TBN: This Process is once again taking the Sabres on the road to nowhere
- Thread starter Buffaloed
- Start date
I think the title of the article is disingenuous...the first process (the tank) took us on a road to Eichel, mission accomplished. The next process (the acceleration) brought ROR, Lehner, Kane and a best 30 point improvement. Hardly a road to nowhere.
we got impatient that our 2 years of suffering wasn’t met with 2 immediate years of playoff success and screeched off the road... into a ditch for the last 3 years.
we got impatient that our 2 years of suffering wasn’t met with 2 immediate years of playoff success and screeched off the road... into a ditch for the last 3 years.
- Aug 19, 2005
- 16,140
- 4,701
I still remember that brief but magical moment when we had Eichel, ROR, and Dahlin on the same roster.
Jim Bob
RIP RJ
You said you were on the see you next year wagon already.
So, I gave you some reading material while you sit on that wagon the rest of this season.
SackTastic
Registered User
- Mar 25, 2011
- 7,829
- 1,915
Not sure I agree with that. I think most folks accepted the tankathon with the expectation that there would be year over year movement in the right direction.
The last 2 1/2 seasons have been flatlined ; same problems, same results. (They are actually tracking to be worse than last year from a points perspective. )
Buffaloed
webmaster
Snippit
Registered User
- Dec 5, 2012
- 16,630
- 9,961
He also didn't have an action plan to fix what was wrong, per reporting at the time. Inconsistency with internal organization issues was also a problem.
explore
I was wrong about Don Granato and TNT
- Jun 28, 2011
- 3,752
- 3,434
Here's an article with Pegula discussing in corporate speak why he fired Murray: What Terry Pegula had to say about firing Sabres coach, GM (transcript)
In the link, Pegula summarized firing Murray for a lack of discipline, structure, and communication.
That sounds about right--Murray had no problem trading for guys like Kane and Bogosian who were not known for their leadership, and in the case of Kane, had a negative reputation around league at the time. He wasn't concerned with off-ice issues as long as it didn't affect on-ice performance.
A big part of it had to have been that Murray was immensely socially incompetent. Some of the stuff he said weren't things you expected to hear from an adult (his "slapping pee pees" comment was probably one of the most wtf moments I've had as a sports fan--not that it was wrong, it just came off like a 14-year-old was running the Sabres.)
Murray was terse at the best of times and his quotes during important moments weren't well thought-out (his comment about losing the McEichel draft lottery, when taken in the context that he was consistent in his view that the worst team should get the top pick was understandable, but repeating it immediately after the draft just set off an unnecessary media-storm that made it sound like he was slighting Eichel.)
I think Pegula just wanted someone more mature... and ended up choosing Botterill, who is as boring as beige but brought his own slew of issues in the competence department.
RazielMoshman
Registered User
Bylsma or Murray promised the playoffs, and we actually had a worse record than the year before. 54 pts to 81 then back to 78. That's what got them fired, among other things obviously. No growth, no job and the fanbase had it out for Bylsma as well and as mentioned above Murray stood by his coach. Neither has worked since in the NHL I think so that went great. I'll also remind everyone that most considered ROR, Lehner and Kane to be disappointments. Kane plays well enough but ROR and Lehner are probably happier now their not hear.
Botts started another rebuild which we've gone from 62pts to 76 then on pace for 81 this year. year-on-year improvements, but too slow.
Bylsma is alive and working as an assistant coach with the Red Wings, has been for two seasons now.
RazielMoshman
Registered User
Should have probably googled that. Totally didn't realise, thanks for clarifying!
You can see it when they play! DRW look like knockoff Sabres right now, the Blashill still has a job.
they went from 81 to 78 in a season where they were 3rd in man games lost including significant time for Eichel, Kane, ROR, Larsson, Bogo, Kulikov, Okposo, etc)
jc17
Registered User
- Jun 14, 2013
- 11,036
- 7,767
Seems useless to fire coaches during the season for them. They aren't going to be good, so why start a new coach on a sour foot with a suicide mission where everyone's guaranteed to be miserable. Better off riding the wave of the fall coach, like nolan was here. They just failed to improve afterwards
SackTastic
Registered User
- Mar 25, 2011
- 7,829
- 1,915
We literally need to handcuff Scotty Bowman to Pegula. Have him in his ear at every turn, expressing to him who are the right people to hire to turn this front office and therefore, team around. Pegula needs to be told which veteran hockey men need to be brought in. There needs to be a strong president and a vet GM that has experience building and is savvy enough to use analytics to identify players both in the draft and at the pro level that can help this team. The entire amateur and pro scouting departments need to be rebuilt and an actual analytics department with young forward thinking minds needs to be built.
They can have $50 million in cap space this summer and it wouldn’t matter if you can’t identify who to bring in.
There is no possible way Botts keeps his job, none. Eichel is going to snap. The fans are ready to explode.
Take Eichel off this team and this is the worst team in the league bar none. This team needs talent and Botts has shown he is incapable of acquiring it and putting a team together that can compete.
They can have $50 million in cap space this summer and it wouldn’t matter if you can’t identify who to bring in.
There is no possible way Botts keeps his job, none. Eichel is going to snap. The fans are ready to explode.
Take Eichel off this team and this is the worst team in the league bar none. This team needs talent and Botts has shown he is incapable of acquiring it and putting a team together that can compete.
Your last sentence is definitely on target. I am fortunate to be able to watch Makar regularly. He's had his ups and downs this season but he has been allowed to play to his strengths. He's a difference maker and when his game is on, his elite talent level oozes for all to see.
I really hope he is able to put on a show later this week in Buffalo.
Rasmus is playing with a boat anchor chained to his ankle. And I say it's been more evident this season than last. He's not being allowed to play his game i.e.; what he excels at..... and consequently, restricts him from improving even further in those areas. I'm sorry but I don't want to see him engaged in wrestling matches trying to box people out in front who weigh 50 lbs more and have 6-8' of height on him. Dahlin is successful when HE is CONTROLLING the puck and the play. Making offense happen. I put his misuse completely on coaching. And charge that the GM is negligent or compliant by not stopping this nonsense.
Larkin expressed a whole lot of admiration and envy after the Wings were last decimated by the Avalanche. He remarked how the focus and intensity of Colorado has changed big time in only 2 seasons and thought they were the best team the Wings had faced this year. His point was, that's a big turnaround in only a couple of seasons. I think he was challenging his mgmt to do the same. (And maybe a hint about his own situation...)
Do that in Buffalo and they'll probably look to trade you away........
sabremike
Friend To All Giraffes And Lindy Ruff
Imagine a goaltending coach coming in and forcing Hasek to not play goal the way he played it because it was "wrong" and forced him to play it "right"? The fact that someone who is billed as some sort of hockey genius like Kreuger would actually do something so stupid and idiotic is mindblowing.
