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I hate to say it, but I have to agree with you. It doesn't thrill me. I am thrilled with the royal blues though! (and yes, bring back the shoulder patches!!!!) I do hope the 50th season shows promise for this club and our new head coach. Would really dread another woeful season, especially a 50th anniversary one.

If they suck as bad again this upcoming season, I'm afraid that may be the case. (and they'll be carrying me out on a stretcher as well) Here's hoping coach Ralph and crew hook up this roster with a system they can excel at. And here's hoping they give RJ a chance to get his adrenaline going again! It has been a sad 8 years for him and for us.

Right there with you! The shoulder logos were a great touch. Here's hoping!

Plus, we'll see how the "re-treads" do with their new clubs. Maybe the coaching candidates were out there but for whatever reason weren't in the picture for this franchise. Let's see how Quenneville does in Florida, Vigneault in Philly and McLellan in L.A. I'm also liking that Patrick Roy is interviewing for the Ottawa head coaching job. I hope he gets it. He'll be another fiery "Michel Bergeron- type". I think he may be a really good choice for them. Wouldn't have minded him here also. It would be seriously sad if Philly, L.A & Florida eclipse the Sabres next season.

and I and I don't want to give up on Risto quite yet. I do believe he can get back to the player he was when drafted under the right coach. The man has size and skills. I do believe it may be a confidence issue. I want both Rasmus' to flourish in our Blue & Gold!

Well, here's hoping he is one successful "renaissance man"! We need this more than ever! I'm not hoping for the World, just make us competitive and improved in year one, that is all I want to see. I want to see us seriously headed in the right direction.

Not coaching it, but he was Chairman of the Southampton Football Club in England was he not? I was just reading the British soccer page and its there. WGR was not joking.

Exactly, yes they were and that is why I'll take the "just show me" approach now.

That's where I'm at too.

Agree here also. Not crazy about Steve Smith based on last seasons body of work with our defense.

This is what I feel deep down also. I really really want to be wrong on this one.

True, I did hear Edmonton had little patience with him after that strike shortened season and never considered him to come back for the next full one. Still not sure how this translates into all this positive buzz we're currently reading about him given such a short body of work at the NHL level. Hoping for the best anyhow, always nice to be optimistic heading into a new season.

Was it Hockey? I was listening to WGR550 this morning and they were either joking about that or something. I thought soccer. Again, other than his stint in Edmonton, I know very little about him and this is why I worry. If he is as great as everything we are currently reading, why has no one else stepped up to make a pitch for him since then? Again, I want him to be very very successful. I think we all want him to so we don't end up bitching with each other over another lost season. It is long over due for this team, organization, fan base and city to reach respectability again at the very least. I do think think this is JBots "line in the sand" with his career in Buffalo anyhow and I commend him on making a bold move.

Exactly, and if so, why hasn't some other club noticed this and snatched him up way before the Sabres? I am cautiously optimistic as well. I hope all these good things said about him are absolutely true. The guy was coaching soccer and has n't been an NHL head coach since what? 2013? Again, I hope he is just what this club needs and I do wish him all the best! My gut instinct tells me different and I honestly hope I'm wrong.

Well, while I have to say I am seriously underwhelmed by this hire. JBots is going "all in" on his career with this hire, so my hat is off to him for a ballsy approach. I hope "Coach K" proves me wrong and turns this club into a free-wheeling, exciting, competitive hockey club once again. I really wish him all the best as well as Botterill for going "off the grid". There's always optimism with a new approach, my only hope is that this doesn't turn into another disaster hire as I am not sure I can take one more. Go Sabres!!! Go Coach Krueger!"

Well once again, the "re-treads" are going elsewhere and our choices are now even more limited. Who's left? (Better question: Who's left that may actually want to coach here?) Wow, I can't help thinking we've missed the bus again! No more Quenneville, McLellan and now Vigneault. Boucher anyone? Tippett? Does Chris Taylor move up the food chain? Now I worry once again who our coaching selection is. I was optimistic once again heading into next season, now, not so much.

Totally forgot about Martin. So many ex-Ottawa coaches (and ex-Sabre coaches the way things are going)

I'm good with Vigneault also. I know many here aren't, but I'd take him to coach this club. Guy Boucher anyone? He's fiery! What's Paul MacLean doing now? Is he available? (alright Maclean I might be joking about, but Ottawa went to the Conference final with him didn't they?)

They must be meeting shortly then if things sound close. Maybe Jbots had him in mind for a bit and much was done by phone? This one is moving fast as it seems the Kings are sliding out of McLellans picture.

Eric Duhatschek for TSN reporting that McLellan is close to being the guy to replace Housley. Implying this is almost a done deal as the announcement may come later tonight or tomorrow. Has JBot sand McLellan even met in person yet? (or was this an over the phone thing?) Duhatschek may be wrong but he's put it out there if you go to TSN.ca and read the article on McLellan and the Sabres.

Apparently not enough of them, just ask Phil Housley.

I liked him. His teams played entertaining hockey and he won NHL Coach of the Year. (and the reason he won it was because he took a team of questionable talent at the time and got them into the second round of the playoffs, when most NHL pundits had the Sabres on the outside of the playoffs looking in) The players they had did bust their ass for him and the NHL realised finally who Dominik Hasek was. Keenan let him go for nothing because he hated his style of play, thought he flopped too much.

I do believe Florida will be much improved under Coach Q. Lets see how that plays out. Too bad we couldn't get him.

No one is saying it but I like Guy Boucher. What happened in Ottawa this year was not on Boucher in my opinion. The locker room was divided with the whole Karlsson issue, plus Melnyk is completely brutal as the kind of meddling owner you don't want. Loads of dissension on that roster and no way Melnyk blames himself for any of it so Boucher gets the ax. I would not mind him here at all.

Same here. The last 2 months sealed the coffin. Effort was gone until the final 2 games of this season.