Confirmed with Link: Amerks name Mike Leone Head Coach

[Irie]

based on Leone’s own comments, the hard work part is only one of his tenants. And not for nothing, the Sabres half assed plenty of games were working a little bit harder to try and win puck battle or get to the net or block a shot would’ve made the difference between no points and points. It’s understandable that the soft touch that was Granato didn’t get Effort much of the time. However, your critiquing his work as an assistant at the program and not his work as a head coach in Green Bay. Maybe we should focus on that a little bit more?

Like I said, I am open to giving him a chance, and I was just articulating what I have witnessed within the USNT and that was not meant to be an indictment on Leone, it just puts me in a position of concern with the hiring.

I am reserving judgement, so we shall wait and see.

As far as the Sabres not competing hard enough some nights, the 82 game season is a long grind, and the belief that your team can outwork every opponent for an entire season is misguided. There is always a drop in compete after the first few months and often around the trade deadline for teams running that philosophy. Asking players to play harder every night is not sustainable and coaches that coach that way tend to have short shelf lives. Some nights the legs just aren't there, and that is when playing smarter goes.much farther than "just out work the other side".

Balance is the key, imo.

 

[Chainshot]

Like I said, I am open to giving him a chance, and I was just articulating what I have witnessed within the USNT and that was not meant to be an indictment on Leone, it just puts me in a position of concern with the hiring.

I am reserving judgement, so we shall wait and see.

As far as the Sabres not competing hard enough some nights, the 82 game season is a long grind, and the belief that your team can outwork every opponent for an entire season is misguided. There is always a drop in compete after the first few months and often around the trade deadline for teams running that philosophy. Asking players to play harder every night is not sustainable and coaches that coach that way tend to have short shelf lives. Some nights the legs just aren't there, and that is when playing smarter goes.much farther than "just out work the other side".

Balance is the key, imo.

I would agree that having a B game is necessary, but they started flat. They came out of the gate without putting in the work. And some of that is also tied into how Dan asked them to play: the skate fast/don’t hit stuff.

As for Leone, at least the initial Green Bay stuff seems encouraging. I had hopes for McKee getting the gig, but we will have to wait and see.

 

[Chainshot]

“Mike is the ultimate team player—one of the most selfless I have ever coached. He’s a winner.”

—Derek LaLonde, Detroit Red Wings Head Coach

So an endorsement there, even if it's for a hockey camp.

 

[Chainshot]

He got the 2024 Team Blue for the USHL All American Game (their version of the Top Prospects Game in the CHL)

Coaching Staffs Named for 2024 Chipotle All-American Game

For Immediate Release | Jan. 8, 2024

ushl.com

His roster -

2024 Blue Roster

www.usahockeyallamericangame.com

 

[Dingo44]

He got the 2024 Team Blue for the USHL All American Game (their version of the Top Prospects Game in the CHL)

Coaching Staffs Named for 2024 Chipotle All-American Game

For Immediate Release | Jan. 8, 2024

ushl.com

His roster -

2024 Blue Roster

www.usahockeyallamericangame.com

I wonder if he'll be at the World Juniors Summer Showcase. I'll keep an eye out.

 

[Matt Ress]

Like I said, I am open to giving him a chance, and I was just articulating what I have witnessed within the USNT and that was not meant to be an indictment on Leone, it just puts me in a position of concern with the hiring.

I am reserving judgement, so we shall wait and see.

As far as the Sabres not competing hard enough some nights, the 82 game season is a long grind, and the belief that your team can outwork every opponent for an entire season is misguided. There is always a drop in compete after the first few months and often around the trade deadline for teams running that philosophy. Asking players to play harder every night is not sustainable and coaches that coach that way tend to have short shelf lives. Some nights the legs just aren't there, and that is when playing smarter goes.much farther than "just out work the other side".

Balance is the key, imo.

Our collective minds would be blown if someone starts coming up with a game plan for each individual opponent. I'm tired of "well they clogged up the middle so we may as run out the last 58 minutes" type of game that we've seen far too many times. There has to be some low hanging fruit for Lindy to pick.

 

[Jim Bob]

Near the beginning of the pod, Bakes has some interesting information on Leone from his playing days.

He was a gritty forward that was not a hard worker when it came to school.

So, he went from playing for Jon Cooper for 3 seasons in the NAHL (Texarkana Bandits - Roster, News, Stats & more Pat Maroon was a teammate, too) to two different D3 teams in one year to club hockey and beer league while he went to a JUCO to get his grades up before getting a D1 shot at Western Michigan.

And as a coach, Bakes says he not just talks about his team being hardworking and hard to play against, he actually gets his teams to do it.

So, while there should be questions about hiring a guy with only two seasons of HC experience, I like the story and the makeup.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

He seems to be pretty inexperienced, but I remember feeling similarly about Appert. He seems more inexperienced than Appert though. Appert was totally inexperienced in pro hockey but had 20 years in coaching. Leone only has 7 years as a coach.

I do like the little I’ve read on him so far. Seems like he had success in the USHL under not the best circumstances. Hoping he does a good job in Rochester!

I have to say though - I (once again) find it odd that Seth Appert seemed to play more of a role in this hiring than Lindy did (Leone was Appert’s assistant). I find it weird that Appert seems to have more of a voice in the organization (so far) than Lindy does. Or at least it seems that way to me (2 guys hired with ties to Appert. Zero guys hired with ties to Lindy).

 

[Dingo44]

He seems to be pretty inexperienced, but I remember feeling similarly about Appert. He seems more inexperienced than Appert though. Appert was totally inexperienced in pro hockey but had 20 years in coaching. Leone only has 7 years as a coach.

I do like the little I’ve read on him so far. Seems like he had success in the USHL under not the best circumstances. Hoping he does a good job in Rochester!

I have to say though - I (once again) find it odd that Seth Appert seemed to play more of a role in this hiring than Lindy did (Leone was Appert’s assistant). I find it weird that Appert seems to have more of a voice in the organization (so far) than Lindy does. Or at least it seems that way to me (2 guys hired with ties to Appert. Zero guys hired with ties to Lindy).

I'm just not sure how much input Lindy Ruff would have in finding a coach to hire in Rochester. I don't know if he was part of the interviews (I'd guess he was) but considering it appears Karmanos likes to hire development coaches that's not going to be something Lindy would have any knowledge.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[WeDislikeEich]

I'm just not sure how much input Lindy Ruff would have in finding a coach to hire in Rochester. I don't know if he was part of the interviews (I'd guess he was) but considering it appears Karmanos likes to hire development coaches that's not going to be something Lindy would have any knowledge.

Yeah I mostly agree. I don’t know if Appert actually had any input either, and I don’t think this is a big deal or anything. It’s just the overall appearance to me, being that he was Appert’s assistant. And hiring Appert’s video coach to Lindy’s staff. While Lindy hasn’t really hired anyone we can point to and say “that was a Lindy hire”.

It just kind of appears like Appert’s had more say than Lindy. Whether that’s true or not I have no idea.

 

[TehDoak]

Looks like wish.com ebon moss-bachrach

 

[Fjordy]

I don't think Appert has that kind of power. He could have just give advice them to interview Leone and someone else, they liked him in the interview and hired him. It doesn't mean Appert said to hire this guy.

 

[Chainshot]

Yeah I mostly agree. I don’t know if Appert actually had any input either, and I don’t think this is a big deal or anything. It’s just the overall appearance to me, being that he was Appert’s assistant. And hiring Appert’s video coach to Lindy’s staff. While Lindy hasn’t really hired anyone we can point to and say “that was a Lindy hire”.

It just kind of appears like Appert’s had more say than Lindy. Whether that’s true or not I have no idea.

The GM likely isn't the GM if Lindy didn't bring him on as an assistant so in a weird way... that.

-----------------------------

Can we collectively pump the Appert breaks? Leone's HC at the U17 team his first year was Dan Muse, now of the Rangers staff. He stayed with Muse up to the U18 team and then back to the U17 team. He worked with Appert was the HC of the other squad. Sure, they worked together at the program at the same time but not on the same staff. He also has experience with the Nightingale family who have two members who either work or worked for the team recently.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1799142233712509378

 

[Jacob582]

A lot of anger from Peters and Rivet about this hire.

Leone must have beat out McKee for the job.

We know ATW are loyal to their guys - Peca, Ellis, etc

 

[Chainshot]

A lot of anger from Peters and Rivet about this hire.

They like to hate on things just to hate on things because it appeals to the lowest common denominator of WNY sports fans too.

Leone must have beat out McKee for the job.

We know ATW are loyal to their guys - Peca, Ellis, etc

Which is funny since Ellis is the one who shouldn't be employed.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

The GM likely isn't the GM if Lindy didn't bring him on as an assistant so in a weird way... that.

-----------------------------

Can we collectively pump the Appert breaks? Leone's HC at the U17 team his first year was Dan Muse, now of the Rangers staff. He stayed with Muse up to the U18 team and then back to the U17 team. He worked with Appert was the HC of the other squad. Sure, they worked together at the program at the same time but not on the same staff. He also has experience with the Nightingale family who have two members who either work or worked for the team recently.

Didn’t know that. Thanks! That’s different than him being an assistant directly for Appert.

 

[Jacob582]

They like to hate on things just to hate on things because it appeals to the lowest common denominator of WNY sports fans too.

They were negative about everything, but bitter about the Leone hire. It was kind like he was another experiment and how dare they hire someone so inexperienced that never coached pro or played in the NHL.

Which is funny since Ellis is the one who shouldn't be employed.

Not true according to them. They blamed Granato for putting Ellis in charge of the power play.

Also, Ellis is an "insanely good" development coach.


(I had stopped listening to them for a while. I'll get back there. Promise)

 

[Ace]

A lot of anger from Peters and Rivet about this hire.

Today is the day we all learned that this was a great hire. Surprised they took time away from the most embarrassing trade proposals in the history of the world to comment on it. That 11th OA and Owen Power aren’t going to trade themselves for 4th liners!

 

[Ace]

I didn’t listen to the After the Whistle where they talked about Leone….but I had to listen to the one today where you knew they were going to react to getting shit on for another stupid opinion.

Rivet had an all timer. He asked why not Nathan Paetsch or Vinny Prospal? One sentence later he buried Leone for only having two years of head coaching experience. …. Unlike those incredible resumes of Paetsch and Prospal? He even doubled down later on his light resume. Dismissing time as an assistant as experience. It’s an amazing piece of unawareness.

Anyway…they cried about how people say they’re two negative and then started yelling about hiring Leone again. Taking a dump on anything credited to him. It’s quite impressive. At this point I think they somehow got turned down for the job. That’s how mad they are.

 

[Chainshot]

I didn’t listen to the After the Whistle where they talked about Leone….but I had to listen to the one today where you knew they were going to react to getting shit on for another stupid opinion.

Rivet had an all timer. He asked why not Nathan Paetsch or Vinny Prospal? One sentence later he buried Leone for only having two years of head coaching experience. …. Unlike those incredible resumes of Paetsch and Prospal? He even doubled down later on his light resume. Dismissing time as an assistant as experience. It’s an amazing piece of unawareness.

Anyway…they cried about how people say they’re two negative and then started yelling about hiring Leone again. Taking a dump on anything credited to him. It’s quite impressive. At this point I think they somehow got turned down for the job. That’s how mad they are.

I have longer drives back and forth to Orlando coming up, I may give them a whirl for the laughs. That's usually when I do that - the filler and need for a laugh while dealing with Florida drivers.

 

[Ace]

I have longer drives back and forth to Orlando coming up, I may give them a whirl for the laughs. That's usually when I do that - the filler and need for a laugh while dealing with Florida drivers.

Come for the Leone hot takes…stay for when they try to trade 11 OA and a prospect and Skinner with retention for future considerations and then to move Owen Power out so they can have room for Parayko.

 

[Jacob582]

I didn’t listen to the After the Whistle where they talked about Leone….but I had to listen to the one today where you knew they were going to react to getting shit on for another stupid opinion.

Rivet had an all timer. He asked why not Nathan Paetsch or Vinny Prospal? One sentence later he buried Leone for only having two years of head coaching experience. …. Unlike those incredible resumes of Paetsch and Prospal? He even doubled down later on his light resume. Dismissing time as an assistant as experience. It’s an amazing piece of unawareness.

Anyway…they cried about how people say they’re two negative and then started yelling about hiring Leone again. Taking a dump on anything credited to him. It’s quite impressive. At this point I think they somehow got turned down for the job. That’s how mad they are.

The day before that one Rivet seemed okay with the "rumor" while Peters didn't like it. I wonder who got in their ear to get them that mad.

 

[toomuchsauce]

mamma leone left a note on the door
she said, sonny become coach of the amerks