Jon Vogl of The Buffalo News wrote a very revealing piece today which centered around former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller and his coach at the time, Lindy Ruff. Back in 2008 Miller was the face of the Sabres and represented the future of USA Hockey heading into the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.
Ruff, who spent 16+ years as the Sabres head coach, was never one to shy away from skating his team through tough practices after lackluster efforts and did so after a 2-1 Sabres loss in Florida. Miller was included in the skate as well.
From Vogl's piece, "Ruff called out Miller after the Florida game saying, 'you've got to get saves there' in reference to both goals and added the first one was 'an easy play for Ryan to read.'"
"With sweat pouring down Miller's face," continued Vogl of the practice, he quoted Miller as saying, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to read better,"
Vogl wrote about Miller being unhappy and thought he was calling out his coach with that remark. Much to his surprise, such was not the case. "He was very adamant as to why," wrote Vogl. "He was scared of the coach. He said Ruff was in charge of his career and playing time. Miller was worried if he crossed him, he could be benched or shipped out of town." The exact opposite of what Vogl and others expected.
That was roughly 10 years ago and Miller's fears never seemed to be the same as a forward group that oft times were accused of creating a "country club setting" which lead to underachievement as a team from the 2007-08 season onward.
Ruff was fired by owner Terry Pegula in 2013 and replaced by rookie head coach Ron "Garden Gloves" Rolston who proved rather quickly the following season that he was in way over his head. Rolston was the first of, now, four coaches since Ruff was fired on February 20 that year. After Rolston came a year-plus of Ted Nolan, two years of Dan Bylsma and this April will mark the first season under Phil Housley.
Many believe that Nolan, who's systematic shortcomings are the stuff of fodder, was hired to lead the team to the top of the draft by coaching them to the bottom of the league. Perhaps that may have been the case. Or perhaps as a hire of Pat LaFontaine, who was named President of Hockey Operations for the Buffalo Sabres on November 13, 2013, Nolan was expected t do what he's always done, motivate his team through a very trying time and make them as competitive as could be. Tank be damned.
During the 2014-15 season when the Sabres as an organization were focused upon losing to guarantee a shot at Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel, Nolan had a group of nobody's and borderline NHL'ers actually making some waves through much of the season, a franchise-worst 14-game losing streak and 0-12 month of January notwithstanding.
Even with that abysmal stretch, it still took until the second-to-last game of the season for Buffalo to reach their goal of securing last place in the standings and Nolan was a big part of that.
He was fired April 12, the day after the season mercifully ended.
With the potential to select McDavid in the draft maybe even land soon to be free agent coach Mike Babcock, who's considered to be one of the best in the business, Nolan's firing was a pretty much a foregone conclusion.
But while the organization went chasing rainbows and lucky charms, believing that fate would smile upon them not once but twice, a good coach was being tossed aside at the end of that season.
Nolan's shortcomings are well documented in that X's and O's to him might make up some foreign equation found on Mars and he was mocked repeatedly and relentlessly most everywhere in Buffalo because of it. However, say what you will, his players always worked hard and would run through a brick wall for him.
What Buffalo got in X's and O's after his firing, they lost in motivation. The first year under Bylsma the Sabres increased their point total by 50%, which is impressive even if they were coming off of a 54-point tank season. After that, a disappointing season that saw a disconnect between him and his players.
He was fired after two seasons. Yet nothing has changed with the hiring of a rookie head coach in Housley.
"Too many Sabres either don't care or think they're in charge," wrote Vogl of the present state of the team. "The players don't listen or, even worse, don't feel they even have to listen. It's a major reason why the Sabres are bottom-feeders once again."
Housley, an extremely gifted, Hall of Fame player who worked wonders with the Nashville Predators defense as an assistant coach, knows his X's and O's, as Vogl points out. "Housley has a great knack for forecasting exactly what the opponent will do, and he explains it clearly in the morning. When the puck drops, the opponent follows the blueprint and the Sabres stand there and get run over."
And there's the rub. The Sabres have had two very knowledgeable coaches who are in tune with the intricacies of the modern game but were not able to motivate their team to the point where they could play it properly game-in, game-out.
In no way should this be construed as a call to bring Nolan back to Buffalo. But in hindsight, a team coming off of consecutive last place finishes with no sense of identity and the ire of the hockey world harshly directed at them probably could have used a foundational season under Nolan just to get them something to rally around while learning to play the game properly as a new team.
In Bylsma's first season we watched the Sabres struggle with his system while also watching them fumble through basics like passing and covering a two-on-one. The hiring of Housley made it even worse. Granted the players seemed to have figured it out somewhat, but it's way to late this season and there are no guarantees any success they may have through the end of the season will carry over.
The Pegulas and their GM Jason Botterill will have some decisions to make moving forward. While most in Sabreland can't wait to add more talent, which is a good thing, not having a proper team construct or worse, not having motivated players especially star players, makes for a vicious cycle.
If Housley's not the answer as coach, and this very well may be true, once again the organization will be looking for a new head coach. Hiring a fifth coach since 2013 might not be the ideal, but it's about wins and losses and we know that it's easier to fire one coach than it is to move on from 10 players. What it does come down to is finding the fit.
The Detroit Red Wings are considered one of the best organizations in sports and rightfully so. What people don't remember is that the decades prior to their 25-year playoff run was known as the "Dead Wings-era." From 1982 when Mike Ilitch took over the team until their first of four Stanley Cups beginning in 1997, the Red Wings went through five coaches including three coaches in the first four seasons coming out of the Dead Wings era and two more before Scotty Bowman lead them back to the promised land.
The Sabres are what they are right now. It ain't pretty and just throwing talent and money at trying to fix it is not the solution. Talent will help immensely, but without motivation, it's meaningless. "Sometimes guys think they're playing hard," Housley was quoted as saying by Vogl, "but they're not playing hard enough and they have to work. I think that's the bottom line for a lot of guys."
For a short period of time over the past five years, that was never a problem.
Showing posts with label Ted Nolan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ted Nolan. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
No room for sentiment, Ted Nolan fired. Plus 2014-15 Team Stats--Final
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
"Was a matter of when, not if."
So a colleague told me last night after Sabres head coach Ted Nolan was fired by GM Tim Murray. Murray also fired assistant coach Danny Flynn and announced that he did not renew the contracts of assistant coaches Bryan Trottier and Tom Coolen. Goalie coach Arturs Irbe has one year left on his contract and is still with the club.
As big a fan as I was of Nolan and the work he did this season, Murray is on a mission. When he stepped to the podium to announce the changes, he was cold and business-like, the same way he's been publically after making a number of franchise-altering decisions. From owner Terry Pegula on down, Murray has been put in charge of building a championship team and he not fooling around. There's no room for sentimentality in all of this despite Sgt. Ted throwing himself and his career on a hand grenade for the Buffalo Sabres organization. From Ryan Miller to Tyler Myers to Nolan and on to the next coaching staff, Murray is all-in on his vision. And he should be commended for it.
That being said, although it's the correct move for the franchise moving forward, it's still a raw deal.
"Was a matter of when, not if."
So a colleague told me last night after Sabres head coach Ted Nolan was fired by GM Tim Murray. Murray also fired assistant coach Danny Flynn and announced that he did not renew the contracts of assistant coaches Bryan Trottier and Tom Coolen. Goalie coach Arturs Irbe has one year left on his contract and is still with the club.
As big a fan as I was of Nolan and the work he did this season, Murray is on a mission. When he stepped to the podium to announce the changes, he was cold and business-like, the same way he's been publically after making a number of franchise-altering decisions. From owner Terry Pegula on down, Murray has been put in charge of building a championship team and he not fooling around. There's no room for sentimentality in all of this despite Sgt. Ted throwing himself and his career on a hand grenade for the Buffalo Sabres organization. From Ryan Miller to Tyler Myers to Nolan and on to the next coaching staff, Murray is all-in on his vision. And he should be commended for it.
That being said, although it's the correct move for the franchise moving forward, it's still a raw deal.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Some players to keep an eye on and some games to watch tonight
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Yes, the saga continues tonight in Vancouver as the Canucks host the Arizona Coyotes at 10:00pm EST.
From a 'Yote's/Buffalo Sabres perspective, we all know what's at stake. A win by Arizona and it's over. A regulation loss and Howard Simon starts losing hair on his face and ears, security on the Peace Bridge goes orange and fans start gathering fuel for their Ted Nolan effigy.
Just a thought before we move on, were Nolan to get fired at anytime before the end of the season, methinks the team would rally. Whether the rally would be successful or not is another story, but as Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times' Buffalo Hockeybeat pointed out today, he's well thought of by the players as he's managed to keep things upbeat, according to Hoppe, despite the team losing 57 games (including overtime/shootout losses) to date. "Players clearly enjoy playing under Nolan," wrote Hoppe. "They mention the way he communicates, his motivational skills and the freedom he gives them."
Yes, the saga continues tonight in Vancouver as the Canucks host the Arizona Coyotes at 10:00pm EST.
From a 'Yote's/Buffalo Sabres perspective, we all know what's at stake. A win by Arizona and it's over. A regulation loss and Howard Simon starts losing hair on his face and ears, security on the Peace Bridge goes orange and fans start gathering fuel for their Ted Nolan effigy.
Just a thought before we move on, were Nolan to get fired at anytime before the end of the season, methinks the team would rally. Whether the rally would be successful or not is another story, but as Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times' Buffalo Hockeybeat pointed out today, he's well thought of by the players as he's managed to keep things upbeat, according to Hoppe, despite the team losing 57 games (including overtime/shootout losses) to date. "Players clearly enjoy playing under Nolan," wrote Hoppe. "They mention the way he communicates, his motivational skills and the freedom he gives them."
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Notes to chaw on as the end draws nearer
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
To say it's been a strange season would be like saying Sidney Crosby is a pretty good hockey player. With five days to go in the 2014-15 regular season and the Buffalo Sabres off until Friday, there are many fans who are left to manically watch the scoreboard while squirming in "apocalyptic fear," as WGR's Howard Simon put it yesterday. As if the very essence of their existence and every strand of their being hangs in the balance of last place finish. Just the thought of a 30th place finish having that much weight in life is strange.
A colleague asked me if I'm on twitter, and I said no. Although a lack of a social media presence isn't helpful when it comes to professional exposure, I take in enough psychosis just browsing the comment sections throughout the interweb or listening to the reactions of Buffalo fans as well as personalities on GR. Twitter is in direct contrast the old adage, "Think before you speak," and often times tweets and comments, as well as calling in on talk radio, are end up being totally against a common refrain I'd been taught growing up, "If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all."
To say it's been a strange season would be like saying Sidney Crosby is a pretty good hockey player. With five days to go in the 2014-15 regular season and the Buffalo Sabres off until Friday, there are many fans who are left to manically watch the scoreboard while squirming in "apocalyptic fear," as WGR's Howard Simon put it yesterday. As if the very essence of their existence and every strand of their being hangs in the balance of last place finish. Just the thought of a 30th place finish having that much weight in life is strange.
A colleague asked me if I'm on twitter, and I said no. Although a lack of a social media presence isn't helpful when it comes to professional exposure, I take in enough psychosis just browsing the comment sections throughout the interweb or listening to the reactions of Buffalo fans as well as personalities on GR. Twitter is in direct contrast the old adage, "Think before you speak," and often times tweets and comments, as well as calling in on talk radio, are end up being totally against a common refrain I'd been taught growing up, "If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all."
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Time to finish the job
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
There's not a Sabres fan that I know of that would want the team to go into Fan Appreciation Weekend with the possibility of Arizona finishing behind Buffalo in the standings. The Sabres would need to snare five of a possible six points and the Coyotes would need to lose out for the Sabres to finish 29th. The odds of that happening are slim to none but Buffalo fans know all to well that anything's possible.
As the 2014-15 is coming to a close, fans can't help but feel that there's been enough anguish especially over the course of the last three months or so. Regardless of all that, the job is not finished.
This is a very winnable game for Buffalo versus the Carolina Hurricanes and one that could give fans heartburn. The season series is split 1-1 right now and it should be noted that the Canes are sporting a 11-24-3 road record and are presently on a three-game losing streak. Yet, for their part, the Sabres haven't won consecutive home games vs. Carolina since a five-game streak from 10-20-2006 to 1-17-2009.
There's not a Sabres fan that I know of that would want the team to go into Fan Appreciation Weekend with the possibility of Arizona finishing behind Buffalo in the standings. The Sabres would need to snare five of a possible six points and the Coyotes would need to lose out for the Sabres to finish 29th. The odds of that happening are slim to none but Buffalo fans know all to well that anything's possible.
As the 2014-15 is coming to a close, fans can't help but feel that there's been enough anguish especially over the course of the last three months or so. Regardless of all that, the job is not finished.
This is a very winnable game for Buffalo versus the Carolina Hurricanes and one that could give fans heartburn. The season series is split 1-1 right now and it should be noted that the Canes are sporting a 11-24-3 road record and are presently on a three-game losing streak. Yet, for their part, the Sabres haven't won consecutive home games vs. Carolina since a five-game streak from 10-20-2006 to 1-17-2009.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Ted Nolan, "Agree to disagree"
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Sabres head coach Ted Nolan was on WGR's Howard Simon Show for his weekly appearance. As is par for the course in the Buffalo media these days, the host and co-host spent the majority of the segment trying in many ways to get his thoughts on what's transpired over the course of the last week. Nolan was asked about the home fans cheering the opposition, the players being annoyed by it, the wins vs. Arizona and Toronto, the value of positioning amongst the bottom-dwelling teams and how he's handling it all.
Host Simon and his co-host Jeremy Whiter were sneaky, which is typical, because if one hopes to get an answer, that's the way one must be when asking a question on a touchy subject. And Nolan didn't just fall off the turnip truck. After one question thrown his way, the coach came right out and said, "That's a loaded question."
What we're witnessing, and have been witnessing, throughout this long, tedious and rather exhausting process, is a simple case of people doing their jobs. The boys on the air and in print, in essence, are speaking for many fans (or think they are) and are trying to get some information and/or sound bites. The players on the ice are doing their jobs as they're trying to win and make an impression so that they may continue their careers. Nolan and his staff are doing their jobs in trying to get the best out of each player on an individual basis while GM Tim Murray is keeping in mind the long-term best interests of the franchise.
Add it all up and you have the Sabres tenuous hold on 30th place and a fan-base getting more and more nervous with every point Buffalo gets. But "Tank-nation" needn't fret all that much as the level of competition coming up is sharply greater than what Arizona and Toronto have to offer.
Sabres head coach Ted Nolan was on WGR's Howard Simon Show for his weekly appearance. As is par for the course in the Buffalo media these days, the host and co-host spent the majority of the segment trying in many ways to get his thoughts on what's transpired over the course of the last week. Nolan was asked about the home fans cheering the opposition, the players being annoyed by it, the wins vs. Arizona and Toronto, the value of positioning amongst the bottom-dwelling teams and how he's handling it all.
Host Simon and his co-host Jeremy Whiter were sneaky, which is typical, because if one hopes to get an answer, that's the way one must be when asking a question on a touchy subject. And Nolan didn't just fall off the turnip truck. After one question thrown his way, the coach came right out and said, "That's a loaded question."
What we're witnessing, and have been witnessing, throughout this long, tedious and rather exhausting process, is a simple case of people doing their jobs. The boys on the air and in print, in essence, are speaking for many fans (or think they are) and are trying to get some information and/or sound bites. The players on the ice are doing their jobs as they're trying to win and make an impression so that they may continue their careers. Nolan and his staff are doing their jobs in trying to get the best out of each player on an individual basis while GM Tim Murray is keeping in mind the long-term best interests of the franchise.
Add it all up and you have the Sabres tenuous hold on 30th place and a fan-base getting more and more nervous with every point Buffalo gets. But "Tank-nation" needn't fret all that much as the level of competition coming up is sharply greater than what Arizona and Toronto have to offer.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Of Ted Nolan, Mikhail Grigorenko and Tyler Ennis
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo Sabres head coach Ted Nolan has brought out the extremes in everybody during his various stints as head coach probably none moreso than over the course of the last season and a half. This season in Buffalo where fans seemed to have lost their minds (see Arizona vs. Buffalo, March 26, 2015,) he's done it again and those with a negative view of Nolan far outweigh those on the positive side.
Of the nasty generalizations thrown his way this season are things like, "He's ruining the tank by winning!" "He sucks because they're losing!" "They're not losing correctly!" "He's a trap coach!" "He's being too hard on his players!" "He's too soft on HIS players!" "He can't develop players!"
And on.
Buffalo Sabres head coach Ted Nolan has brought out the extremes in everybody during his various stints as head coach probably none moreso than over the course of the last season and a half. This season in Buffalo where fans seemed to have lost their minds (see Arizona vs. Buffalo, March 26, 2015,) he's done it again and those with a negative view of Nolan far outweigh those on the positive side.
Of the nasty generalizations thrown his way this season are things like, "He's ruining the tank by winning!" "He sucks because they're losing!" "They're not losing correctly!" "He's a trap coach!" "He's being too hard on his players!" "He's too soft on HIS players!" "He can't develop players!"
And on.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
A petulant Lindback? And, Lindy Ruff's 2006-07 gameplan can help bring this thing home
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Perhaps it was the headline that read, Lindback courts many fans' displeasure, and the notion put forth that "he’s on his way to becoming one of the most reviled Sabres ever," as written by the author, Jon Vogl of The Buffalo News. Or maybe it was the number of games he's played in consecutively, which has reached eight, all since Michal Neuvirth was traded to the NY Islanders. Or it may have been something unseen, but Sabres goalie Anders Lindback began last night's game versus the New Jersey Devils in a petulant mood.
He wasn't angry, throwin' crosschecks or elbows or anything like that, but it seemed as if there was a slight change in his demeanor as seen when he handled the puck early in the game. It looked as if something was bugging him, throwing him off a bit. It had the look as if he'd mentally thrown his arms up to say, "whatever."
Perhaps it was the headline that read, Lindback courts many fans' displeasure, and the notion put forth that "he’s on his way to becoming one of the most reviled Sabres ever," as written by the author, Jon Vogl of The Buffalo News. Or maybe it was the number of games he's played in consecutively, which has reached eight, all since Michal Neuvirth was traded to the NY Islanders. Or it may have been something unseen, but Sabres goalie Anders Lindback began last night's game versus the New Jersey Devils in a petulant mood.
He wasn't angry, throwin' crosschecks or elbows or anything like that, but it seemed as if there was a slight change in his demeanor as seen when he handled the puck early in the game. It looked as if something was bugging him, throwing him off a bit. It had the look as if he'd mentally thrown his arms up to say, "whatever."
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Of coaching, Larsson and a difficult stretch beginning tonight
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
From Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News:
"Here’s a believe-it-or-not stat from a season full of them: The Buffalo Sabres have scored the first goal in nine of their last 10 games. "
During that 10-game span, the only time the Sabres didn't score first was in Tampa Bay the day after the trade deadline when they didn't score at all in a 3-0 shutout loss. Buffalo's record in the other nine games is 3-4-2.
Buffalo fans will probably remember a time period under former coach Lindy Ruff where the team would get off to a sluggish start only to begin playing when the game was close to being out of reach. It didn't matter if it was home or away, the first or the second game of a back-to-back, hitting the road, coming home after a road trip, autumnal equinox, vernal equinox or winter solstice. It didn't matter. We can't count how many times those squads came out flat.
There's a different dynamic this season right now as opposed to back then. Under Ruff, lethargy enveloped his core group as their star skaters were locked-up long-term. For the rest of this season we'll witness a Sabres squad full of younger players and borderline NHL'ers looking to make their mark with Buffalo or get noticed by some other NHL club.
Opportunity's knocking and they're answering.
From Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News:
"Here’s a believe-it-or-not stat from a season full of them: The Buffalo Sabres have scored the first goal in nine of their last 10 games. "
During that 10-game span, the only time the Sabres didn't score first was in Tampa Bay the day after the trade deadline when they didn't score at all in a 3-0 shutout loss. Buffalo's record in the other nine games is 3-4-2.
Buffalo fans will probably remember a time period under former coach Lindy Ruff where the team would get off to a sluggish start only to begin playing when the game was close to being out of reach. It didn't matter if it was home or away, the first or the second game of a back-to-back, hitting the road, coming home after a road trip, autumnal equinox, vernal equinox or winter solstice. It didn't matter. We can't count how many times those squads came out flat.
There's a different dynamic this season right now as opposed to back then. Under Ruff, lethargy enveloped his core group as their star skaters were locked-up long-term. For the rest of this season we'll witness a Sabres squad full of younger players and borderline NHL'ers looking to make their mark with Buffalo or get noticed by some other NHL club.
Opportunity's knocking and they're answering.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Grigorenko loss is Larsson's gain
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Apparently forward Mikhail Grigorenko was a little too casual in his approach when opportunity knocked last Friday in Ottawa. To the casual observer Grigorenko, a third-year pro, had a fairly decent game with what looked like some nerves early on and some sparks later in the game.
That's not what head coach Ted Nolan witnessed as he dropped Grigorenko to the fourth line after only two shifts. "I didn’t like his play,” the coach said, rather bluntly, “I thought his play on certain pucks was really lackadaisical. He didn’t have any energy or urgency in his game whatsoever. Hopefully, he’ll catch that one day.”
In a few brief sentences, Nolan touched on Grigorenko's uneven career to this point and while leaving the door open for future opportunity with the club, that final part about "hopefully" figuring it out does not bode well for the soon to be restricted free agent.
Apparently forward Mikhail Grigorenko was a little too casual in his approach when opportunity knocked last Friday in Ottawa. To the casual observer Grigorenko, a third-year pro, had a fairly decent game with what looked like some nerves early on and some sparks later in the game.
That's not what head coach Ted Nolan witnessed as he dropped Grigorenko to the fourth line after only two shifts. "I didn’t like his play,” the coach said, rather bluntly, “I thought his play on certain pucks was really lackadaisical. He didn’t have any energy or urgency in his game whatsoever. Hopefully, he’ll catch that one day.”
In a few brief sentences, Nolan touched on Grigorenko's uneven career to this point and while leaving the door open for future opportunity with the club, that final part about "hopefully" figuring it out does not bode well for the soon to be restricted free agent.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Bills provide a diversion
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Buffalo Sabres could not have asked for better timing. While they were icing a team featuring a group of skaters with a grand total of 65 goals this season, not to mention having a goalie with a .875 save percentage between the pipes, for the last couple of days Buffalo Bills were making headline on a national level.
Media outlets were devoting mega-minutes to the trade of Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy for Bills' linebacker Kiko Alonso, calling it a "blockbuster," a term is normally reserved for a multi-piece deal that involves star/superstar quality players. Like when the Bills traded for Cornelius Bennett in 1987 or even recently when Sabres GM Tim Murray pulled off the Tyler Myers/Evander Kane blockbuster less than one month ago.
The Buffalo Sabres could not have asked for better timing. While they were icing a team featuring a group of skaters with a grand total of 65 goals this season, not to mention having a goalie with a .875 save percentage between the pipes, for the last couple of days Buffalo Bills were making headline on a national level.
Media outlets were devoting mega-minutes to the trade of Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy for Bills' linebacker Kiko Alonso, calling it a "blockbuster," a term is normally reserved for a multi-piece deal that involves star/superstar quality players. Like when the Bills traded for Cornelius Bennett in 1987 or even recently when Sabres GM Tim Murray pulled off the Tyler Myers/Evander Kane blockbuster less than one month ago.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
2014-15 Team Stats--February
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray has stated time and again that he wants to see the team progress and wants to see improvement in his players.
"Progress" and "improvement" are broad terms and their definitions can vary wildly, even within the organization. John Vogl of the Buffalo News writes that the schism between Murray and head coach Ted Nolan is widening, "The philosophical differences between Tim Murray and Ted Nolan have raised questions about the coach’s future," wrote Vogl this morning. "Using football injury terms, Nolan ranges from questionable to doubtful. Some have already downgraded him to out." In layman's terms, Vogl says the coach went from having a 50% chance of getting canned to 75%.
Although I'm of the opinion that for this season any progress from a team standpoint should be minute, perhaps others feel that this team should be much farther along and winning more games. There's confusion emanating from the foot of Washington St. as to just what kind of job Nolan has done thus far. Has he done a great job with the limited talent he's been given? Did he loose his team at some point in December causing them to tumble to the bottom of the league? Will Murray "manipulate" his team's standing at the deadline by shipping out every last bit of talent he can by 3pm tomorrow?
And just what is those "philosophical differences" Vogl is alluding to?
Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray has stated time and again that he wants to see the team progress and wants to see improvement in his players.
"Progress" and "improvement" are broad terms and their definitions can vary wildly, even within the organization. John Vogl of the Buffalo News writes that the schism between Murray and head coach Ted Nolan is widening, "The philosophical differences between Tim Murray and Ted Nolan have raised questions about the coach’s future," wrote Vogl this morning. "Using football injury terms, Nolan ranges from questionable to doubtful. Some have already downgraded him to out." In layman's terms, Vogl says the coach went from having a 50% chance of getting canned to 75%.
Although I'm of the opinion that for this season any progress from a team standpoint should be minute, perhaps others feel that this team should be much farther along and winning more games. There's confusion emanating from the foot of Washington St. as to just what kind of job Nolan has done thus far. Has he done a great job with the limited talent he's been given? Did he loose his team at some point in December causing them to tumble to the bottom of the league? Will Murray "manipulate" his team's standing at the deadline by shipping out every last bit of talent he can by 3pm tomorrow?
And just what is those "philosophical differences" Vogl is alluding to?
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Ted Nolan and his coaching staff may be doing much better than most think
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo Sabres head coach Ted Nolan is said to be on the hot-seat for the performance of his last-place team.
I know. Newsflash. Right?
We all know the stats which include 16 wins in 56 games, a franchise record 14-game losing streak, last place in goals-for, goals-against, powerplay, faceoff, etc., etc., etc. And if the stats were bad to this point, the impact of losing Tyler Myers and Drew Stafford along with goalie Jhonas Enroth last week will probably further cement their place at the bottom of the aforementioned.
Blame is starting to get thrown around for a wretched season as history will be judging the 2014-15 Buffalo Sabres in a harsh light with Nolan and his staff as coaches of record. While whispers of discontent are said to be emanating from the foot of Washington St., there's not been a direct, full-blown indictment of the coaching staff. That being said, there are more than a few media types and a burgeoning group of fans who believe that Nolan's second stint will be coming to an end in the near future.
Buffalo Sabres head coach Ted Nolan is said to be on the hot-seat for the performance of his last-place team.
I know. Newsflash. Right?
We all know the stats which include 16 wins in 56 games, a franchise record 14-game losing streak, last place in goals-for, goals-against, powerplay, faceoff, etc., etc., etc. And if the stats were bad to this point, the impact of losing Tyler Myers and Drew Stafford along with goalie Jhonas Enroth last week will probably further cement their place at the bottom of the aforementioned.
Blame is starting to get thrown around for a wretched season as history will be judging the 2014-15 Buffalo Sabres in a harsh light with Nolan and his staff as coaches of record. While whispers of discontent are said to be emanating from the foot of Washington St., there's not been a direct, full-blown indictment of the coaching staff. That being said, there are more than a few media types and a burgeoning group of fans who believe that Nolan's second stint will be coming to an end in the near future.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Of the Bills and Incognito, the Sabres and Evander Kane
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Buffalo Bills have guard Richie Incognito in town for a physical and rumor has it that should he pass it, the Bills will sign him.
Why should this be of any importance to a Sabres blog? Other than the fact that the two teams have the same owner?
Well...because.
Actually it kinda fits hand in hand with the whole Evander Kane debate and whether or not the Buffalo Sabres should pursue him in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets.
Kane's image in Winnipeg is that of a highly skilled player who may be described as "petulant, immature and lacking in good judgment." That description would be a compliment to Incognito who was once had the dubious distinction of being voted dirtiest player in a 2009 Sporting News poll of 99 players. Interesting to note that he played three games for the Bills that season after St. Louis cut him as Buffalo claimed him off waivers.
Incognito has never shied away from any of that stuff during his career, one that climbed to Pro Bowl status in 2012. It was his third season with the Dolphins and he started all 16 games for the team at left guard.
The Buffalo Bills have guard Richie Incognito in town for a physical and rumor has it that should he pass it, the Bills will sign him.
Why should this be of any importance to a Sabres blog? Other than the fact that the two teams have the same owner?
Well...because.
Actually it kinda fits hand in hand with the whole Evander Kane debate and whether or not the Buffalo Sabres should pursue him in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets.
Kane's image in Winnipeg is that of a highly skilled player who may be described as "petulant, immature and lacking in good judgment." That description would be a compliment to Incognito who was once had the dubious distinction of being voted dirtiest player in a 2009 Sporting News poll of 99 players. Interesting to note that he played three games for the Bills that season after St. Louis cut him as Buffalo claimed him off waivers.
Incognito has never shied away from any of that stuff during his career, one that climbed to Pro Bowl status in 2012. It was his third season with the Dolphins and he started all 16 games for the team at left guard.
Friday, February 6, 2015
The great Ted Nolan debate
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the 2014-15 season for the Buffalo Sabres is a throw away season. It doesn't mean things can't be accomplished (however minute these accomplishments might be) but on the whole, this team was destined to test the depths of the league standings from the get-go.
At the beginning of the season I was of the opinion that a bottom-three finish was in the offing for the Sabres and it looks as if my expectations were a bit high. At the beginning of the season, surely expectations varied throughout Sabreland, including the management team and coaches, about where they would end up. But after a 14-game losing streak, it's safe to say that nearly everyone's on the same page now.
That being said, the great debate has shifted slightly from the value of Tyler Myers and of Cody Hodgson's worth, to the future of head coach, Ted Nolan.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the 2014-15 season for the Buffalo Sabres is a throw away season. It doesn't mean things can't be accomplished (however minute these accomplishments might be) but on the whole, this team was destined to test the depths of the league standings from the get-go.
At the beginning of the season I was of the opinion that a bottom-three finish was in the offing for the Sabres and it looks as if my expectations were a bit high. At the beginning of the season, surely expectations varied throughout Sabreland, including the management team and coaches, about where they would end up. But after a 14-game losing streak, it's safe to say that nearly everyone's on the same page now.
That being said, the great debate has shifted slightly from the value of Tyler Myers and of Cody Hodgson's worth, to the future of head coach, Ted Nolan.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Someday (hopefully) this team will remember the lumps they've been taking
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Buffalo Sabres head into tonight's matchup vs. the Philadelphia Flyers on a franchise-record nine-game regulation losing streak. Losing tonight for a 10th consecutive time would be nothing new to the team as they finished last season with seven losses (one in the SO) and opened up this campaign with a three game losing streak for 10 in a row. But losing a 10th game in a row in regulation is something that hasn't been done at all since 2006 when the Pittsburgh Penguins with rookie Sidney Crosby did it from January 6-23.
Pittsburgh, of course, won the 2005 draft lottery prior to the 2005-06 season and picked Crosby first overall. He would score 39 goals as a rookie and his 102 points would place him 6th in the league. Even with that production, as well as solid contributions from the likes of Sergei Gonchar, Mark Recchi and John Leclair, the Pens still could only manage 22 wins, one less than a 2003-04, pre-Crosby team which went 23-47-8-4 (eight ties and 4 OT losses.)
With their losses mounting and a bottom-dwelling finish in the offing for the second year running, the Buffalo Sabres have often been compared to the Pens as well as the Chicago Blackhawks of that era when both of those franchises were reaching bottom during their rebuilds. Both teams would eventually come out of depths to raise the Stanley Cup.
The Buffalo Sabres head into tonight's matchup vs. the Philadelphia Flyers on a franchise-record nine-game regulation losing streak. Losing tonight for a 10th consecutive time would be nothing new to the team as they finished last season with seven losses (one in the SO) and opened up this campaign with a three game losing streak for 10 in a row. But losing a 10th game in a row in regulation is something that hasn't been done at all since 2006 when the Pittsburgh Penguins with rookie Sidney Crosby did it from January 6-23.
Pittsburgh, of course, won the 2005 draft lottery prior to the 2005-06 season and picked Crosby first overall. He would score 39 goals as a rookie and his 102 points would place him 6th in the league. Even with that production, as well as solid contributions from the likes of Sergei Gonchar, Mark Recchi and John Leclair, the Pens still could only manage 22 wins, one less than a 2003-04, pre-Crosby team which went 23-47-8-4 (eight ties and 4 OT losses.)
With their losses mounting and a bottom-dwelling finish in the offing for the second year running, the Buffalo Sabres have often been compared to the Pens as well as the Chicago Blackhawks of that era when both of those franchises were reaching bottom during their rebuilds. Both teams would eventually come out of depths to raise the Stanley Cup.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Nolan and Murray don't want any put-ons. Gotta belive.
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
With snow hitting the northtowns and interest in the Calgary Flames low, there wasn't quite the announced 18,000 fans on hand for the game last night, but the ones who were there got a nice treat. For only the third time in 29 games the Buffalo Sabres scored four goals in a game as they came away with a 4-3 comeback win.
The Sabres seemed to have awakened from the stupor they found themselves in at the beginning of the season and aren't being kicked around anymore. Where once there were howls that the lowly Sabres were tanking, the press is now taking notice of a very strong 8-3-0 run over the past 11 games.
Last night they took on a Flames team that's well within their weight class and did what they do best as of late, endure an onslaught of shots and bury what few chances they had.
Case in point. In the third period and down a goal, Zemgus Girgensons found the back of the net at about the 12:00-mark. It was their first shot of the period and it brought their shot total to 13 for the game. Buffalo would get outshot by an incredible 45-19 margin.
With snow hitting the northtowns and interest in the Calgary Flames low, there wasn't quite the announced 18,000 fans on hand for the game last night, but the ones who were there got a nice treat. For only the third time in 29 games the Buffalo Sabres scored four goals in a game as they came away with a 4-3 comeback win.
The Sabres seemed to have awakened from the stupor they found themselves in at the beginning of the season and aren't being kicked around anymore. Where once there were howls that the lowly Sabres were tanking, the press is now taking notice of a very strong 8-3-0 run over the past 11 games.
Last night they took on a Flames team that's well within their weight class and did what they do best as of late, endure an onslaught of shots and bury what few chances they had.
Case in point. In the third period and down a goal, Zemgus Girgensons found the back of the net at about the 12:00-mark. It was their first shot of the period and it brought their shot total to 13 for the game. Buffalo would get outshot by an incredible 45-19 margin.
Friday, December 5, 2014
I blame Kevin Devine and Darcy Regier as well as...
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Pat LaFontaine, Ted Nolan and Tim Murray.
They're all responsible for the high-character core that's pulling the Buffalo Sabres up from the depths of the NHL. With a 6-1-0 run in the last seven games, the once 3-13-2, last place Sabres have now risen to their present 26th-overall standing.
Back in mid-November the team had showed some signs of life while mired in an awful start. After getting shellacked in Pittsburgh, they played fairly well at St. Louis the next game, yet still scored only one goal. They would play a little better at Minnesota while scoring three times, but still gave up six goals to the Wild, the third game in a row they surrendered six goals.
Avenging an earlier 4-0 embarrassment to the hated Toronto Maple Leafs in their next game was to be expected, but to destroy them 6-2 certainly raised some eyebrows. Surely it was just a shot of adrenaline that would soon pass before they hit the ice in Washington. Coming out on top of a 2-1 score against the Caps wasn't all that far-fetched either, but had it some wondering how a bottom-dweller like Buffalo managed to bottle up "The Great-8" and company.
For a team that most felt would bounce along the bottom of the league all season, something just didn't seem right.
Pat LaFontaine, Ted Nolan and Tim Murray.
They're all responsible for the high-character core that's pulling the Buffalo Sabres up from the depths of the NHL. With a 6-1-0 run in the last seven games, the once 3-13-2, last place Sabres have now risen to their present 26th-overall standing.
Back in mid-November the team had showed some signs of life while mired in an awful start. After getting shellacked in Pittsburgh, they played fairly well at St. Louis the next game, yet still scored only one goal. They would play a little better at Minnesota while scoring three times, but still gave up six goals to the Wild, the third game in a row they surrendered six goals.
Avenging an earlier 4-0 embarrassment to the hated Toronto Maple Leafs in their next game was to be expected, but to destroy them 6-2 certainly raised some eyebrows. Surely it was just a shot of adrenaline that would soon pass before they hit the ice in Washington. Coming out on top of a 2-1 score against the Caps wasn't all that far-fetched either, but had it some wondering how a bottom-dweller like Buffalo managed to bottle up "The Great-8" and company.
For a team that most felt would bounce along the bottom of the league all season, something just didn't seem right.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Nikita Zadorov "finds his way"
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Just about a month ago, the Buffalo Sabres were in a bit of a quandary with defensive prospect Nikita Zadorov as he was caught in the middle of a tug-of-war.
At the time Zadorov wasn't ready for the NHL, but he had outgrown the CHL and even though he'd be a man against boys, if need be, the Sabres were prepared to send him to the OHL's London Knights. Basically, two things kept him out of London and in a state of limbo in Buffalo--his aversion to playing junior hockey and CSKA Moscow's (KHL) refusal to sign a release for him to play there.
If Buffalo had sent Zadorov to the OHL, he could have ended up playing in the KHL instead, something that the Sabres really weren't interested in. So they were forced to keep him with the team.
As Zadorov is readying himself to suit up for his 10th game for the Sabres this season, thus kicking in his entry-level contract, it would seem as if the team was able to make some lemonade out of the lemons handed them.
Just about a month ago, the Buffalo Sabres were in a bit of a quandary with defensive prospect Nikita Zadorov as he was caught in the middle of a tug-of-war.
At the time Zadorov wasn't ready for the NHL, but he had outgrown the CHL and even though he'd be a man against boys, if need be, the Sabres were prepared to send him to the OHL's London Knights. Basically, two things kept him out of London and in a state of limbo in Buffalo--his aversion to playing junior hockey and CSKA Moscow's (KHL) refusal to sign a release for him to play there.
If Buffalo had sent Zadorov to the OHL, he could have ended up playing in the KHL instead, something that the Sabres really weren't interested in. So they were forced to keep him with the team.
As Zadorov is readying himself to suit up for his 10th game for the Sabres this season, thus kicking in his entry-level contract, it would seem as if the team was able to make some lemonade out of the lemons handed them.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Rick Jenneret on the call. Ted Nolan looking for the "want" in players
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Legendary Buffalo Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret will be calling the first period of tonight's game against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeanneret has been battling throat cancer all summer and has said that he is now "cancer free."
Back in July when he announced he had stage III cancer--where the cancer is within the general region where it first began--Jeanrette said he'd be back. 'I would like to stress I have every intention of coming back,' he told Alan Pergament of the Buffalo news back in July. 'I have probably three months ahead of me that aren’t going to be fun. I know they aren’t going to be.'
After three months of radiation and chemo therapy, doctors declared him cancer free and Jeanneret is now easing his way back into the broadcast booth. "The time seems right to slowly begin transitioning back to work,” Jeanneret said in a statement released yesterday. “My doctors have told me I’m cancer free and I’m feeling well enough to get back in the booth, even if it’s only on a limited basis for the time being."
Legendary Buffalo Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret will be calling the first period of tonight's game against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeanneret has been battling throat cancer all summer and has said that he is now "cancer free."
Back in July when he announced he had stage III cancer--where the cancer is within the general region where it first began--Jeanrette said he'd be back. 'I would like to stress I have every intention of coming back,' he told Alan Pergament of the Buffalo news back in July. 'I have probably three months ahead of me that aren’t going to be fun. I know they aren’t going to be.'
After three months of radiation and chemo therapy, doctors declared him cancer free and Jeanneret is now easing his way back into the broadcast booth. "The time seems right to slowly begin transitioning back to work,” Jeanneret said in a statement released yesterday. “My doctors have told me I’m cancer free and I’m feeling well enough to get back in the booth, even if it’s only on a limited basis for the time being."
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