Lindy Ruff - on the hot seat?

[Kristian]

That is what a lot of people thought at the end of last season!

 

And will think again next season. And the next..... And......

[Sabres Fan in NS]

 

That is what a lot of people thought at the end of last season!

 

I ageree, as I was one of them.

 

Real change takes time and needs to be well planned. We can't expect too much too quickly. I think the whole outlook and makeup of this team needs to change ... starting with the GM and coach ... which will lead to a revamping of the current roster, but not a complete blowing up and starting over.

[nfreeman]

I guess you were against the firing of Hank Bullough mid-season. :doh:

 

So you think Bullough, a buffoon with zero HC experience (or success) is a good comparison to DR/LR, who have gotten a small market team with numerous ownership issues to four final 4s?

 

I thought Pegula may have been embarassed by what transpired in Boston. I guess I was on the wrong beat.

 

By hinting at making a trade....they are going to speed up the sinking of the ship. Darcy already handed out $125 million this year on Stafford, Lieno, Ehrhoff, Sekera and Myers alone. What are the early projections on that return on investment?

 

This is the first time I feel that Black is trying to hoodwink me. I took his nice guy, hands on, family feel at face value this whole time. Now to respond in such a snarky tone that anyone dare question the GM or coach.....and to say "This team is substantially better than when Terry took over 10 months ago.".........sweet Jesus......Ted....you're a bright guy.....this town is full of educated hockey fans.....don't set up your administration's eventual embarassment to be any worse than it has to be. I'm willing to forgive Mr Pegula for being nostalgic...but at a certain point, the average fan is going to lose faith very quickly. That may have already been the case after the Boston game. It is one thing to talk about having patience, but the tone of that interview really leaves me scratching my head.

 

Ted.....Your 5 captains have been on the ice almost the entire season....Your top 6 forwards, 4 defensemen, and goaltender last night account for $46 million of the salary cap. Your top 11 guys on the ice come within $7 million of the entire Florida Panthers organ-eye-zation's expenditures. The same Florida Panthers who are gapping away from you in the standings with your old AHL coach.

 

Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff have 28 combined years as GM and coach of the Buffalo Sabres. You and Mr. Pegula have a combined 20 months. Please understand that there are plenty of educated people out there who have seen the entire body of work of these two fellas...and the players they have coddled for going on 2 decades.

 

Don't take it personally.........the last 2 guys that held your job were Tim Rigas and Larry Quinn. You'd have to be a real F-up to fall into that territory. Don't start closing the gap. Thank You.

 

Perhaps people who know what they're doing have learned that it's unwise to panic based on "early projections."

 

For Ted Black to say "This team is substantially better" makes me feel embarrassed for the guy. I understand he is a media/PR guy and he has a certain face that he has to put on for the public. My hope for the future lies in the idea that Ted Black knows better than what he is letting on and that he is working behind the scenes to position Pegula to make changes. It is truly the only hope fans have left to hold on to.

 

Do you 2 really not think this team is substantially better than it was last year? You do remember that they were in (or very close to) last place in the EC last xmas?

 

Why did the interview leave you scratching your head? Is it so hard to comprehend that they don't share your view that DR and LR should be canned?

 

That is what a lot of people thought at the end of last season!

Was this past off-season not very different from prior off-seasons?

[LabattBlue]

Was this past off-season not very different from prior off-seasons?

Not if you were hoping that Regier and/or Ruff would be sent packing. ;)

[Sabre Dance]

This goes to my point of Pegula being a starry-eyed fanboy instead of the prudent owner with deep pockets this franchise needed. From the point he took over till he finally removes Ruff and Regier will be viewed as a waste of time. Last seasons trade deadline is a great example.

 

I would have thought a prudent new team owner (one who has good business sense) would have deferred questions on the future of the coach and GM until the end of the season. TPegs had from February until April to evaluate the entire operation. He could have listened to Darcy's plan for bringing in new players, trades, draft picks, etc. He could have questioned Ruff as to his coaching philosophy, asked what kind of players he was looking for to fill in gaps in talent. By the end of the playoffs, he and the rest of the new ownership could have decided whether to retain Darcy, Lindy or both. To come out and say, "Lindy ain't going nowhere" right off the bat sounded suspiciously optimistic and maybe a tad naive. (Unless he meant that Lindy's team wasn't going anywhere...) Not what I would expect from a seasoned businessman.

As things stand right now, TPegs decision isn't looking so good. There is still time, after all the injured players get back, for the team to jell and for them to turn the season around (In the words of Oz's Scarecrow, "I think it'll get darker before it gets lighter..."). If they do, great. If not, how do you backtrack on your decision to retain a head coach (who you just signed to an extension) without looking foolish? I can imagine hard-nosed long-time owners (like Ed Synder) sitting back, lighting a cigar and chuckling to themselves, "Rookie owner". Talk about painting yourself into a corner... :doh:

[Sabres Fan in NS]

 

Was this past off-season not very different from prior off-seasons?

 

It was very different and a refreshing change, but in my opinion did not address the real issues that need to be addressed in order for the Sabres to win the cup.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Perhaps people who know what they're doing have learned that it's unwise to panic based on "early projections."

 

 

I'm sure plenty of corpses said that exact same thing to the crew of Team Stormcloud who were lowering the first lifeboat on the Titanic.

[nfreeman]

I would have thought a prudent new team owner (one who has good business sense) would have deferred questions on the future of the coach and GM until the end of the season. TPegs had from February until April to evaluate the entire operation. He could have listened to Darcy's plan for bringing in new players, trades, draft picks, etc. He could have questioned Ruff as to his coaching philosophy, asked what kind of players he was looking for to fill in gaps in talent. By the end of the playoffs, he and the rest of the new ownership could have decided whether to retain Darcy, Lindy or both. To come out and say, "Lindy ain't going nowhere" right off the bat sounded suspiciously optimistic and maybe a tad naive. (Unless he meant that Lindy's team wasn't going anywhere...) Not what I would expect from a seasoned businessman.

As things stand right now, TPegs decision isn't looking so good. There is still time, after all the injured players get back, for the team to jell and for them to turn the season around (In the words of Oz's Scarecrow, "I think it'll get darker before it gets lighter..."). If they do, great. If not, how do you backtrack on your decision to retain a head coach (who you just signed to an extension) without looking foolish? I can imagine hard-nosed long-time owners (like Ed Synder) sitting back, lighting a cigar and chuckling to themselves, "Rookie owner". Talk about painting yourself into a corner... :doh:

 

Well, I'd expect that TP/TB met with DR and LR plenty of times and did plenty of due diligence before the deal closed in February and they made the announcement about DR and LR.

 

I'm sure plenty of corpses said that exact same thing to the crew of Team Stormcloud who were lowering the first lifeboat on the Titanic.

 

...and plenty more corpses over the history of boating have panicked and bailed on perfectly sound ships, and then found themselves in the middle of the freezing ocean in a crappy little rubber boat while the ships they bailed on steamed comfortably into port, enabling their crews to have their way with the local maidens while the panicky analogues of GoDD and DeLuca were left to pleasure each other without beds or hot food.

[carpandean]

Interesting comparison:

 

2010-11

First 6 games: 1-4-1

Next 21 games: 10-9-2

 

2010-11

First 6 games: 5-1-0

Next 21 games: 9-10-2

 

Is that all just due to injuries?

 

As for whether the team is significantly better than last years' team? I wouldn't say significantly. Regehr for Butler was definite improvement, Adam for Niedermayer was an improvement (but not really an offseason move, per se), Ehrhoff for Montador seems like an improvement at times (and not at others; certainly spread the defensive aspect of our D even thinner), but Leino for Connolly is (hard to believe I'm saying this about anybody vs. Timmy) not a clear improvement (and often looks worse.) I was happy with the moves made up until the day that Leino was signed. After four seasons of having 1-1//2 scoring line centers, they went to 1 (and an uncertain rookie.) Leino was a better player on the wing even in Finland (he was converted in his last and best season, and his coach attributed the improvement to being moved to wing.*) Adam has been a pleasant surprise, as I did not expect his level of production, but even that left them with an (at-best) 1B center, a rookie, a converted winger (Hecht), and a decent 4th-line center down the middle. For another season, they began with a mediocre center group that had absolutely no depth behind it (even in the AHL) to help with injuries. Yes, the D needed some help, which Darcy addressed, but their longest-running problem remained. Even the D, which had improvements, was left out of balance (for my tastes, anyway.)

 

 

* It took me 2 minutes on Google to find that out. I wonder what research Darcy did.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Interesting comparison:

 

2010-11

First 6 games: 1-4-1

Next 21 games: 10-9-2

 

2010-11

First 6 games: 5-1-0

Next 21 games: 9-10-2

 

Is that all just due to injuries?

 

As for whether the team is significantly better than last years' team? I wouldn't say significantly. Regehr for Butler was definite improvement, Adam for Niedermayer was an improvement (but not really an offseason move, per se), Ehrhoff for Montador seems like an improvement at times (and not at others; certainly spread the defensive aspect of our D even thinner), but Leino for Connolly is (hard to believe I'm saying this about anybody vs. Timmy) not a clear improvement (and often looks worse.) I was happy with the moves made up until the day that Leino was signed. After four seasons of having 1-1//2 scoring line centers, they went to 1 (and an uncertain rookie.) Leino was a better player on the wing even in Finland (he was converted in his last and best season, and his coach attributed the improvement to being moved to wing.) Adam has been a pleasant surprise, as I did not expect his level of production, but even that left them with an (at-best) 1B center, a rookie, a converted winger (Hecht), and a decent 4th-line center down the middle. For another season, they began with a mediocre center group that had absolutely no depth behind it (even in the AHL) to help with injuries. Yes, the D needed some help, which Darcy addressed, but their longest-running problem remained. Even the D, which had improvements, was left out of balance (for my tastes, anyway.)

 

Black's quote was that they are much better than when Pegula took over the team 10 months ago. If you look at your charts and compare where they are today to where they were when Pegula took over the team....it looks like they are in the exact same position....only with a bloated salary cap and another $150 million in commited contracts. That's what has me holding my nose.

[Sabre Dance]

The late Al Davis used to say, "Just win, baby!" Good advice.

[carpandean]

Black's quote was that they are much better than when Pegula took over the team 10 months ago. If you look at your charts and compare where they are today to where they were when Pegula took over the team....it looks like they are in the exact same position....only with a bloated salary cap and another $150 million in commited contracts. That's what has me holding my nose.

I don't know if it came off right, but I was actually supporting more than dismissing your point.

 

I've been in the Darcy needs to go camp for a while, and this summer did little to change that. He used two "big boy" games (eating salary on Regehr's deal and stretching/diluting Ehrhoff's contract to get the cap hit down) that few teams could play to acquire two good defensemen. Good job, but that's not just taking the proverbial handcuffs off; that's giving him your gun and a ride to the bank. My big problem was with what he both did and did not do on the front end. In this case, his used the gun to shoot himself in the foot and asked the bank teller to call 911 for him. Too much of this team's personality and heart problems come from the core forwards, and they have not only been retained, but reinforced. The only glimmer of hope comes from a few recent draft picks, who are now in the AHL. Will there be room for them when they are ready, and if not, will Darcy be willing and able to make room? I have my doubts.

 

As for Black, if he actually believes what he says (I'm usually more concerned with what people in power think than what they say, but unfortunately, we only get to see the latter), then the standings point would be moot, as he would simply point to the injuries. They definitely improved their standings over the remainder of last season, and then this season were in a better position until injuries started piling up. Again, not my thoughts, but what he could say back to you.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I don't know if it came off right, but I was actually supporting more than dismissing your point.

 

I've been in the Darcy needs to go camp for a while, and this summer did little to change that. He used two "big boy" games (eating salary on Regehr's deal and stretching/diluting Ehrhoff's contract to get the cap hit down) that few teams could play to acquire two good defensemen. Good job, but that's not just taking the proverbial handcuffs off; that's giving him your gun and a ride to the bank. My big problem was with what he both did and did not do on the front end. In this case, his used the gun to shoot himself in the foot and asked the bank teller to call 911 for him. Too much of this team's personality and heart problems come from the core forwards, and they have not only been retained, but reinforced. The only glimmer of hope comes from a few recent draft picks, who are now in the AHL. Will there be room for them when they are ready, and if not, will Darcy be willing and able to make room? I have my doubts.

 

As for Black, if he actually believes what he says (I'm usually more concerned with what people in power think than what they say, but unfortunately, we only get to see the latter), then the standings point would be moot, as he would simply point to the injuries. They definitely improved their standings over the remainder of last season, and then this season were in a better position until injuries started piling up. Again, not my thoughts, but what he could say back to you.

 

Sure, I hear that. It was the tone of his interview which turned me off more than the actual PR stuff he was saying. There are plenty of ways to convey a mixed message. He was palpably indignant when Howard Simon brought up the GM and coaching question.

 

I would love to talk to Black for 20 minutes someday and present the concerned viewpoint from a faction of long time fans. Like too many, I am afraid he views decent as an insult and a threat instead of a learning tool. I didn't think that about him a week ago.

[LabattBlue]

I've been in the Darcy needs to go camp for a while, and this summer did little to change that. He used two "big boy" games (eating salary on Regehr's deal and stretching/diluting Ehrhoff's contract to get the cap hit down) that few teams could play to acquire two good defensemen. Good job, but that's not just taking the proverbial handcuffs off; that's giving him your gun and a ride to the bank. My big problem was with what he both did and did not do on the front end. In this case, his used the gun to shoot himself in the foot and asked the bank teller to call 911 for him.

:thumbsup:

[nfreeman]

I don't know if it came off right, but I was actually supporting more than dismissing your point.

 

I've been in the Darcy needs to go camp for a while, and this summer did little to change that. He used two "big boy" games (eating salary on Regehr's deal and stretching/diluting Ehrhoff's contract to get the cap hit down) that few teams could play to acquire two good defensemen. Good job, but that's not just taking the proverbial handcuffs off; that's giving him your gun and a ride to the bank. My big problem was with what he both did and did not do on the front end. In this case, his used the gun to shoot himself in the foot and asked the bank teller to call 911 for him. Too much of this team's personality and heart problems come from the core forwards, and they have not only been retained, but reinforced. The only glimmer of hope comes from a few recent draft picks, who are now in the AHL. Will there be room for them when they are ready, and if not, will Darcy be willing and able to make room? I have my doubts.

 

As for Black, if he actually believes what he says (I'm usually more concerned with what people in power think than what they say, but unfortunately, we only get to see the latter), then the standings point would be moot, as he would simply point to the injuries. They definitely improved their standings over the remainder of last season, and then this season were in a better position until injuries started piling up. Again, not my thoughts, but what he could say back to you.

 

Well said, as always. I have the same concerns about the top 6 and DR's attitude towards them. I do think though that the only forwards that changed teams this summer who would've been difference-makers were Brad Richards and Mike Richards. Brad wasn't going anywhere other than NYC, and I suspect that Mike wasn't going anywhere in the EC (although I sure would've liked DR to have tried to throw enough assets at Philly to get him).

 

In any case if they stink again this spring and the results for the Sabres aren't any better, then I'm fully on board with canning DR.

[LGR4GM]

when Ruff talks like this I think he is a genius and such a smart coach and it makes me pray he could win us a cup cuz that would be having your cake and eating it tooo.

[deluca67]

Well, I'd expect that TP/TB met with DR and LR plenty of times and did plenty of due diligence before the deal closed in February and they made the announcement about DR and LR.

 

 

 

...and plenty more corpses over the history of boating have panicked and bailed on perfectly sound ships, and then found themselves in the middle of the freezing ocean in a crappy little rubber boat while the ships they bailed on steamed comfortably into port, enabling their crews to have their way with the local maidens while the panicky analogues of GoDD and DeLuca were left to pleasure each other without beds or hot food.

And there is nfreeman and the rest of Team Apathy on the SS Status Quo as it sinks into the ocean for the 14th straight year.

[Kristian]

The Kings just fired Murray. 29 games played just like Buffalo, and sitting at 30 points as opposed to the Sabres 32 points.

 

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=606089&navid=DL|NHL|home

 

"An anemic offense that showed no signs of improvement and a failure to live up to expectations were enough to cost Los Angeles Kings coach Terry Murray his job."

 

Wise move? I guess we'll find out.

[RazielSabre]

I think Ruff is technically a very good coach and should be given the benefit of the doubt. From what I've seen we are having a problem burying the chances we are getting. The players need to work on shooting the puck in all situations. IMHO.

[fiftyone]

For the first time I'm feeling like there may be something to this, that Lindy could be on the hot seat.

[beerme1]

Just got home from the game and have not read the game day thread and dont have time right now.

Let me say these things:

Lindy needs to go

Derek Roy needs to go and Grags needs to sit

 

If our GM cant acomplish this than he needs to go. NOW.

 

As far as Lindy goes (and I'm sure this is mentioned in the gameday thread but have not read it and dont have time yet but will tomorrow) Lindy should be fired for allowing us to have three guys out on the ice for about 15 seconds while killing a penalty when we should have had four guys out on the ice. If not for the crowd and our guy in the box on the other side of the ice banging on the door trying to get our coaches attention that we are allowed to have four guys out there I wonder how long it would have gone on?

Screw that. Lindy and ALL of his coaches need to go. Kevin Adayms? I remember questioning what a grinder could do to imjprove our pp when he was hired. I guess my instincts were right. He sucks too.

Chit can the entire coaching staff. Corsi Sucks everbody sucks and get rid of McKenna or whatever strength and conditioning coaches we have also. See the injuries. Sorry Rip, you gotta go to. Time to CLEAN the damn house. Period.

 

Lindy playing Grags as a forward tonight = "Your Fired"

Lindy dressing Grags tonight = "Your Fired"

 

Darcy if you cant acknowledge this RIGHT NOW..."Your fired"

 

Chit needs to hit the fan NOW. We played for a point at home in a game that we were leading and our goalie was awesome in. We didn't deserve win, but we should have! We were leading late in the third despite being ridiculously out shot thanks to Miller and yet our coach seemingly layed down and played for the safe point. AT HOME FOR GODS SAKE! WTF? My wife said it looks like we are playing for a point tonight while we still had the lead. MY WIFE FOR GODS SAKE! She is still learning hockey so WTF? Lindy Your fired!

 

Ughhhh.

That is it for my game report. Fire them. Fire them all. and if someone says who would you replace them with? Theres a bunch of guys. Just like someone else would hire Lindy.

Hey Mike Keenan, want to coach a bunch of under achieving losers? Uh no thanks I'm broadcasting now. There is someone else who will be capable and qualified. I'm wishing we had Hitchcock right now.

 

Ugh. Just venting. Thanks for reading the drivel if you've lasted this long. I'm am just so disgusted after what I saw tonight and I haven't even mentioned the line changes that were the absolute worst i have ever seen even by this group. We just dont seem to know when or how to change lines unless there is a whistle that lets us do a wholesale change. Hey Lindy, "Your Fired" for that too!

 

Ugh.

Bills fan Sabres fan feeles like the same boat right now. Terry I dont think this is what you had in mind!

[SwampD]

Just got home from the game and have not read the game day thread and dont have time right now.

Let me say these things:

Lindy needs to go

Derek Roy needs to go and Grags needs to sit

 

If our GM cant acomplish this than he needs to go. NOW.

 

As far as Lindy goes (and I'm sure this is mentioned in the gameday thread but have not read it and dont have time yet but will tomorrow) Lindy should be fired for allowing us to have three guys out on the ice for about 15 seconds while killing a penalty when we should have had four guys out on the ice. If not for the crowd and our guy in the box on the other side of the ice banging on the door trying to get our coaches attention that we are allowed to have four guys out there I wonder how long it would have gone on?

Screw that. Lindy and ALL of his coaches need to go. Kevin Adayms? I remember questioning what a grinder could do to imjprove our pp when he was hired. I guess my instincts were right. He sucks too.

Chit can the entire coaching staff. Corsi Sucks everbody sucks and get rid of McKenna or whatever strength and conditioning coaches we have also. See the injuries. Sorry Rip, you gotta go to. Time to CLEAN the damn house. Period.

 

Lindy playing Grags as a forward tonight = "Your Fired"

Lindy dressing Grags tonight = "Your Fired"

 

Darcy if you cant acknowledge this RIGHT NOW..."Your fired"

 

Chit needs to hit the fan NOW. We played for a point at home in a game that we were leading and our goalie was awesome in. We didn't deserve win, but we should have! We were leading late in the third despite being ridiculously out shot thanks to Miller and yet our coach seemingly layed down and played for the safe point. AT HOME FOR GODS SAKE! WTF? My wife said it looks like we are playing for a point tonight while we still had the lead. MY WIFE FOR GODS SAKE! She is still learning hockey so WTF? Lindy Your fired!

 

Ughhhh.

That is it for my game report. Fire them. Fire them all. and if someone says who would you replace them with? Theres a bunch of guys. Just like someone else would hire Lindy.

Hey Mike Keenan, want to coach a bunch of under achieving losers? Uh no thanks I'm broadcasting now. There is someone else who will be capable and qualified. I'm wishing we had Hitchcock right now.

 

Ugh. Just venting. Thanks for reading the drivel if you've lasted this long. I'm am just so disgusted after what I saw tonight and I haven't even mentioned the line changes that were the absolute worst i have ever seen even by this group. We just dont seem to know when or how to change lines unless there is a whistle that lets us do a wholesale change. Hey Lindy, "Your Fired" for that too!

 

Ugh.

Bills fan Sabres fan feeles like the same boat right now. Terry I dont think this is what you had in mind!

I can actually smell the alcohol on your breath and feel the little chunks of spit hitting me in the face. :D

 

Oh, and I agree completely. :thumbsup:

[wonderbread]

I can actually smell the alcohol on your breath and feel the little chunks of spit hitting me in the face. :D

 

Oh, and I agree completely. :thumbsup:

 

I chortled!

 

That seat is getting warmer. How many leads does this team have to blow before there is some sort of accountability.

[OverPowerYou]

Lindy ruff is so 2007-2008ish.... He shouldve been canned back then... We need a new young coach who can light a fire under this team, preferably a former NHL player who has retired within the last 3-10 years. That's my dream scenario

[neverenough]

Hot Seat? Yes Yes Yes,Why wouldnt he be :wallbash: