that he has the interim tag attached to him as it will ultimately be up to the new GM to decide who gets to coach, which is a pretty prudent thing to do. I hope he stays and wish Nolan the best of luck for the remainder of the season....but please, don't jeopardize the tank too much.

He was viewed at the time as a coach that would go over his GM's head to upper management and undermine him. Muckler was a highly respected person in the hockey world and that didn't go over well in the GM fraternity. Thats the reason he was blackballed.

 

[SabresFan26]

He was viewed at the time as a coach that would go over his GM's head to upper management and undermine him. Muckler was a highly respected person in the hockey world and that didn't go over well in the GM fraternity. Thats the reason he was blackballed.

anyone know more the issues between Muckler/Nolan? Obviously there was the Hasek issue but most of the guys loved Nolan

 

[joshjull]

anyone know more the issues between Muckler/Nolan? Obviously there was the Hasek issue but most of the guys loved Nolan

Hasek was the cause of the battle between them. Like Nolan went over Muckler to upper management, Hasek went over Nolan to Muckler to complain about Nolan.

It was ugly. Many players were with Nolan and didn't like Muckler or Hasek.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Nolan's contract offer was pulled by Regier after he rejected it. Not sure it was a bad decision at the time. Nolan and Hasek didn't get along. Buffalo kept the future HOF'er.

Now in hindsight, maybe Regier should have started the rebuild then. Signed Nolan, trade Hasek for a ton of futures. We would have had a different chance of winning the Stanley Cup (or the team tanking and leaving town).

Uh considering we went to the ECF and SCF the first 2 seasons after Nolan left that would have been the worst move in NHL history... Trade the best goalie of all time at the age of 33?

 

[SabresFan26]

Hasek was the cause of the battle between them. Like Nolan went over Muckler to upper management, Hasek went over Nolan to Muckler to complain about Nolan.

It was ugly. Many players were with Nolan and didn't like Muckler or Hasek.

Thanks,

It was incredible to see in that tribute video how much emotion he shows and comes off the bench to celebrate with the team. Audette hugs him, he goes into the dog pile with the guys on the ice. Even last night after McBain's goal he turned and pumped a hard fist in celebration.

It is nice seeing emotion again after the Rolston era

 

[Chainshot]

anyone know more the issues between Muckler/Nolan? Obviously there was the Hasek issue but most of the guys loved Nolan

The short form:

- Hasek and Nolan feuded during Nolan's final season in with Buffalo, with the final series of events involving Hasek faking an injury and going after Jim Kelley for reporting it, thus getting suspended further. From what I know of it, things boiled over in Boston after Ted ordered Dom off the ice during an option skate at the end of a road trip. Dom wanted to work, as he usually did when he thought something wasn't right with his game.
- Hasek went to Muckler and said "him or me" after they were out of the playoffs.
- Nolan went to the Knoxes for support.
- Quinn was here as President, still in the midst of the strife from him vs. Moss.
- Quinn let's Muckler go, Regier is hired.
- Regier, aware of Nolan's attempt to engineer the acquisition of Chris Simon from the Avs using Ted's close friend and OHL GM Sherry Bassin, as well as the Hasek-Nolan feud, offer's Ted a one-year extention with the statement that he wants to see if they can work together.
- Nolan regects the offer as insulting, does not sign. Regier moves on to well respected Florida Ass't. Lindy Ruff who was working for Bill Torrey/Al Arbour in Florida.

 

[joshjull]

The short form:

- Hasek and Nolan feuded during Nolan's final season in with Buffalo, with the final series of events involving Hasek faking an injury and going after Jim Kelley for reporting it, thus getting suspended further. From what I know of it, things boiled over in Boston after Ted ordered Dom off the ice during an option skate at the end of a road trip. Dom wanted to work, as he usually did when he thought something wasn't right with his game.
- Hasek went to Muckler and said "him or me" after they were out of the playoffs.
- Nolan went to the Knoxes for support.
- Quinn was here as President, still in the midst of the strife from him vs. Moss.
- Quinn let's Muckler go, Regier is hired.
- Regier, aware of Nolan's attempt to engineer the acquisition of Chris Simon from the Avs using Ted's close friend and OHL GM Sherry Bassin, as well as the Hasek-Nolan feud, offer's Ted a one-year extention with the statement that he wants to see if they can work together.
- Nolan regects the offer as insulting, does not sign. Regier moves on to well respected Florida Ass't. Lindy Ruff who was working for Bill Torrey/Al Arbour in Florida.

I was hoping you would come in and lay out it out. I gave the cliff notes for cliff notes version.

 

[Chainshot]

I was hoping you would come in and lay out it out. I gave the cliff notes for cliff notes version.

The long form is about three paragraphs.

 

[Woodhouse]

The long form is about three paragraphs.

CBC recently went with 5+ paragraphs:

Nolan's two-year stint ended with the Sabres because he lost a power struggle with all-star goaltender Dominik Hasek, who quit on Nolan in the playoffs, saying he couldn't play because of a knee injury. Then Nolan endured more hurt.

He was branded a general manager killer because of an irreparable rift between him and John Muckler, the Sabres GM at the time. Muckler wound up getting fired. But the new GM, Darcy Regier, offered Nolan only a one-year deal that he quickly turned down. Nolan felt he deserved more security.

In an interview Nolan gave me during the 2006 Memorial Cup -- in which he won the QMJHL championship with the Moncton Wildcats, only to lose at home in the Memorial Cup final to head coach Patrick Roy and the Quebec Remparts -- he told me about how a Sabres team doctor told him there was gossip floating around town that he slept with a player's wife.

He laughed and later asked the doctor to retell the tall tale to Nolan's wife, Sandra. Then, in an interview with another NHL club after his Buffalo days, a general manager asked Nolan whether it was true he missed a couple of Sabres practices because he was drunk.

"When they ask me stuff like that, I felt like getting up and walking out," Nolan said back in 2006. "But then they would say, 'See, he's a hot head.' I guess this stuff fits the stereotype."

 

[Puppa2Miller]

Anyone else concerned Nolan is going to handle the goalies the way Ruff did after reading the Buffalo News today? I am concerned we will run down Miller when we are trying to trade him, while simultaneously giving Enroth no chance to establish any rhythm. Below is what was in the paper:

Even though Ryan Miller has owned the Leafs in his career with a 30-15-1 record, Nolan said he wanted to see a game with Jhonas Enroth in goal. He wasn’t impressed. It sounds like Miller is going to get the bulk of the work going forward.

“Now we know,” Nolan said. “We have one of the best goaltenders in the league. We’re going to monitor some rest time and ride the horse.”:

 

[haseoke39]

“I’m starting to get to know which buttons to push. Some guys on this team I can tell already they need a good swift kick in the rear and some people might need a little hug.â€

From WGR.

 

[Jim Bob]

“I’m starting to get to know which buttons to push. Some guys on this team I can tell already they need a good swift kick in the rear and some people might need a little hug.â€

From WGR.

What I'm finding mildly entertaining is how Ted is defying the expectations of a lot of his vocal supporters.

Ted-ohalics were saying he would want his guys to raise Kane. Yet, he told John Scott to do away with "scripted fights" off of face offs.

Some fans expected him to come in and kick everyone in the rear. And now he's talking about learning who can can kick in the butt and who he can't.

But one thing is for sure, he's a massive upgrade over RonRol.

 

[jamers]

What I'm finding mildly entertaining is how Ted is defying the expectations of a lot of his vocal supporters.

Ted-ohalics were saying he would want his guys to raise Kane. Yet, he told John Scott to do away with "scripted fights" off of face offs.

Some fans expected him to come in and kick everyone in the rear. And now he's talking about learning who can can kick in the butt and who he can't.

But one thing is for sure, he's a massive upgrade over RonRol.

Seriously, those teams were a decade and a half ago... guy has clearly adapted with the changes.

 

[Jim Bob]

Seriously, those teams were a decade and a half ago... guy has clearly adapted with the changes.

I agree.

It just seems like plenty of fans underestimated Ted actually believing in adapting his coaching style to the players he has versus being a guy with a style that he would try and force feed to his players.

The other thing that is sort of funny is Ted talking about riding Miller after some fans used to whine about Ruff riding Miller into the ground.

 

[jamers]

I agree.

It just seems like plenty of fans underestimated Ted actually believing in adapting his coaching style to the players he has versus being a guy with a style that he would try and force feed to his players.

The other thing that is sort of funny is Ted talking about riding Miller after some fans used to whine about Ruff riding Miller into the ground.

I'm just hoping that Miller will play out of his mind given that it's an Olympic year and he now has to be a strong contender for the starting position. Trade value spike please.

I still don't think Enroth will have to ride the bench for the kind of durations he had to with Ruff.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Uh considering we went to the ECF and SCF the first 2 seasons after Nolan left that would have been the worst move in NHL history... Trade the best goalie of all time at the age of 33?

Ya trading Lindros sure screwed the Avs too

 

[haseoke39]

Ya trading Lindros sure screwed the Avs too

We were not going to get the Lindros return for Hasek. Fact is, we traded Hasek two years later for a 1st and some garbage. Absurd to suggest that we'd have traded Hasek for something that would have started a dynasty. We had a winner in the stable and the only smart thing to do was to ride him until he wouldn't ride for you anymore. Almost produced a cup for us, and I don't regret it one bit.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

'I can coach': COLUMN ON TED NOLAN

There is never an easy answer with Ted Nolan, never a convenient or succinct explanation of where he's been, how he's been away this long, why the rest of the National Hockey League hasn't been pounding down doors to try to hire the onetime coach of the year.

There are always whispers, questions, stories that don't exactly add up, and yet a directness from him that belies all the doubts that surround his coaching name.

Nolan is back where he is most comfortable, 16 years after walking away from a meagre contract offer by Darcy Regier - the same Regier now gone in the purge of the Buffalo Sabres - looking like he belongs on the ice at First Niagara Center, sounding confident as ever in the city where he had his greatest professional success.

 

[Chainshot]

We were not going to get the Lindros return for Hasek. Fact is, we traded Hasek two years later for a 1st and some garbage. Absurd to suggest that we'd have traded Hasek for something that would have started a dynasty. We had a winner in the stable and the only smart thing to do was to ride him until he wouldn't ride for you anymore. Almost produced a cup for us, and I don't regret it one bit.

You do recall that Dom had right of refusal on his destination -- one of St Louis or Detroit -- and he chose what he viewed to be the lesser package so that it didn't hurt the acquiring team as much, right? Dom threatened to retire if he didn't get traded and retire if the team getting him had to give up too much. He screwed the team on the way out of town, after the team had ridden him for years and never put together a quality roster to get the best out of having his all-world talents in net.

In a free market, with multiple bids, it seems like a slam dunk that they'd have had a helluva lot bigger return than the scraps they got from the Wings for him three years later.

 

[Lock3Boys]

What I'm finding mildly entertaining is how Ted is defying the expectations of a lot of his vocal supporters.

Ted-ohalics were saying he would want his guys to raise Kane. Yet, he told John Scott to do away with "scripted fights" off of face offs.

Some fans expected him to come in and kick everyone in the rear. And now he's talking about learning who can can kick in the butt and who he can't.

But one thing is for sure, he's a massive upgrade over RonRol.

I'm his biggest fan, well his biggest who isn't Native American or a part of his family, and he is doing exactly as I thought he would.

Holding guys accountable, but not in the annoying old school hard ass way. He is old school, but he has always had 90 percent of his team want to run through walls for him. Why is that? Cuz he knows what makes individuals tick, the great coaches do.

Lots of people underestimate Ted, especially on this board. If I had my say, he would have never left. Guys that think they are smarter than the rest of us don't give him enough credit, says he can't coach x and o's. Read the Leino article from a few days ago, see what players think of strategically heavy gameplans lol RonRol.

Ted has gotten his teams to compete, way more than not through his career. That is something that no coach since has gotten this team to do on a consistent basis. I could count on one hand the amount of times Lindy teams would do it any given year.

Give Ted a team with talent, for once. I'm pretty sure he could go far. Guy has never had a talented roster in the NHL. Had a top heavy one in Buffalo his first year (Lala and Dom) but the rest of the team was average. His second season here, Derek Plante was our leading scorer, I believe. Won the division with that team and a playoff series after his star goalie quit on the team. We would have lost to Philly with Dom, so no shame in going out in 5 with Shields.

Nobody I know expected fireworks with Ted back. My only expectation was I wouldn't be ashamed by their play, like I've been the last few years.