Regier on WGR?

[deluca67]

If you haven't had the chance to listen to Regier with Mike Schopp I suggest you take a minute to do so. After hearing his comments I am now more confident than ever that he is the major problem. Regier is living in denial and I truly doubt that he will make any of the necessary changes needed to turn this thing around. It is basically a 10 minute preview of the excuses you will be hearing all off season.

 

Regier

[bob_sauve28]

Sounded like a guy trying to make excuses for a bad hockey team. Nothing real surprising at all

[stenbaro]

I doubt that we would ever hear him come on the radio and say: I have made major mistakes in building this team as far as personnel goes..I havent given Lindy the players to succeed..I need to do a better job..

[deluca67]

Sounded like a guy trying to make excuses for a bad hockey team. Nothing real surprising at all

Did you enjoy the line about how the trading deadline is not important. Apparently you can't judge deadline acquisitions by goals and assists. <_<

[val james]

Sounds like that the Miller injury killed his chance at the playoffs. Really? If that's their goal is just to make the playoffs then their screwed. How about the CUP!

 

He sounds like a wimp also.

[carpandean]

I doubt that we would ever hear him come on the radio and say: I have made major mistakes in building this team as far as personnel goes..I havent given Lindy the players to succeed..I need to do a better job..

And he shouldn't until/unless:

 

1) They are numerically eliminated from the playoffs

2) He is ready and able to make real changes

 

What would saying so before these things are true do to the players on this team? "I've given Lindy a load of crap ... but you guys finish strong ... oh, and do well next year when you're all back ..."

 

I really don't give a :censored: what he says. What, if any, action he takes toward #2 above is all that matters. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a few months before we can see if that happens.

[Eleven]

I doubt that we would ever hear him come on the radio and say: I have made major mistakes in building this team as far as personnel goes..I havent given Lindy the players to succeed..I need to do a better job..

 

He also wouldn't go on the radio and say that it's the president or owner's fault, if it is the fault of one of them, either; and while some GMs might blame a coach (whether or not it's the coach's fault), Regier doesn't seem like that type of guy. There's nothing to read into his comments other than this: he's holding to the company line, because that's what he's paid to do.

 

We can't tell from what he said--I listened to it--whether he's covering his own ass or someone else's, or whether it's good intentions that didn't work out. Trying to read between the lines of that interview is completely speculative.

[nucci]

Sounds like that the Miller injury killed his chance at the playoffs. Really? If that's their goal is just to make the playoffs then their screwed. How about the CUP!

 

He sounds like a wimp also.

You have to make the playoffs to have a chance at the Cup.

[Kristian]

And he shouldn't until/unless:

 

1) They are numerically eliminated from the playoffs

2) He is ready and able to make real changes

What would saying so before these things are true do to the players on this team? "I've given Lindy a load of crap ... but you guys finish strong ... oh, and do well next year when you're all back ..."

 

I really don't give a :censored: what he says. What, if any, action he takes toward #2 above is all that matters. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a few months before we can see if that happens.

 

Chances are it won't make them any worse than they are now.

 

And TBH, does anyone really care what these fragile, overpaid, overly comfortable passengers think anymore?

 

That said, Regier's job is much like a politician's, and I would never expect anything coming out of his mouth to be anything but excuses or spin.

 

Not his fault, it's just the nature of the job, just too bad he built a crap team.

[carpandean]

And TBH, does anyone really care what these fragile, overpaid, overly comfortable passengers think anymore?

Considering that they will likely be the team next year, give or take a few UFAs and Portland prospects, yes I do. There is always the chance that they will mature as a group and when they do play smart and with the necessary intensity, they have beaten good teams. I'd rather not piss away any small chance that they'd turn it around. Like I said, I would love to see Dracy come out and say that he screwed up if he is willing and able to do something about it. Even if he is willing, the able part may be a problem due to the existing contracts. We won't know until this summer whether he can unload some contracts, so until then, I don't expect him to say anything too bad about the players. At least he was willing to admit that the defense was "just average."

[nobody]

Did you enjoy the line about how the trading deadline is not important. Apparently you can't judge deadline acquisitions by goals and assists. <_<

 

 

If Darcy actually made trades during the season then the trade deadline wouldn't be important.

[Stoner]

The Sabres' slide started well before Ryan got hurt. 6-5-1 in the 12 games before the injury, after a great start to January. Of course that record looks sterling compared to what has come after he went down. I just don't like the urban legend that's brewing here.

[deluca67]

The Sabres' slide started well before Ryan got hurt. 6-5-1 in the 12 games before the injury, after a great start to January. Of course that record looks sterling compared to what has come after he went down. I just don't like the urban legend that's brewing here.

I think it's safe to say without Miller this season the Sabres would be dead last. Not just in the conference but in the entire NHL. <_<

[Stoner]

I think it's safe to say without Miller this season the Sabres would be dead last. Not just in the conference but in the entire NHL. <_<

 

Just going by Lalime's record, that's hard to swallow but hard to argue with.

 

And with Miller they were still on the playoff bubble.

[macsabre]

I agree that Miller is our best goalie and a leader for the team. After reading the Buffalo News Lindy Ruff article, I think everyone on the team wants to blame the recent slip on the excuse that Ryan isn't in goal. I don't want to beat a dead horse but this team has allot more problems than who's in goal.

[Kristian]

I agree that Miller is our best goalie and a leader for the team. After reading the Buffalo News Lindy Ruff article, I think everyone on the team wants to blame the recent slip on the excuse that Ryan isn't in goal. I don't want to beat a dead horse but this team has allot more problems than who's in goal.

 

As long as the organisation and the players themselves are in denial about this, it's not a dead horse.

 

If they want to blame this on Ryan being out, by all means go ahead. They can start blaming themselves for not looking out for their goaltender a nanosecond after that.

 

Yeah, yeah, going after Gomez wouldn't make Miller any healthier I know.

 

But don't tell me Gomez would've been in that situation, intentional or not, had he thought for a second Lundquist would get run as a direct result of his actions.

[EvilWebmaster69]

I think this team has enough talent to make the playoffs, but Ruff hasn't been able to adjust properly. Sure, they were great for the 2 years after the lockout, but then obstruction penalties disappeared, and we're back to the same hockey it was pre-lockout. Ruff continues to push "playing within the system", and I think his system doesn't fit anymore. I'm so sick of watching other teams continuously allowed shots from the point, and it seems like our offense plays mostly behind the opposing teams net. Last time I checked...you can't score from back there very easily. Our defense is constantly letting teams skate into our zone, but whenever we attempt it we're checked off the puck. Don't get me wrong...I like Ruff. I just think the game has passed him by, and continuing to trust the system is killing them.

[Stoner]

I think this team has enough talent to make the playoffs, but Ruff hasn't been able to adjust properly. Sure, they were great for the 2 years after the lockout, but then obstruction penalties disappeared, and we're back to the same hockey it was pre-lockout. Ruff continues to push "playing within the system", and I think his system doesn't fit anymore. I'm so sick of watching other teams continuously allowed shots from the point, and it seems like our offense plays mostly behind the opposing teams net. Last time I checked...you can't score from back there very easily. Our defense is constantly letting teams skate into our zone, but whenever we attempt it we're checked off the puck. Don't get me wrong...I like Ruff. I just think the game has passed him by, and continuing to trust the system is killing them.

 

Right on. I would have loved to have seen what a coaching change could do. Look at Pittsburgh, Ottawa, the Rangers -- who else?

[carpandean]

I think this team has enough talent to make the playoffs, but Ruff hasn't been able to adjust properly. Sure, they were great for the 2 years after the lockout, but then obstruction penalties disappeared, and we're back to the same hockey it was pre-lockout. Ruff continues to push "playing within the system", and I think his system doesn't fit anymore. I'm so sick of watching other teams continuously allowed shots from the point, and it seems like our offense plays mostly behind the opposing teams net. Last time I checked...you can't score from back there very easily. Our defense is constantly letting teams skate into our zone, but whenever we attempt it we're checked off the puck. Don't get me wrong...I like Ruff. I just think the game has passed him by, and continuing to trust the system is killing them.

Um ... he changed to a new system this year. Prior to this season, they played a run-and-gun system post lockout. This year, he changed to a "team defense" concept that is supposed to keep your opponent's opportunities to the outside and then you capitalize on their mistakes.

[Bmwolf21]

Um ... he changed to a new system this year. Prior to this season, they played a run-and-gun system post lockout. This year, he changed to a "team defense" concept that is supposed to keep your opponent's opportunities to the outside and then you capitalize on their mistakes.

Right. Ruff has always adapted his schemes to fit the talent (or lack thereof) he has to work with.

 

It's time people started recognizing that, as the roster is constructed right now, they are a playoff bubble team, and that's it. They're always going to be in the hunt for that last playoff spot for most of the year, and will likely finish between 7-10 unless changes are made.

[deluca67]

Right on. I would have loved to have seen what a coaching change could do. Look at Pittsburgh, Ottawa, the Rangers -- who else?

The big problem with the coaching change is that it can't be undone. You fire Lindy and the team still sucks where are you. Further behind than where you started. Look at the teams you mentioned. Consider the roster of players those teams have and imagine Lindy as their head coach. Each of those teams would be light years ahead of where they are now if Lindy was the head coach. Lindy behind the bench with Malkin and Crosby? Spezza, Heatly and Alfredson? Drury, Gomez, Naslund and Lundqvist.

 

Right now this franchise has three valuable assets they can not afford to give up, Ruff, Miller and Vanek. Maybe instead of wondering what this team would look like with another head coach try thinking of what Lindy could do with a better roster of players. You shouldn't have to think that hard since we have all witnessed the results. Lets' get a GM in here who will fill the roster with players that have the heart and will to win and let Lindy coach them.

[EvilWebmaster69]

Um ... he changed to a new system this year. Prior to this season, they played a run-and-gun system post lockout. This year, he changed to a "team defense" concept that is supposed to keep your opponent's opportunities to the outside and then you capitalize on their mistakes.

 

Really? Looks very similar to last year. Seems to be really helping them...considering how many goals they've been letting in each game lately.

[Kristian]

Really? Looks very similar to last year. Seems to be really helping them...considering how many goals they've been letting in each game lately.

 

We don't have the guys to play a defense-first game, nor do we have the guys to play the wide open style we used to, back in the no-touch days.

 

Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

 

We're average, nothing we can do about that.

[nucci]

Really? Looks very similar to last year. Seems to be really helping them...considering how many goals they've been letting in each game lately.

Just because they changed to a new system doesn't mean the players are playing it well.

[carpandean]

Just because they changed to a new system doesn't mean the players are playing it well.

Exactly. I was watching a college game the other day and one of the commentators said "playing a defensive-first system is easy - everybody knows how to do it - but getting the team to buy into the system, to put in the work it takes and to accept the lack of offensive flash is not easy; it requires a change in culture." With 90% of the same players and having been one of the best run-and-gun-teams, it's difficult to get the buy-in that you need. Adding one pseudo stay-at-home defensemen is not enough. We actually have decent two-way forwards. Unfortunately, the best of them have forgotten how to play defense and almost everyone has forgotten how to score.