Sabres fire Ted Nolan

[Hoss]

I honestly believe the league told the franchise to shut the hell up about it in public.

That would make a lot of sense. Murray has been more adamant lately that he didn't tank after originally sending out some pretty strong thoughts otherwise.

[Weave]

I honestly believe the league told the franchise to shut the hell up about it in public.

 

I argued that back at the beginning of the season.

[Eleven]

Yeah for me the shine just came off Murray and I'm a big fan. At least have some balls and tell the truth. He built this team to be a 30th place team. That much was obvious.

 

Not until January, he didn't.  It's not like he had a million roster spots to give up.  He signed a couple of good ones (Moulson and Gionta), one that he reasonably expected to be good (Mez), and the great WTF (benoit).  He was right, last fall, when he said the team was capable of better.  When it proved not to be, he did what any GM does; he traded UFAs for picks and, on top of that, he made the biggest "hockey trade" the Sabs have seen since LaFontaine for Turgeon.

[Weave]

He's the liar you trust to get your business done. He's a Lawyer.

 

Liar, lawyer, mirror for you

What's the difference?

[North Buffalo]

I honestly believe the league told the franchise to shut the hell up about it in public.

So why even make a statement abt 30th place team. Makes no sense... loose lips kinda thing like the reported McDavid stuff... Needs to be more circumspect... In public.

[3putt]

So none of Williams, Mularkey, Jauron, Gailey or Marrone gave you that sort of nausea?

Nope. Beggars can't be choosers. We weren't beggars and they settled for one of the biggest pos in the nfl imo.

[bunomatic]

So why even make a statement abt 30th place team. Makes no sense... loose lips kinda thing like the reported McDavid stuff... Needs to be more circumspect... In public.

I agree

[Weave]

Not until January, he didn't.  It's not like he had a million roster spots to give up.  He signed a couple of good ones (Moulson and Gionta), one that he reasonably expected to be good (Mez), and the great WTF (benoit).  He was right, last fall, when he said the team was capable of better.  When it proved not to be, he did what any GM does; he traded UFAs for picks and, on top of that, he made the biggest "hockey trade" the Sabs have seen since LaFontaine for Turgeon.

 

This is why the shine is coming off GMTM for me.  If he legitimately thought this was an improved team, I am going to question his ability to build the team we need.

[SwampD]

Injury situation? It's not like Mitchell and Flynn were acquired late in the season to play 4th line center minutes.

 

What game was it? We certainly didn't enter the season with 3 centers.

McCormick got hurt (concussed?) and they didn't bring a center up. Patty played four games at center.

 

Ironically, we went 3-1. :lol: Doesn't change the fact that he didn't bring up a center.

[TrueBlueGED]

This is why the shine is coming off GMTM for me. If he legitimately thought this was an improved team, I am going to question his ability to build the team we need.

Insert Nolan bashing comment here :p

[North Buffalo]

So why even make a statement abt 30th place team. Makes no sense... loose lips kinda thing like the reported McDavid stuff... Needs to be more circumspect... In public.

Just say I think we need to go in another direction with this young team and it implies enough abt TNolan without being a douche.

[TrueBlueGED]

For a real example: if Nolan had put Risto on the PP point instead of Weber earlier in the year and have Hodgson PP time instead of Flynn, we very well may have been better.

[JJFIVEOH]

If Murray didn't want Nolan, he should have fired him when he became GM. Instead he left Nolan responsible for a big bag of stinking dog ###### and now fired Nolan saying he didn't they were a 30th place team when everyone who pays attention to hockey knows that's exactly what Murray wanted.

 

 

Yeh and that statement alone worries me about TM... No responsibilty for his side of the street and classless statement.

 

There isn't a single person on the planet that believes Murray didn't think they would be a 30th place team. He never should have handed out that 3 year extension if he had no intentions of holding on to Nolan. Now our crop of young players that have been in BFLO will have to adjust to another coach which will slow next year's progress. 

[Neo]

I'm no GM, but I didn't foresee 30th at the outset. The off season was too strong in my view. By Christmas, of course, we all did. Some of you may have sooner.

 

FTR --- hardly a contender, but somewhere between 24 and 30.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Neokolai Gogol

[Rasmus_]

I'm honestly not bothered or upset.  I saw the writing in the sand a ways back and that's just my opinion.  He was a placeholder.  Nothing more nothing less.  He did some great things and had flaws like every NHL coach.  That's about it. 

[LastPommerFan]

Liar, lawyer, mirror for you

What's the difference?

 

A Retainer.

[...]

I honestly believe the league told the franchise to shut the hell up about it in public.

Absolutely. I think the Sabres, for whatever it's worth, far exceeded their end of the "it's not a tank" ruse.

[North Buffalo]

I'm honestly not bothered or upset.  I saw the writing in the sand a ways back and that's just my opinion.  He was a placeholder.  Nothing more nothing less.  He did some great things and had flaws like every NHL coach.  That's about it.

 

Im a little upset but agree nonetheless, my concern now is for this GM and any other coach that comes in.

[X. Benedict]

Does noone want to touch this beauty?  

 

Does anyone buy this?  And if they do, what does that say about GMTM?

 

If it was sincere, I think it is time for the Superman cape to come off.  

I believe it. I don't think the initial plan was to be DFL....(thus Gionta, Gorges, Moulson)....but there was probably a hellava lot more confidence that the Islanders were the same team as last year. The game-changer was really with Snow on the Island getting Leddy and Boychuk. Suddenly the Sabres didn't have 2 bottom 10 picks. 

 

But by the trade-deadline.....I have no doubt that DFL was the goal. 

[Weave]

I'm honestly not bothered or upset.  I saw the writing in the sand a ways back and that's just my opinion.  He was a placeholder.  Nothing more nothing less.  He did some great things and had flaws like every NHL coach.  That's about it. 

 

Oh, I believe Nolan was a placeholder.  No doubt in my mind.  But I am having some questions about TM's judgement if he thought this was anything but a Shart roster.

Edited April 13, 2015 by weave

[tom webster]

There isn't a single person on the planet that believes Murray didn't think they would be a 30th place team. He never should have handed out that 3 year extension if he had no intentions of holding on to Nolan. Now our crop of young players that have been in BFLO will have to adjust to another coach which will slow next year's progress.

Yeah, they will have to adjust to a coach that cares about their development and actually knows how to best utilize their God given ability. They may even have to adjust to a coach asking for their opinion and who thinks they deserve PPP time over some career minor leaguer.

[Eleven]

This is why the shine is coming off GMTM for me.  If he legitimately thought this was an improved team, I am going to question his ability to build the team we need.

 

This is a fair observation.  But it should have been an improved team.  Not by MUCH, but improved.

 

(Actually, more points this year?)

[LastPommerFan]

Oh, I believe Nolan was a placeholder.  No doubt in my mind.  But I am having some questions about TM's judgement if he thought this was anything but a Shart roster.

 

 

Do you think we finish dead last if we keep the goalies, Stafford, an Girgensons and Gorges stay healthy?

[...]

I'm no GM, but I didn't foresee 30th at the outset. The off season was too strong in my view. By Christmas, of course, we all did. Some of you may have sooner.

 

FTR --- hardly a contender, but somewhere between 24 and 30.

I guarantee you I thought they were going to be a lot better. I even scoffed at Hoss who said they'd be fighting for last place. In September, I thought they might even push for a wild card slot.

 

In all fairness, though, the tankers at the time were implying the Murray built the team to lose, and by December were saying he did too good of a job and that he even surprised himself.

 

See eleven's narrative; Murray built a team that he thought would be better, but not enough to not be in the lottery. When it was clear the team wasn't even going to meet those meager expectations, he did what any GM would do and went full bore for 30th.

Edited April 13, 2015 by SiZzlEmIsTEr

[SabresFanInRochester]

If Murray didn't want Nolan, he should have fired him when he became GM. Instead he left Nolan responsible for a big bag of stinking dog ###### and now fired Nolan saying he didn't they were a 30th place team when everyone who pays attention to hockey knows that's exactly what Murray wanted.

I disagree with this. I think Pat and Nolan were brought in as popular choices to appease the fans. Pat left because of the sell-off of players, namely Miller, IMO. Nolan wanted to stick around to do anything and everything to stick it to the man. There was no motivation to fire Nolan before. Now that the prospects for the team are bright -- McEichel/Kane?Reinhart -- they don't need a popular pawn in place as a coach. It was a marketing decision, IMO.