Sabres fire Don Granato, hire Lindy Ruff as head coach

[WeDislikeEich]

Berube is going to be another Bylasma. IMO, they need someone who knows how to build a program.

Why do you say that? Genuinely asking. The only year I really followed STL closely is the year they won the cup, and that was because Buffalo had their 1st round pick.

But just looking as a casual fan, He didn’t have generational talents in their prime propping up his record like Bylsma did (with Crosby and Malkin). And it seems like he built a winning program in St. Louis.

I worry more about Gallant being a poor fit than Berube.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I feel like I've been hearing about how the coach is the root of all of BUF's problems for a decade now.

Which obviously isn’t true because look at all the success our ex-coaches have had since being fired.

(The only one to even get another NHL job was Lindy Ruff.)

 

[NYR94]

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Have to imagine their 1st Round Pick this year will be in play to make roster improvements. Maybe for a signed Guentzel?

Guentzel is a UFA. Don’t need to trade anything for him.

 

[Tob]

At some point which I believe we have arrived at that point, maybe past it now, coaches won't want to sign in BUF and destroy their career and legacy.

If Todd Mac or Burube or evason or woodcroft is available, I don't see any of them seriously considering Buffalo in a strict on ice capacity unless they have no other job option/career prospect and their contract is up. You don't recover from being 3-4 years of Sabres hockey.

NJ should get whoever they want, city and lifestyle plus team wise they're way ahead. It's not a coincidence that OTT and BUF have been struggling to find a legitimate coach. It's either someone that's older like Gallant/Lindy that are fine with ending their careers after or someone getting their 1st shot

good news is there's a lot of options and not that many vacancies from what i can tell so maybe this is the year they snatch a good one.

 

[Mattilaus]

Hanging your team's success on Devon Levi was always going to be a recipe for disaster. I don't know of many, if any, NCAA, let alone rookie goalies who were able to carry their team into the Playoffs in their first season. Even Roy was 23-18 with a .875 sv% in his rookie season (which they won a Cup), but it helps having 6+ HoF'ers on your team. Buffalo doesn't have any.

Here's the thing, you are right Levi shouldn't have been expected to step in. However, goaltending has nothing to do with how bad this year was. UPL has been a great starter this year.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

He had expectations going into the season but honestly Buffalo was a flawed team. I’m the end they finish outside the bottom 10 and within probably 6-7 points of the PO.

They need better quality vets than EJ, Okposo, Skinner as the veteran presence. Guys who can still contribute at a higher level and won playing at a high level vs be along for the ride.

Maybe a guy like Ryan O'Reilly? ;o)

Just one of those cases where the total is less than the sum of the parts. They have struggled to turn the "loser" attitude that seemed to be embraced in Eichel's draft year.

Have to agree with Quincy with the rot occurring from the head down. They've tried to jump start the process with some bad UFA deals that mostly ended up badly. I honestly hope they get their shyte figured out because the NHL is better with a competitive Sabres team.

 

[Yatzhee]

At some point which I believe we have arrived at that point, maybe past it now, coaches won't want to sign in BUF and destroy their career and legacy.

If Todd Mac or Burube or evason or woodcroft is available, I don't see any of them seriously considering Buffalo in a strict on ice capacity unless they have no other job option/career prospect and their contract is up. You don't recover from being 3-4 years of Sabres hockey.

NJ should get whoever they want, city and lifestyle plus team wise they're way ahead. It's not a coincidence that OTT and BUF have been struggling to find a legitimate coach. It's either someone that's older like Gallant/Lindy that are fine with ending their careers after.

good news is there's a lot of options and not that many vacancies from what i can tell so maybe this is the year they snatch a good one.

could be. The organization has deep talent pool. It does need veterans that are the committed to winning types though, I agree with everyone on that. We'll see what they do, I hope they find "the guy" though, because the debt was owed, and Sabres fans have more than paid that price. So here's to hoping they find a decent coach that can push them to the next level of compete, for their fans sake.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Unless that direction is referring to a discount he can get them at GolfTown, Woodcroft shouldn’t be in the discussion at all.

 

[Nikki Potnick]

This is a joke, move them to Arizona already.

 

[eojsmada]

Here's the thing, you are right Levi shouldn't have been expected to step in. However, goaltending has nothing to do with how bad this year was. UPL has been a great starter this year.

Sure...but you lost your season before you started playing him regularly

 

[GreeningOil]

Which coach gets recycled in?

Jay Woodcroft?

 

[BB79]

UPL was a .910 this year. Goaltending was fine, good even.

He's right there with the playoff goalies, on a non-playoff team in GAA and save %. The D needs to play better and the offense needs to pick it up. +2 goal differential isn't good enough to make the playoffs. PK wasn't bad but the PP was horrible.

 

[Mattilaus]

Sure...but you lost your season before you started playing him regularly

Not because of Levi. If you combine his and upls records you get a team on a low 90s pace which would make it this year. Comrie is the one who shouldn't have played. He got 2 wins in 10 games. With one of those wins being after we were already eliminated.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Of all of those situations, Kruger was the only one who was truly worst in the league. Granato isn’t a BAD coach, he is just not suited for the team that doesn’t already know how to dig deep.

This hasn’t been a bad team for the past two seasons, they have been a team that has lacked somethjng that Granato couldn’t fill. Bylsma wasn’t the worst coach, he just didn’t mesh with the GM. Housley became pretty bad over time. Kruger was dreadful.

Yea I think this is right.

Granato was okay. I think the league adapted to his strategies this year and was not able to readjust. But overall, he did sole good things, but couldn’t get the team to take the next step.

Krueger was absolutely abysmal by any standard. One of the worst coaches of the last 15 years

Housley was okay as well at firsts. But like Granato, seemed to get worst over time as he couldn’t adjust.

Bylsma was a decent, middling coach.

And before that was the tank years. I’d rank them as follow:

Byalma
Granato
Housley
A needle to the eye
Kreuger

 

[CowbellConray]

Yea I think this is right.

Granato was okay. I think the league adapted to his strategies this year and was not able to readjust. But overall, he did sole good things, but couldn’t get the team to take the next step.

Krueger was absolutely abysmal by any standard. One of the worst coaches of the last 15 years

Housley was okay as well at firsts. But like Granato, seemed to get worst over time as he couldn’t adjust.

Bylsma was a decent, middling coach.

And before that was the tank years. I’d rank them as follow:

Byalma
Granato
Housley
A needle to the eye
Kreuger

I'll be honest, if Bylsma stayed as the coach of the Sabres, I think they break the drought during the shortened season...

 

[MOGlLNY]

Curious as to what Oilers fans think how the match would be. We definitely need a coach with a bit more bite. Granato's downfall I think was his tactics and inability to have players ready to go. He was more of a friend than their coach.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

It's not even fun to make fun of the Sabres anymore. Their fans don't feel pain anymore.

Most people stop having fun making fun of people after they graduate to high school, but I know there's no age minimum on here, so...not surprised that's your thing.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

He's right there with the playoff goalies, on a non-playoff team in GAA and save %. The D needs to play better and the offense needs to pick it up. +2 goal differential isn't good enough to make the playoffs. PK wasn't bad but the PP was horrible.
View attachment 852868View attachment 852869View attachment 852869

Capitals is about to make PO with -38.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Hire Boudreau you cowards

 

[tsujimoto74]

Yea I think this is right.

Granato was okay. I think the league adapted to his strategies this year and was not able to readjust. But overall, he did sole good things, but couldn’t get the team to take the next step.

Krueger was absolutely abysmal by any standard. One of the worst coaches of the last 15 years

Housley was okay as well at firsts. But like Granato, seemed to get worst over time as he couldn’t adjust.

Bylsma was a decent, middling coach.

And before that was the tank years. I’d rank them as follow:

Byalma
Granato
Housley
A needle to the eye
Kreuger

I guess Garden Gloves was so bad that everyone just blocked him from memory entirely.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Capitals is about to make PO with -38.

Also hilarious: the Sabres have more wins than a couple of teams still in the hunt for the last wildcard spot. A few more OT losses would’ve done us a lot of good this year.

 

[jd1970]

I don't even know what to say any more about Buffalo.

They traded Eichel. They fired a bunch of coaches. Nothing seems to be working.

I'd rather have Reinhart here than Eichel any day.

 

[jd1970]

Hanging your team's success on Devon Levi was always going to be a recipe for disaster. I don't know of many, if any, NCAA, let alone rookie goalies who were able to carry their team into the Playoffs in their first season. Even Roy was 23-18 with a .875 sv% in his rookie season (which they won a Cup), but it helps having 6+ HoF'ers on your team. Buffalo doesn't have any.

Ken Dryden, but that was a million years ago.

 

[Meichel Kane]

At some point which I believe we have arrived at that point, maybe past it now, coaches won't want to sign in BUF and destroy their career and legacy.

If Todd Mac or Burube or evason or woodcroft is available, I don't see any of them seriously considering Buffalo in a strict on ice capacity unless they have no other job option/career prospect and their contract is up. You don't recover from being 3-4 years of Sabres hockey.

NJ should get whoever they want, city and lifestyle plus team wise they're way ahead. It's not a coincidence that OTT and BUF have been struggling to find a legitimate coach. It's either someone that's older like Gallant/Lindy that are fine with ending their careers after or someone getting their 1st shot

good news is there's a lot of options and not that many vacancies from what i can tell so maybe this is the year they snatch a good one.

Yeah if it's a choice between Buffalo and [insert well-run franchise], you go with not-Buffalo. I think the big names will be patient, but there's only 32 head coach jobs out there, and most open positions you're going to be inheriting some degree of mess.