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Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2018-19: Sabres picking 7th overall (6/21/19). Ralph Krueger hire as new head coach!


BillsFan4

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3 minutes ago, Boca BIlls said:

Did you not watch this season? I can't possibly believe anyone was surprised about this... Unless you really didn't see them play.

 

Housley is the only guy I have seen actually discover what is below rock bottom.

I watched every game. 

 

It wasn’t that I’m surprised because I thought he did a good job. It had nothing to do with that. It was that Jason Botterill interview about a month ago. 

 

He said that Housley would “definitely be the Sabres coach next year”.

The media said to him “do you know the the #1 thing fans want is Housley gone?” Botterill actually sounded shocked and pissed off that the media even asked him that and has this kind of disgusted sound to his voice when he answered the question. 

 

and then the Pegulas just said a couple weeks ago (at the NFL owner’s meetings) that Botterill wanted to keep housley and they gave him their support. 

 

So I thought that maybe they’d try to sell us on housley to start next year. I’m glad they didn’t. 

 

 

 

But I also said on here a few weeks ago that I didn’t care what Botterill said, that Housley couldn’t survive if this collapse continued. 

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23 minutes ago, K-9 said:

It would have been more possible to survive the insane March collapse if not for the just as insane collapse in December, January, and February. 

 

The sorry fact is that for 139 of the 164 games he coached here, we were the worst team in hockey. 

 

I honestly think that until that crazy March collapse, botterill planned on keeping Housley. I’m sure you remember that interview at the end of February/beginning of March.

 

Plus every insider (Friedman, McKenzie, LeBrun, Dreger etc) was saying Housley was safe. 

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1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

It depends on who’s fired. I’m hoping/thinking Bruce Boudreau will be fired in Minnesota. I would love that hire. 

 

Alain Vigneault might be a name to watch. He has a lot of experience, was known as an innovator and has taken 2 teams to the Cup finals. 

He was named the head coach for team canada at the upcoming worlds, where Botterill is the GM. 

 

Some other experienced veteran coaches out there:

 

- Michel Therrien (HC in Pittsburgh when botterill was hired)

- Todd McLellan

- Darryl Sutter 

- Randy Carlyle (puke...)

 

Rikard Grönborg could be another name to watch. He’s been team Sweden’s coach for years and is said to be looking for NHL opportunity. Botterill clearly loves the way Swedish players are developed (and has said as much). 

 

 

If Botterill goes with less experience again, Chris Taylor (Amerks Head Coach) could be a candidate (too inexpensive need IMO. Only 2yrs as a head coach at any level)

 

Or Sheldon Keefe of the Marlies. That’s a hire I wouldn’t mind. He’s won at every level. 

 

Q is definitely my #1 choice, though. 

 

 

I don’t know if Botterill will be looking for a veteran HC or not. I think he 100% should, but I worry that he may go with a less experienced candidate again. 

 

Taylor wouldn’t be an unprecedented choice for the Sabres.  Joe Crozier replaced Punch Imlach in ‘72 after Imlach’s heart attack, and Crozier’s coaching career was enirely in the minors at that point, though he did have a long career in the minors and won 3 Calder Cups in 5 years as coach of the Rochester Americans.

 

But I expect Pegula will go with a more experienced coach, if he can get a good one to come to Buffalo.

 

Definitely shows that Terry is getting impatient with the Sabres playoff drought.

.

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15 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

I honestly think that until that crazy March collapse, botterill planned on keeping Housley. I’m sure you remember that interview at the end of February/beginning of March.

 

Plus every insider (Friedman, McKenzie, LeBrun, Dreger etc) was saying Housley was safe. 

I agree with you that Botts wanted to keep Housley and I had resigned myself to that fact. He gave a strong public endorsement and that can be awkward to walk back. Also, they announced Housley’s Monday presser and I don’t think you do that if you know you’re gonna fire the guy. I wonder if it was all Botts’s decision alone of if he was ordered to. Then again, I was never convinced that Housley was Botterill’s hire alone, anyway. 

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1 hour ago, Doc Brown said:

After Rex Ryan ruined our defense I took a little joy in him getting fired.

 

The Pegula's at least know when they made a mistake and I'm glad Housley is gone.  Now go and convince Quenneville that Buffalo is superior to Florida.

 

They seem to have made several. Should be easy to identify by now.

 

 

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1 hour ago, bbb said:

How about Scottie Bowman?  #redemption 

 

Scot only did well when he was handed the current SC champion or a team that was 95 percent of the way to winning one before he showed up 

 

 

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1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

I watched every game. 

 

It wasn’t that I’m surprised because I thought he did a good job. It had nothing to do with that. It was that Jason Botterill interview about a month ago. 

 

He said that Housley would “definitely be the Sabres coach next year”.

The media said to him “do you know the the #1 thing fans want is Housley gone?” Botterill actually sounded shocked and pissed off that the media even asked him that and has this kind of disgusted sound to his voice when he answered the question. 

 

and then the Pegulas just said a couple weeks ago (at the NFL owner’s meetings) that Botterill wanted to keep housley and they gave him their support. 

 

So I thought that maybe they’d try to sell us on housley to start next year. I’m glad they didn’t. 

 

 

 

But I also said on here a few weeks ago that I didn’t care what Botterill said, that Housley couldn’t survive if this collapse continued. 

Well now you will learn what people say to the media means nothing. 

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I’m starting to like the idea of a possible Alain Vigneault hire, if Q to Florida really does happen as soon as tomorrow. 

 

AV has coached over 1,200 NHL games. He has the experience. He’s been there and done it before - taken over crappy teams and made them better. This wouldn’t (or shouldn’t, in theory) be an overwhelming task for him. 

 

He’s won the Jack Adams (as NHL’s best head coach) at least once and been nominated for it at least 3x. His teams have won a number of presidents trophies as the NHL’s best team (Vancouver won it back to back when he was their HC). 

 

He was great in Vancouver and left as the franchises winningest head coach. 

 

The Sedin’s developed into super stars under him. The first 4yrs of their career they were 30-50pt 2nd liner types, until AV took over.

Ryan Kesler went from an ok 3rd line C to an elite #2C under AV. 

 

He got an ok NYR team to within a game of a Stanley Cup. That team was good, but not elite by ay means. 

 

 

He has shown the ability to adapt his system to the team he has. He’s had teams that were very defense 1st and he’s has teams that led the league in offense. 

 

He is also said to be a commanding presnce in the locker room and a leader. 

 

 

 

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26 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I’m starting to like the idea of a possible Alain Vigneault hire, if Q to Florida really does happen as soon as tomorrow. 

 

AV has coached over 1,200 NHL games. He has the experience. He’s been there and done it before - taken over crappy teams and made them better. This wouldn’t (or shouldn’t, in theory) be an overwhelming task for him. 

 

He’s won the Jack Adams (as NHL’s best head coach) at least once and been nominated for it at least 3x. His teams have won a number of presidents trophies as the NHL’s best team (Vancouver won it back to back when he was their HC). 

 

He was great in Vancouver and left as the franchises winningest head coach. 

 

The Sedin’s developed into super stars under him. The first 4yrs of their career they were 30-50pt 2nd liner types, until AV took over.

Ryan Kesler went from an ok 3rd line C to an elite #2C under AV. 

 

He got an ok NYR team to within a game of a Stanley Cup. That team was good, but not elite by ay means. 

 

 

He has shown the ability to adapt his system to the team he has. He’s had teams that were very defense 1st and he’s has teams that led the league in offense. 

 

He is also said to be a commanding presnce in the locker room and a leader. 

 

 

 

We could do a lot worse than AV. And Botts will be working with him during the world championships, too. 

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