Per Botterill: Sabres have relieved Phil Housley of his Coaching Duties

[Claude_Verret]

Just now, TrueBlueGED said:

It ain't over till it's over! Get on the phone Botts!

Yep. Babcock.

[Doohicksie]

25 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Things change pretty fast. If you don't take a second to look around you may just miss it 

- Ferris Bueller

-- WildCard

I always thought you were Ferris Bueller.  Good to see the confirmation.

[Gatorman0519]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Friedman is reporting that the negotiations are much further along than anyone expected, it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s announced in the next 24-48 hours 

Tallon is not playing around. Hope JBot has a plan in place. 

[Sabre fan]

13 minutes ago, Drunkard said:

I like Housley more than Botterill but that's not exactly saying much. I just hope the next coach can run a solid power play and doesn't rely on dump and chase as plan A for zone entry.

On the bright side a GM usually gets 2 coaching hires so if Botterill picked Housley and his next coach flames out, at least there's a good chance he should follow coach #2 out the door.

Gotta agree...Botteril gave away OReilly. kane and lehner for basically nothing (I am not saying we should have kept lehner but we gave a 1st round pick for him and got NOTHING in return) now it is all but assured that Skinner is gone (his agent will be droolling to get to free agency) that is ion Botterill and thorwing Phil under the bus is typical GM stuff to buy time

[TrueBlueGED]

Just now, WildCard said:

Is Boudreau actually a good coach?

He wins freaking everywhere he goes with vastly different rosters. Sure he hasn't had a ton of success, but neither did Trotz until he went to Washington.

[WildCard]

Just now, TrueBlueGED said:

He wins freaking everywhere he goes with vastly different rosters. Sure he hasn't had a ton of success, but neither did Trotz until he went to Washington.

Is he the guy that tried to neuter Ovechkin though? I feel like he essentially plays a very rigid defensive system, that's why he can win anywhere. Basically a poor man's Hitch

2 minutes ago, Claude_Verret said:

Yep. Babcock.

Toronto will let us have him for free in two weeks

[matter2003]

Just now, TrueBlueGED said:

He wins freaking everywhere he goes with vastly different rosters. Sure he hasn't had a ton of success, but neither did Trotz until he went to Washington.

He reminds me of Winston Churchill

[Doohicksie]

17 minutes ago, Drunkard said:

I just hope the next coach can run a solid power play and doesn't rely on dump and chase as plan A for zone entry.

That hasn't been the case for some time.  The typical PP entry is backpass from Dahlin to Eichel, Eichel with speed just over the line; if there is an opening, drive to the net; if not pass off to Reinhart at the right point and set up the rest of the zone.  It's been working pretty well too.

[TrueBlueGED]

2 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Is he the guy that tried to neuter Ovechkin though? I feel like he essentially plays a very rigid defensive system, that's why he can win anywhere. Basically a poor man's Hitch

Toronto will let us have him for free in two weeks

No, that was Dale Hunter.

[freester]

If I ever see Okposo on the power play again I want the coach immediately fired 

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, WildCard said:

Is Boudreau actually a good coach?

Yes, preaches possession, this Minnesota Team is the First Team he has coached for entire season that did not make the playoffs. 

The knock is he cannot win a Game Seven. 

The Sabres cannot make the playoffs, so the risk of losing a Game 7 is outweighed by that actually making the playoffs to lose it in Seven. 

[WildCard]

Just now, TrueBlueGED said:

No, that was Dale Hunter.

Fair. But is that how he coaches?

1 minute ago, freester said:

If I ever see Okposo on the power play again I want the coach immediately fired 

Pretty sure that's the only place he's actually useful though

[Curt]

1 minute ago, WildCard said:

Is Boudreau actually a good coach?

I think so.  

Before this season he made the playoffs 19 years in row, when he was the head coach of a team for the full season.  1 in ECHL(championship), 8 in AHL (1 championship, another finals appearance), and 10 in the NHL.  Not all those teams were great either.  

I feel supremely confident that Boudreau is at least very competent, if not excellent.

[Doohicksie]

13 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

My only concern with Q is his reported track record of relying on veterans and giving younger players the press box treatment for mistakes. 

Aside from Dahlin, the current core is just about to "veteran" status.  Skinner, Eichel, Reinhart, ERod, Sheary, they're not young players anymore.  They are hitting their prime.  I could see him putting Olofsson, Nylander and Mitts on the third line and letting them figure things out.  If they click they get more ice time; if they're having a rough game, Q staples them to the bench as a unit and plays with three lines.

[freester]

1 minute ago, WildCard said:

Fair. But is that how he coaches?

Pretty sure that's the only place he's actually useful though

Actually I’d prefer Okposo get the Moulson treatment and be exiled to the ECHL

[Brawndo]

 

8 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Tallon is not playing around. Hope JBot has a plan in place. 

Having a relationship from Chicago is a huge benefit it appears. 

[TrueBlueGED]

3 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Fair. But is that how he coaches?

 

No. He tried to tighten the reigns defensively his final year in Washington, but it's absolutely not his calling card.

[nucci]

1 hour ago, LaLaLaFontaine said:

Thank god it is over.

another coach fired every 2 years......it's not over....it just continues

[Doohicksie]

13 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Lindy Ruff was relieved from his Asst Coach Duties and has been re assigned in the organization. 

@Eleven

Lindy leading the Sabres back to glory makes for a compelling romantic narrative, but I fear it just wouldn't work out that way.

[nucci]

22 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Oh, it's just beginning.

 

Again.

didn't read your post first...I repeated this..sorry

[WildCard]

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

Lindy leading the Sabres back to glory makes for a compelling romantic narrative, but I fear it just wouldn't work out that way.

It 100% wouldn't

[TrueBlueGED]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Having a relationship from Chicago is a huge benefit it appears. 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[gris]

Does "relieved of duties" mean totally fired? Or does he remain employed by PSE in some other respect?

Sorry if the question seems elementary.

[eman]

No one is saying it but I like Guy Boucher. What happened in Ottawa this year was not on Boucher in my opinion. The locker room was divided with the whole Karlsson issue, plus Melnyk is completely brutal as the kind of meddling owner you don't want. Loads of dissension on that roster and no way Melnyk blames himself for any of it so Boucher gets the ax. I would not mind him here at all.

[WildCard]

4 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Having a relationship from Chicago is a huge benefit it appears. 

So we're now in a division with Claude Julien, Bruce Cassidy, Mike Babcock, John Cooper, and Joel Quennenville

***** awesome