Shocking: Lindy Ruff isn’t a good coach, and the owner is the problem in Buffalo

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Sabres went up 4-0 on Colorado, chased Georgiev, looked good. 4-1 to end the 2nd. 5-4 loss to end the game.

Like- what bigger indicator do you need that the talent is there, but the strategy and mental fortitude simply aren’t? These are things that stem from coaching, you can’t really blame 18 guys when they all always do this- there’s a systemic problem there, at a point.

This is after 2 shutouts and an OT loss in our previous 3, after almost threatening to look competent again- turns out simply yelling is a skill that only gets you so far. PP is a joke, we’re basically relying on Tage, Tuch, Cozens, or Dahlin to rescue us in any given game.

And let’s be real- no one else was offering Ruff a head coaching job. He was on his way outta the league, yet somehow his hiring wasn’t universally called out for what it was- the cheapest option available, a disgusting cash-in on nostalgia. Did anyone think he was still a good coach? Raise your hands. Anyone? Did any other team- did any singular fan of any other team- say “Lindy would get us to the playoffs”? No!

It’s the coaching, always has been, always will be, because Pegula is not seen as a serious owner. Until that changes this team will continue to wallow.

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[GreatSaveLuongo]

How the f*** do u lose a game up 4-0 in the 1st? LOL

 

[HolyGhost]

How the f*** do u lose a game up 4-0 in the 1st? LOL

Yep. I am at a lose for words

 

[sabremike]

I think it's fair to note Ruff was forced to keep virtually the entire staff of the prior coach so didn't even get to bring in his own guys.

 

[qc14]

Trust me I don't think Ruff is a great coach either but the roster is also just not that good -- obviously both reflect poorly on Pegula though

 

[BHD]

I watched the video where Kevyn Adams highlights the way Ruff's teams play. That has not aged well.

 

[BHD]

Trust me I don't think Ruff is a great coach either but the roster is also just not that good -- obviously both reflect poorly on Pegula though

Didn't upgrade the forward corps enough IMO.

 

[Ace]

How did Kevyn Adams escape this headline?

No organization would have hired him. He’s been there five years. Spent to the floor three of them…claiming he needed money for future contracts…which is not only not how the cap works…but it’s to keep a team together that doesn’t win.

He’s an unqualified yes man. And he has to go immediately.

 

[Three On Zero]

Ruff isn’t a great coach but he doesn’t exactly have the greatest roster to work with

 

[LevelingSolo]

I mean he's done really well with the Bills

 

[benfranklin]

Ive been saying it since Skinner signed his 8 year deal, this team has a culture problem.

They tried to try too soon after drafting Eichel thinking their rebuild was done and it was all downhill from there.

Dont fall for the coach problem Sabreland. You need to cut off the head of the snake and its been one bad GM after another there. You cant fire the owner, so need a GM with some balls that will tell the owner to f*** off on decision making.

 

[Dietpepsi]

The roster is average. The team is average. They are middling in the standings.

 

[landstuhltaylor]

Let's not pretend it takes talent to put up 4 in the first on Fourgiev. If you can't score at least 2 in the first 3 shots on the Avs you're in the bottom 5 of the league this year.

I wish I was exaggerating.

 

[Lt Dan]

How the f*** do u lose a game up 4-0 in the 1st? LOL

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Let's not pretend it takes talent to put up 4 in the first on Fourgiev. If you can't score at least 2 in the first 3 shots on the Avs you're in the bottom 5 of the league this year.

I wish I was exaggerating.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Obviously this is an ugly loss, but it’s also the Avs in a desperation spot. They’re capable of big comebacks, and I think they came back from 3-0 against the Stars and Leafs last year. Those are two playoff teams, so in a vacuum it’s not like losing this game has to define the Sabres.

The bigger problem to me is how they lost 3-0 to the Islanders the game before - a huge game from every angle whether it’s standings, already dropping 1 against the Isles or just avoiding a 3-game losing streak. That doesn’t set you up well to win a game like this, and a 4-0 lead so early in the game was probably a bigger surprise than losing a lead against MacKinnon and co.

 

[Crosby2010]

I'll give the Sabres a bit of slack. This is Nathan MacKinnon who orchestrated this comeback. He scored the first goal, he scored the tying goal and he assisted on the winner. It wasn't a comeback from the Montreal Canadiens or anything. But yeah, you can't lose a game when you are up 4-0 at home. Much of that goes on the shoulders of the coach, and that's Ruff.

 

[Some Other Flame]

Yeah, it's pretty obviously a cultural issue and it starts at the top with Pegula's vision and the people he hires.

No easy way to get rid of the owner though

 

[Turin]

Yup.

 

[potatowejj]

MacKinnon is so stupidly good.

 

[Bowski]

Let's not pretend it takes talent to put up 4 in the first on Fourgiev. If you can't score at least 2 in the first 3 shots on the Avs you're in the bottom 5 of the league this year.

I wish I was exaggerating.

Is he a goaltender that's fire & ice, or very average that goes on streaks?

I know from the days the Pens faced him on the Rangers he was mostly crap, but somehow always in the conversation of talented Russian tenders (Sorokin, Shesterkin, Vasilevskiy, and sometimes Bobrovsky/Varlamov).

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Man oh man is Georgiev a horrible goaltender. The Avs at least tried to hand the Sabres the win starting that bum.

 

[Knight53]

Their entire core can’t play defence. From their defenceman to their fowards. Terrible management that constructed this team.

 

[ORRFForever]

I like Ruff as a coach but he's not doing a good job of managing his young talent. Having said that, he's forgotten more about hockey than I will ever know

 

[StreetHawk]

Yeah, it's pretty obviously a cultural issue and it starts at the top with Pegula's vision and the people he hires.

No easy way to get rid of the owner though

He gets it right with the Bills but not the Sabres.

Don't hear anything about the owner when discussing the Bills.