What would you do if you were in charge?

[sabres1970]

Darcy fires back at Burke. Said that he finds Burke extremely difficult to deal with as well (to sum it up).

[spndnchz]

Regier's thoughts

#Sabres #Regier

[Huckleberry]

Good for him, he shouldn't let himself get bullied out of any contest.

[etiennep99]

Fire Darcy. None of the changes will happen with him at the helm. Mind you, I think that he's been

adequate, but adequate just doesn't cut it. Muckler wasn't the best GM in the world, but he knew

talent. I can still hear in my minds-eye Muckler talking about how Sabres fans would be really pleased

to see Peca and Curtis Brown in Sabres uniforms. He was right. Muckler's big mistake was trading

away Andreychuk, Puppa, & #1 for an over-the-hill croney in Grant Fuhr. Darcy's one bright point is is that

he hasn't made those kind of blunders (he's come out the winner in most trades such as Gratton for

Briere). Scotty Bowman made some great trades and some amazing draft picks (Barasso, Andreychuk,

Housley), but he couldn't put together a winner. Darcy has had some better teams than Bowman

with lesser talent. But the Sabres need change. And major trades won't happen with Darcy here,

so he must go.

[TrueBlueGED]

At this point, I think the single best move would be to fire Regier. Getting a new hockey man in town with enough time to evaluate the team before the trading deadline is key. My instructions would be simple: sell off our expiring contracts for whatever mid-round picks we can get and start planning for the draft, free agency, and next season. If we can get good value (whatever that is at this point) for Roy/Stafford then do so, otherwise hold onto them until the draft and move one or both then. My guess is that we could probably get something for Roy just because he's a center and has a history of production, even if this year he's been brutal. A team like Chicago makes sense on the surface since they need a 2nd line center and they have very good young center prospects we could snag one of. Stafford we're probably stuck with, although never underestimate the ego of a coach or GM who think they're so good they can tap into unrealized potential. If we can clear up enough cap space to chase Parise then wonderful, although this does little to solve our center problem (which I would hope could be partially solved in the Roy trade).

 

I'd also get rid of Ruff and name Patrick interim coach for the remainder of the season, although I think this is secondary to a GM change. Getting a fresh set of eyes at the top of the hockey department with enough time to objectively evaluate things before the offseason is of the utmost importance, in my mind much moreso than a new coach or breaking up the core immediately.

 

Naturally I don't expect any of this to be done. I think we'd have to tank epically for Pegula to clean house this year; my guess is he gives Ruff & Regier another shot next season. However, I do have faith in Pegula long term to make the necessary changes, although it will take more time than most of us want it to. You don't make a $3.5 billion fortune in business without having a killer instinct, and with continually accepting mediocrity. You also don't spend roughly 10% of your net worth to purchase a team and dole out guaranteed contracts to not even make the playoffs. Pegula seems to me to genuinely believe the problem was restrictive ownership, and that fixing that will take more than 8 months of time. I also believe he has some of that "I own my favorite professional hockey team and it's AWESOME!" in him. That being said, he's not going to accept perpetual mediocrity, or worse. Successful businessmen like him just aren't wired that way, and at some point the "cool factor" of being a sports owner will wear off, and the business owner part of him will kick in. When will this take place? My guess is he gives them at least through a good portion of next season, which from most of our perspectives is a waste of time and means this offseason will probably be a wasted opportunity to retool the team for the long term. But in no way shape or form do I think he's married to Ruff and Regier forever.

[deluca67]

I would like to think a lot is riding on the next six road games leading into the All-Star break. I want to beleive that Terry Pegula was just trying to delect so blame away from the team and that he doesn't believe the garbage he said.

[Marvelo]

I'd like to sit Stafford for awhile to prevent injury and get him traded. He is Super Cancer. So little Drew lost his confidence. Well get rid of him! Kassian is Stafford with kahones anyway. Reunite Kassian-Foligno-Adam. Ruff has been pushing all the buttons and they all say FAIL.

[deluca67]

I'd like to sit Stafford for awhile to prevent injury and get him traded. He is Super Cancer. So little Drew lost his confidence. Well get rid of him! Kassian is Stafford with kahones anyway. Reunite Kassian-Foligno-Adam. Ruff has been pushing all the buttons and they all say FAIL.

Sitting Stafford can only lower his trade value, if that is even possible.

[RazielSabre]

I'd like to sit Stafford for awhile to prevent injury and get him traded. He is Super Cancer. So little Drew lost his confidence. Well get rid of him! Kassian is Stafford with kahones anyway. Reunite Kassian-Foligno-Adam. Ruff has been pushing all the buttons and they all say FAIL.

I agree with the sentiment, Stafford has lost his confidence but my problem is that he losses his confidence far to easily and becomes useless.

[drnkirishone]

why do so many of you want to rush Kassian-Foligno-Adam. From what I have seen Folingo is not ready for the nhl, Kassian has only shown it in spurts, and Adam being the most nhl ready on a line is a scary thought. Let the 3 simmer the rest of the season where they are and give them a off season to mature then unleash em on the nhl if they are all ready.

[inkman]

why do so many of you want to rush Kassian-Foligno-Adam.

Because they represent the future and not the stale, smallish, soft, unsavory present.

[RazielSabre]

Because they represent the future and not the stale, smallish, soft, unsavory present.

Still stupid to rush them though, they aren't ready yet. No amount of wishing or rushing will change that, we'll just end up with 3 Connellys.

[Marvelo]

I was reading the Paul Wieland book about the Sabres and here's what a couple of the old-time GMs used to do...Sam Pollock would trade 2nd line Canadiens to teams they would be on the first line in exchange for #1 draft picks... and Punch used to make a trade and be a 10 percent winner in the trade...make a bunch of these 10 percent type deals improve the club exponentially.

[kishoph]

I would fire Lindy and bring up Ron Rolston from the Amerks, who's done great coaching armature's so far and he's done a good job in Rochester considering most of his talent has been called up at one time or another. Bring him up now before we see his name coaching some team on top of the league in a few years, like we now see Tortorella and even Dineen.. Everyone needs to get their start somewhere, why let some other team scoop him up while we wait another 14 years for Lindy to win something.

[Randall Flagg]

I was reading the Paul Wieland book about the Sabres and here's what a couple of the old-time GMs used to do...Sam Pollock would trade 2nd line Canadiens to teams they would be on the first line in exchange for #1 draft picks... and Punch used to make a trade and be a 10 percent winner in the trade...make a bunch of these 10 percent type deals improve the club exponentially.

Holy crap I just finished that book too! I think Lindy needs to learn that punishing skating drill that Imlach used to use, it would wake them up and make them better conditioned as well.

[carpandean]

I would fire Lindy and bring up Ron Rolston from the Amerks, who's done great coaching armature's so far and he's done a good job in Rochester considering most of his talent has been called up at one time or another. Bring him up now before we see his name coaching some team on top of the league in a few years, like we now see Dineen and Tortorella. Everyone needs to get their start somewhere, why let some other team scoop him up while we wait another 14 years for Lindy to win something.

 

Why not look for someone else's Dineen? Rolston is in his first year at the AHL level, but there may be another coach in someone else's system who has proven more. How about Hershey's coach, Mark French, or Binghamton's coach, Kurt Kleinendorst? I honestly don't know much about them, but they've had a lot of success with their AHL teams, so they seemed like reasonable examples.

[hockeyhound]

I would do everything in my power to get the goaltending situation stabalized; if firing Jim Corsi is out of the question then maybe it's time to hire an assistant goaltending coach with a fresh perspective.

 

Your goalie is the last line of defense, and everyone knows that your goalie has to be your best penalty killer; if the team has no confidence that their goalie can make the big save, I am sure I don't have to spell it out.

 

A key component in last years come back was Miller's play towards the end of the year, which seemed to be the catalyst which got things going for them.

 

Without Ryan Miller, I don't think the Sabres have a snowballs chance in hell of getting out of their own way.

 

By the way, I watched the online practice; is it just me who thinks it was an uninspired practice.

 

The passing, shots, etc, off; something did not seem right.

 

If that segment was meant to encourage fans, I don't know.

 

I guess that is what you get for a dog and pony show.

 

I think I would give the core players all the rope they need to hang themselves, and if by the end of the season they do just that, then there is know excuses.

 

Hopefully we haven't traded away our draft picks, because the only bright spot of being a cellar dweller is that you get to pick first.

[Marvelo]

Holy crap I just finished that book too! I think Lindy needs to learn that punishing skating drill that Imlach used to use, it would wake them up and make them better conditioned as well.

 

Or Fred Atkins

[kishoph]

Why not look for someone else's Dineen? Rolston is in his first year at the AHL level, but there may be another coach in someone else's system who has proven more. How about Hershey's coach, Mark French, or Binghamton's coach, Kurt Kleinendorst? I honestly don't know much about them, but they've had a lot of success with their AHL teams, so they seemed like reasonable examples.

 

 

Dineen might not be the best example, after I read my post I edited it, but still I think he'd do good with better organization and talent than he has in Florida. I agree that there's probably quite a few other choices, but I like Rolston's background in development especially with the slew of young guns in the Sabres system.

[Marvelo]

Seriously I question the Sabres toughness. Not sure who their strength coach is but they need a new one. Fred Atkins was a gonzo strength coach in the team's heyday. I'd like to see another one shape up this crew.

 

http://www.buffalosportsday.com/2009/02/21/an-excerpt-from-then-perreault-said-to-rico-the-best-buffalo-sabres-stories-ever-told/

[Sabres Fan in NS]

 

...

 

By the way, I watched the online practice; is it just me who thinks it was an uninspired practice.

 

The passing, shots, etc, off; something did not seem right.

...

 

 

Good post. Sorry to have snipped, but ...

 

Practice makes perfect. I did not see the practice, but from what you describe above I can see the results in each and every game.

 

"Uninspired practice" leads directly to unispired games. "Passing, shots = off" in practice leads directly to those results in games.

[deluca67]

This is a question I thought of because of something Inkman said in the game day thread. He said he would be OK if the Sabres tanked if it meant a top 3 pick.

 

Here is my question. Say the Sabres have a disastrous road trip going 1-4-1 or something like that and found themselves in a solid bottom 5 position in the overall league standings. Would you include a Top 5 pick in a package if you could get Ryan Getzlaf?

[Swedesessed]

I want Stafford gone too. But who in their right minds is taking on that contract for so little production?

 

This is a question I thought of because of something Inkman said in the game day thread. He said he would be OK if the Sabres tanked if it meant a top 3 pick.

 

Here is my question. Say the Sabres have a disastrous road trip going 1-4-1 or something like that and found themselves in a solid bottom 5 position in the overall league standings. Would you include a Top 5 pick in a package if you could get Ryan Getzlaf?

 

Interesting thought.

 

I would do it. Getz to me is still a 75-85 point center and is the sure fire #1 center this team has been lacking for some time now.

 

Getzlaf's presence will then have a positive effect on the other lines too. No brainer.

[Weave]

I would give up a top 5 pick for getzlaf but Myers would no longer be in play.

[Bmwolf21]

I would give up a top 5 pick for getzlaf but Myers would no longer be in play.

 

This.