Speculation: 2015 Coaching Search: Who will be the next head coach of the Buffalo Sabres?

[radar493]

I think it has the potential to expedite the process because it could make Buffalo a more enticing destination for a free agent.

Ted Nolan wasn't going to help in that regard (a factor in his dismissal that wasn't really discussed. But something the "Ted deserves another year" crowd never thought about).

Money and terms entice free agents.

 

[Zman5778]

Money and terms entice free agents.

While that is true.......if everything else is the same, I feel that a player would rather go to a place that has a stable veteran, respected coach than an up-and-coming newbie.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Sportsnet.ca: Maple Leafs, Sabres in pursuit of Mike Babcock

It’s a three-team race to secure the services of Mike Babcock.

According to Damien Cox and Elliotte Friedman in Saturday’s edition of “Headlines†on Hockey Night in Canada, only the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs have formally filed for permission to speak with Babcock regarding his head coaching future.

 

[Sabretip]

Sportsnet.ca: Maple Leafs, Sabres in pursuit of Mike Babcock

Well, the Oilers and Sharks were supposedly out of the mix to begin with and the Flyers were probably a media theory more than the team actually wanting to chase Babcock.

Similar to the Richards UFA hoopla of 2011, where many teams thought he would end up in either NY or Tampa and thus backed off making serious offers, I wonder if some teams that need a coach didn't have much confidence in Babcock leaving Detroit and decided to go elsewhere. Sabres and Leafs are apparently the only ones willing to take a chance of being rejected.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Well, the Oilers and Sharks were supposedly out of the mix to begin with and the Flyers were probably a media theory more than the team actually wanting to chase Babcock.

Similar to the Richards UFA hoopla of 2011, where many teams thought he would end up in either NY or Tampa and thus backed off making serious offers, I wonder if some teams that need a coach didn't have much confidence in Babcock leaving Detroit and decided to go elsewhere. Sabres and Leafs are apparently the only ones willing to take a chance of being rejected.

the leafs are only in the conversation because they have a media market that devourers Leafs news and ownership rich enough to make any speculation plausible

 

[Karate Johnson*]

Money and terms entice free agents.

Are you saying that we didn't offer the best contracts to Brad Richards, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, and Shane Doan?

Because I find that hard to believe.


Basically, you're wrong. No offense. Top end guys get the money wherever they go. It's the other stuff that makes the difference. For 2nd/3rd tier guys who can't pick their destination, sure.... Money and years are probably the motivation. But the top end guys who we have missed on.... They are looking for other things, because the money is there everywhere


Hell, look at Babcock. Is there any doubt in your mind Pegula is gonna offer him AT LEAST a matching offer to wherever he goes?

 

[Karate Johnson*]

While that is true.......if everything else is the same, I feel that a player would rather go to a place that has a stable veteran, respected coach than an up-and-coming newbie.

Among other things....


But yeah. Babcock is absolutely a reason a FA would pick Buffalo over somewhere else.

 

[Karate Johnson*]

Two things. First, I don't anticipate we'll have any issue signing our own drafted players. We never have had an issue getting them signed before losing them, and I don't think that changes, regardless of our coach. Second, who are the big UFAs who went to Detroit to be coached by Babcock? The last top free agent I remember them getting was Hossa as a one-year mercenary.

I have no idea who they went after....


It's beyond Free Agents though. It's No Trade Clauses, which are essentially the new "Free agency decisions"

That's why Detroit was a "destination". Vets wanted to go there because they were always a contender.




That's really what I want "Hockey Heaven" to become. The place that players want to come to because we always hAve a shot to win a cup

 

[Zip15]

We also didn't have elite prospects in recent memory as well as a ton of recent picks joining the team at once.

Let's just look at the prospect pool of winger with Baptiste, Bailey, Fasching, Karabacek, Possler, Olofsson, etc.

Buffalo has 4 high forward picks in Eichel, Reinhart, Girgensons, and grigirenko
They have Kane who is still young who could be a long term signing...that is 5 of the top 9.

If buffalo was to go out and get a long term RW vet who would take a top 2 winger spots the players see buffalo will have at most 4 winger spots in the top 9. On top of similar prospects, you also have a few C shifting to wing as part of the competition.

There will be prospects who either refuse to sign and get redrafted or they go through college/Europe and then become UFAs.

The people this will affect are ones who know they aren't top line players but they see themselves as 2nd/3rd line players who see a situation where they could get lost in their development and not get the opportunity to perform ( the higher draft pick gets more opportunity to develop than a 4th round pick). and it damages their chances.

I see 2-3 prospects drafted in 2nd or later they currently have or drafted the next 2 drafts do this and just not sign. This mainly will be with forwards and potentially a goalie.

What will help this considerably would be to see buffalo do a trade of prospects for either a better prospect or a more established young player.

This will be less of an issue with picks from 2017 and beyond because when they are ready to get their chance in the NZhzl those players drafted during 2012-2016 either got a long contract or they have played enough fir buffalo to decide what they are. If they are ok but not a star buffalo could trade them for picks and replace them with thise drafted post 3017. It also helps in the fist control of contracts.

Keep pretending this is an issue.

 

[Karate Johnson*]

We also didn't have elite prospects in recent memory as well as a ton of recent picks joining the team at once.

Let's just look at the prospect pool of winger with Baptiste, Bailey, Fasching, Karabacek, Possler, Olofsson, etc.

Buffalo has 4 high forward picks in Eichel, Reinhart, Girgensons, and grigirenko
They have Kane who is still young who could be a long term signing...that is 5 of the top 9.

If buffalo was to go out and get a long term RW vet who would take a top 2 winger spots the players see buffalo will have at most 4 winger spots in the top 9. On top of similar prospects, you also have a few C shifting to wing as part of the competition.

There will be prospects who either refuse to sign and get redrafted or they go through college/Europe and then become UFAs.

The people this will affect are ones who know they aren't top line players but they see themselves as 2nd/3rd line players who see a situation where they could get lost in their development and not get the opportunity to perform ( the higher draft pick gets more opportunity to develop than a 4th round pick). and it damages their chances.

I see 2-3 prospects drafted in 2nd or later they currently have or drafted the next 2 drafts do this and just not sign. This mainly will be with forwards and potentially a goalie.

What will help this considerably would be to see buffalo do a trade of prospects for either a better prospect or a more established young player.

This will be less of an issue with picks from 2017 and beyond because when they are ready to get their chance in the NZhzl those players drafted during 2012-2016 either got a long contract or they have played enough fir buffalo to decide what they are. If they are ok but not a star buffalo could trade them for picks and replace them with thise drafted post 3017. It also helps in the fist control of contracts.

How many "elite prospects" stay and re-enter the draft, or otherwise don't sign with the teams that draft them?

Guys who stay in school after being drafted do so because they improve greatly in college etc.....



You are worried about something that isn't an issue. If so dude we draft in a later round develops into a stud in 3-4 years and wants to test the market in 3-4 years so be it.

What you are describing isn't really a thing to anticipate..... Sure it happens to a few guys once Ina while, but it's not somethin you stress about.

 

[Sabretip]

the leafs are only in the conversation because they have a media market that devourers Leafs news and ownership rich enough to make any speculation plausible

The Leafs are in the conversation because Shanahan played for Babcock and contacted him about their interest to hire him. Friedman's report today added confirmation that the Leafs signed a letter of intent to hand over a draft pick if they hired him. Neither is media speculation.

Are you saying that we didn't offer the best contracts to Brad Richards, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, and Shane Doan?

Because I find that hard to believe

It was widely reported that the Sabres intended to make an offer to Richards but they never did because they lost hope he would sign with them.

 

[Bps21*]

Here's an angle I don't know if we've covered...what are those 3 big things that matter to Babock? Owner, commitment to winning and family? Ok...where's his wife? If one of the main things he's looking at is her being OK with moving out of Detroit...am I to accept that she's not even going to be looking around these potential landing spots? It's SOOO important but she's just sitting back not caring? That seems unlikely.

So here's my new conspiracy theory rumor based on circumstance and heresay... Remember the report of Babcock leaving at the airport and declining comment? But they got a quote about the whether from Pegula and said that the two men then jumped on the plane? And then we had flight records showing he dropped him off in Detroit and then headed back to Florida? Where was Kim? She was in Buffalo for the meeting...and then he...left her here? CLEARLY SHE STAYED SO THAT MRS. BABCOCK COULD COME AND BE SHOWN AROUND HER NEW HOME WHILE ALL THE ATTENTION WAS IN PRAGUE!!!

...I wish it was Wednesday so we could be done with this one way or another.

 

[Myllz]

Here's an angle I don't know if we've covered...what are those 3 big things that matter to Babock? Owner, commitment to winning and family? Ok...where's his wife? If one of the main things he's looking at is her being OK with moving out of Detroit...am I to accept that she's not even going to be looking around these potential landing spots? It's SOOO important but she's just sitting back not caring? That seems unlikely.

So here's my new conspiracy theory rumor based on circumstance and heresay... Remember the report of Babcock leaving at the airport and declining comment? But they got a quote about the whether from Pegula and said that the two men then jumped on the plane? And then we had flight records showing he dropped him off in Detroit and then headed back to Florida? Where was Kim? She was in Buffalo for the meeting...and then he...left her here? CLEARLY SHE STAYED SO THAT MRS. BABCOCK COULD COME AND BE SHOWN AROUND HER NEW HOME WHILE ALL THE ATTENTION WAS IN PRAGUE!!!

...I wish it was Wednesday so we could be done with this one way or another.

You need some sleep.

 

[Jacob582]

...I wish it was Wednesday so we could be done with this one way or another.

.......and miss all this fun?!

 

[radar493]

Babcock, I believe stays put in Detroit. If not there I still don't see him coming here. So to me the question is who else is in the Sabres sights.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Babcock, I believe stays put in Detroit. If not there I still don't see him coming here. So to me the question is who else is in the Sabres sights.

What's the rationale for this?

 

[CaptPantalones]

Babcock, I believe stays put in Detroit. If not there I still don't see him coming here. So to me the question is who else is in the Sabres sights.

If he doesn't stay in Detroit he's coming here. Philly and Toronto are non factors at this point t

 

[Afino]

Last night I had a dream that Babcock said **** you to everyone and signed with Pittsburgh.

I don't know what this is supposed to mean.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

The Leafs are in the conversation because Shanahan played for Babcock and contacted him about their interest to hire him. Friedman's report today added confirmation that the Leafs signed a letter of intent to hand over a draft pick if they hired him. Neither is media speculation.

It also wasn't speculation that the Pegula's were making an offer to Richards, but they were only involved as far as the media was willing to report it. They were never a serious player from Richard's stand point and Toronto has never been and will never be a serious contender for Babcock. They got a pity nod because of Shanahan. It's only in the media that Toronto has a shot at Babcock.

 

[Sabretip]

Babcock, I believe stays put in Detroit. If not there I still don't see him coming here. So to me the question is who else is in the Sabres sights.

That's the million-dollar question that has me worried - all we've heard linked to the Sabres is Richardson, DeBoer and McLellan. McLellan seems destined for Edmonton so if the other two are Murray's backup plan to Babcock, that isn't a promising situation IMO.

 

[TalkingProuder]

If Babcock stays in Detroit I hope they don't just sign a veteran coach just to do it. Blashill should be high on our list as we get the Red Wings possession system in a younger, very hungry coach known for developing young talent.

 

[Afino]

yes because it's totally worked for teams to take chances on the "young guns"

Dallas Eakins?

 

[Bps21*]

Yes. That is the only example.

 

[Bps21*]

We shoulder trade the second overall pick away because...

Andrei Zyuzin?

 

[CatsforReinhart]

Anyone else think Babcock is just using the sabres to get more money from the Red Wings?