BillsFan4 Posted May 8, 2019 Author Share Posted May 8, 2019 (edited) Quote As for some clarification on Ruotsalainen's contract, if he does not make the Sabres roster from opening night this year, he will go back to Ilves for the 2019-20 season. Once his season is over in Finland, he can be assigned to the Rochester Americans and play out the remainder of the season in the American Hockey League. After the 2019-20 season, he will have no restrictions on where he has to play. He would be eligible to start the season with either the Amerks or the Sabres for the final two years of his entry-level deal. https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-sign-ruotsalainen-entry-level-deal at first I figured this was just another Antipon type situation, where if he didn’t make the team and stick, we’d probably never see him again. Glad to see thats not the case at all. Gives me more hope that this kid can be a player for us someday. Edit - even better: Edited May 8, 2019 by BillsFan4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 1 minute ago, BillsFan4 said: https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-sign-ruotsalainen-entry-level-deal at first I figured this was just another Antipon type situation, where if he didn’t make the team and stick, we’d probably never see him again. Glad to see thats not the case at all. Gives me more hope that this kid can be a player for us someday. Probably best for Rick Jeanneret that he not make the Sabres opening day lineup next year. The combination of his and Risto’s last names might induce a fit in the play by play booth. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 This is an interview with Jokke Nevalainen on WGR talking about Arttu and a few other prospects. According to Jokke Arttu is going to need at least another year or so to get stronger. It is an 8 minute segment. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-08-jokke-nevalainen-dobber-prospects-howard-and-jeremyevalainen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4merper4mer Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 8 hours ago, JohnC said: This is an interview with Jokke Nevalainen on WGR talking about Arttu and a few other prospects. According to Jokke Arttu is going to need at least another year or so to get stronger. It is an 8 minute segment. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-08-jokke-nevalainen-dobber-prospects-howard-and-jeremyevalainen Everyone needs at least 5 more years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4merper4mer Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 14 hours ago, GG said: It's almost as bad as the first ROR trade. That one is called the Drunken Donut trade. Maybe we should trade for a GM that realizes part of his job is to hire a coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 20 hours ago, BillsFan4 said: Apparently WGR said today that Friedman saying that Tippett is a favorite for the Edmonton job (Someone else posted this info. I am still trying to verify it for myself). If its true, Edmonton hasn’t even had a damn GM for the last few months. Holland was just out in place yesterday ffs. I will be so pissed if the oilers get Tippett. But I guess it’s my own fault for getting my heart set on him. I would love holland and tippett to turn this ship around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 okay, looks like Trippett and Gronberg out...so who we going to? Marlies need to get swept, and fast. I need answers if that boy in our plans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 42 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said: okay, looks like Trippett and Gronberg out...so who we going to? Marlies need to get swept, and fast. I need answers if that boy in our plans Is Tippett definitely out? You certainly hope that Crayonz is more wrong than right, but so far the leaks indicate that the Sabres have not even interviewed many of the "top" candidates. That of course flies in the face of a report that Botts prefers someone with NHL experience. So, who's still left? Are there behind the scenes moves and a possibility of actually trading for an active coach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 fats is currently dealing with the canadian team in the euro tournament, so probably nothing will happen for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Kane and O’Reilly are laughing right about now about the Sabres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4merper4mer Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 43 minutes ago, May Day 10 said: fats is currently dealing with the canadian team in the euro tournament, so probably nothing will happen for awhile. Not many golf courses in Slovakia so when he gets back he'll need to: Recover from jet lag Get in a few rounds Charity golf benefit. It's a scramble! Have the car serviced Attend St. John Fisher camp. One Buffalo! Pick up the dry cleaning Binge Game of Thrones final season he missed while in Slovakia Scan Netflix for stuff Make a few calls to potential coaches; make sure to include Emelio Estevez who looked intriguing during one of his Netflix choices Not rushing in on coaches is a key part of this if we expect Mittlestadt to be a viable 2nd line center by the 27-28 season. Patience. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 (edited) Gronborg is out. Why this move by Grönborg tells me s that he knows his big weakness is not having in-season head coaching experience. I think he knows that he needs to be a true head coach somewhere before he will get an NHL opportunity. clearly no NHL teams were interested in him as a head coach. 1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said: okay, looks like Trippett and Gronberg out...so who we going to? Marlies need to get swept, and fast. I need answers if that boy in our plans Why is Tippett out? If this is from my comment earlier, I did some more research and Friedman just mentioned that he was one of the candidates. Far from a done deal. Edited May 9, 2019 by BillsFan4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 I was luke-warm on Gronborg anyways. The concept was interesting.... but IMO, this team is not in the position to take such a risk and dive in on a coach who is not experienced in the rigors of an NHL-length season. The next coach needs to somehow fix the reasons why this team has quit during the past 3 seasons, as well as provide sound schematics. To me, Tippett is perfect, as far as what is currently available, and honestly, I would choose him over Quenneville for this team. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Has there been any story/quote out there to suggest that Gronborg actually talked to any NHL team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, shrader said: Has there been any story/quote out there to suggest that Gronborg actually talked to any NHL team? Not the Sabres, according to Vogl. If anything, I’d guess he got interest for an assistant job in the NHL, not a head coaching job. IMO he just doesn’t have the experience yet to be in consideration for an NHL HCing gig. Edit - here is what Grönborg said - Edit again - 14 years is a long time. No way was he getting an NHL head coaching opportunity without taking this step first (or coming to the NHL as an assistant) Edited May 9, 2019 by BillsFan4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 Hopefully this means that we are one step closer to an NHL backed professional women’s league (WNHL). And if/when that happens, I expect Kim Pegula to be involved and re-acquire a women’s hockey franchise for buffalo. Apparently the NHL has a plan for an NHL backed league but won’t do anything while there are other professional women’s leagues (NWHL). They don’t want to be seen as trying to kill a women’s hockey league, but don’t believe that the NWHL business model will work (so they won’t get involved). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 JBotts is really hitting this coaching search out of the park, no? A month from now they will just promote Chris Taylor from Rochester. Not that he might not be good, just that the Sabres dicked around this long while real candidates went elsewhere. I was on the fence on renewing my seasons. This is not helping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 37 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said: JBotts is really hitting this coaching search out of the park, no? A month from now they will just promote Chris Taylor from Rochester. Not that he might not be good, just that the Sabres dicked around this long while real candidates went elsewhere. I was on the fence on renewing my seasons. This is not helping. Whether its a valid complaint or not.... i think its a bad look that botterill is in europe working a second job at the loser tournament instead of "focusing" on this team that is a heavy lift and obviously needs a lot of work. His co-gms are both unemployed. It looks worse that the coaching carousel is continually spinning. If edmonton lands tippett while he is gone, im going to have trouble not being angered by this. I guess when a stated goal is to "be in a position to be in games"... the bar is set low enough where there is plenty of room for error Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Do you think Houseley would come back if we asked nicely? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 1 hour ago, bbb said: Do you think Houseley would come back if we asked nicely? Nolan would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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