Phil Housley should be fired.

[Thorner]

7 minutes ago, SDS said:

You said the playoffs are a must for next season. Usually there is a consequence when you fail to meet such a condition. I was asking what the consequence was. 

My bad, brain not functioning properly. 

I dunno, I guess they'd have to fire him after the year then. But in reality I'd rather he get canned in season than after. My OP was more positioning the idea that if he's on a short leash at all, just fire him after this season. If Botterill is confident in him, so be it. 

[matter2003]

4 minutes ago, SDS said:

You should write a strongly worded letter to the Sabres. 

I'm just sick and tired of watching the same garbage for 5 years...teams have gone from being good to bad to good again in that time and we still cant figure out how to stop turning the puck over in our own end.

Edited March 24, 2019 by matter2003

[Indabuff]

21 minutes ago, SDS said:

You should write a strongly worded letter to the Sabres. 

Maybe we all should unless you're okay with fielding a subpar product for nearly a decade.  Fans have a right to be livid.  

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, Thorny said:

I don't like the idea of entering into next season with Housley on a short leash. In a season where playoffs are a must, we can't afford to throw away the first bit of it. 

That's a pessimistic way of looking at it. I don't think it'll be a short leash at all. I think we will finally have some success. Just saying if that's wrong and we are terrible again, well then that's the end of that plan. Another year of "next year" is not for me. 

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

That's a pessimistic way of looking at it. I don't think it'll be a short leash at all. I think we will finally have some success. Just saying if that's wrong and we are terrible again, well then that's the end of that plan. Another year of "next year" is not for me. 

This is where I am at, right now.

Edited March 24, 2019 by Thorny

[Kruppstahl]

Did you guys hear Housley after tonight's Habs game?

"We should have won" blah blah blah.

Moral victories, huh Phil?  

Dude is a loser and needs to be history, just as soon as the season is over.

I'm in favor of keeping him here until then as he's doing a good job of losing out for us and improving our draft position.

 

[erickompositör72]

Many here had mentioned that JBot may want Chris Taylor to take over here. How likely do we think that is?

It would make sense to let him finish the AHL playoffs first (i.e. wait till after that point to fire Housley)

[JJFIVEOH]

4 hours ago, SDS said:

You said the playoffs are a must for next season. Usually there is a consequence when you fail to meet such a condition. I was asking what the consequence was. 

Honest question.....Are you paid for by the Housley Foundation? You have been praising him for months with nothing to back it up.

2 hours ago, Kruppstahl said:

Did you guys hear Housley after tonight's Habs game?

"We should have won" blah blah blah.

Moral victories, huh Phil?  

Dude is a loser and needs to be history, just as soon as the season is over.

I'm in favor of keeping him here until then as he's doing a good job of losing out for us and improving our draft position.

 

He is weak and doesn't stand up for his players.

[JJFIVEOH]

4 hours ago, matter2003 said:

I'm just sick and tired of watching the same garbage for 5 years...teams have gone from being good to bad to good again in that time and we still cant figure out how to stop turning the puck over in our own end.

To be dead last in the league in win percentage since the win streak........... that's embarrassing. It's one thing if you suck, it's another if you are predicted to make the playoffs at 94% and to miss the playoffs by a margin never seen in NHL history. 

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

4 hours ago, Indabuff said:

Maybe we all should unless you're okay with fielding a subpar product for nearly a decade.  Fans have a right to be livid.  

Maybe all the fans should stay home on fan appreciation night and let them play in an empty building.

[Ross Rhea]

The Sabres are 50 (really 49) points behind Tampa, who they were ahead of at the end of November heading into December. IMO, nobody should survive this epic collapse.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

It should be obvious that they aren't playing for him or this staff. When that happens to a hockey team it is time for new voices. I can think of no reason to bring this staff back.

[Stoner]

9 minutes ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

It should be obvious that they aren't playing for him or this staff. When that happens to a hockey team it is time for new voices. I can think of no reason to bring this staff back.

Hajt from the bench to the press box staring at his computer was progress. I think he's ready for the next step.

[Mustache of God]

Our next three games are vs. NJ, OTT & DET, the bottomest of the bottom feeders. I'm curious to see how poorly we perform against them.

We were gifted such an easy end of the schedule, these games could have been shooting fish in a barrel to help propel us into the post-season if the team didn't collapse so hard.

I've never liked Phil, but after being convinced Disco Dan was the problem and that a coaching change would help push us over the edge. When things started going south under Phil I was hesitant to say "it's all on the coach" as we'd just been threw that, but man, he comes off as such a turd. Maybe it's that we hired the wrong guy, twice.

[Zamboni]

1 minute ago, Mustache of God said:

Our next three games are vs. NJ, OTT & DET, the bottomest of the bottom feeders. I'm curious to see how poorly we perform against them.

We were gifted such an easy end of the schedule, these games could have been shooting fish in a barrel to help propel us into the post-season if the team didn't collapse so hard.

I've never liked Phil, but after being convinced Disco Dan was the problem and that a coaching change would help push us over the edge. When things started going south under Phil I was hesitant to say "it's all on the coach" as we'd just been threw that, but man, he comes off as such a turd. Maybe it's that we hired the wrong guy, twice.

I think (in part) it’s also a case of the owner(s) making coach hiring decisions instead of leaving it entirely up to GM’s.

I love the Pegulas, but they need to stay the F away from coach hiring decisions.

They are too involved on that aspect.

[inkman]

34 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I think (in part) it’s also a case of the owner(s) making coach hiring decisions instead of leaving it entirely up to GM’s.

I love the Pegulas, but they need to stay the F away from coach hiring decisions.

They are too involved on that aspect.

That's just not how companies work. Any high profile, high paying position is going to be scrutinized and signed off by upper management or in this case ownership. I'd love for the Pegulas to distance themselves from the process but it likely won't happen. And the second they did that, the fans would be up in arms yelling why they aren't hearing more from the owners. 

[Zamboni]

4 minutes ago, inkman said:

That's just not how companies work. Any high profile, high paying position is going to be scrutinized and signed off by upper management or in this case ownership. I'd love for the Pegulas to distance themselves from the process but it likely won't happen. And the second they did that, the fans would be up in arms yelling why they aren't hearing more from the owners. 

That’s just not how all companies or in this case, sports franchises work. Some? Sure. Never said a generalizing word like none (or all)  to begin with. 

Agree to disagree...

Edited March 24, 2019 by Zamboni

[inkman]

1 minute ago, Zamboni said:

That’s just not how all companies or in this case, sports franchises work. Some? Sure. Never said a generalizing word like none (or all)  to begin with. 

Agree to disagree...

Well if you owned a company and were paying millions of dollars for the person most responsible for the quality of your product, wouldn't you want input into the hiring process? 

[Brawndo]

This is was the first GM/HC Search that the Pegulas sought out advice from the NHL.

Housley was on most of the Top HC Candidates Lists including the NHL’s in the Spring of 2017. 

He has not lived up to that billing. 

[Zamboni]

10 minutes ago, inkman said:

Well if you owned a company and were paying millions of dollars for the person most responsible for the quality of your product, wouldn't you want input into the hiring process? 

Yes. If I knew about the industry, company, sport, product very very well.

If I knew about fracking and the oil industry very well. But when It came to hockey I was only a fan and not very (sports) business saavy, I would hire people who really really know the sports business well. I would solely rely on their expertise, wisdom, and experience to run my business well. And if they didn’t, I would replace them with people who do/can.

I wouldn’t tell a doctor what instrument to operate with just because I own a medical facility. I would rely on the doctors knowledge to successfully complete operations. I wouldn’t tell my GM who to hire if I didn’t know what it takes to be a successful head coach. 

Just my opinion on the Pegulas getting involved in hiring coaches.

[Radar]

23 minutes ago, inkman said:

Well if you owned a company and were paying millions of dollars for the person most responsible for the quality of your product, wouldn't you want input into the hiring process? 

Yes if I thought my experience and expertise justified it. Otherwise I'd hire someone who had those qualities.

[inkman]

I think the worst part of the entire Housley tenure is that it was largely predictable.  He was gifted an all-star squad in Nashville. Many predicted it wouldn't translate without the players. Guess what?  

[Brawndo]

4 minutes ago, inkman said:

I think the worst part of the entire Housley tenure is that it was largely predictable.  He was gifted an all-star squad in Nashville. Many predicted it wouldn't translate without the players. Guess what?  

I was one of biggest advocates  about hiring him. 

I remember those in the skeptical column brought this up as well as the fact that his HC Experience two weeks for the WJC Gold Medal Winners and High School Hockey only.  They also brought up that Nashville’s PP got worse when he was running it.

On a side note it improved when he left. 

Another issue is if Housley does stay, there absolutely needs to be changes amongst the assistants here, Steve Smith can stay however, and if PH is perceived to be on the hot seat what quality Assts will be willing to come here?

[Cheektorado]

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

I think (in part) it’s also a case of the owner(s) making coach hiring decisions instead of leaving it entirely up to GM’s.

I love the Pegulas, but they need to stay the F away from coach hiring decisions.

They are too involved on that aspect.

The GMs haven't been very good themselves.  Whether the Pegula's should or shouldn't be involved in HC hiring is a fair question for fans to ask but

the main question now is the continued inept Sabres play.  I have been a Sabres fan since inception and I have never been lower than I am right now.

In my wildest fantasy I cannot see HCPH turning this thing around next October.  IMO he has to go AND I believe that the Pegula's are obligated to

explain to their fans their plan to change the last 8 years of results under their ownership.

 

To be clear, I also have great respect to Terry and Kim Pegula and love them for keeping these teams in Buffalo.

[Weave]

We have a 1st time GM, first time head coach, and a young team with minimal veteran leadership.  How was it not evident to the experienced manager of hockey operations that this combination might have substantial risk?

Oh, wait.... nevermind.