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

[Doohicksie]

9 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Could be, but if JBot was planning to fire him at the end of the year surely he didn't suddenly change his mind on his own in a few days or a week or whatever time that staff needs?

Not sure what your point is.  The staff (office administrators most likely, but possibly as high as VP of Media Relations) that set things like this up were not in that "inner circle" so were under the impression that there would be a standard end-of-year presser. 

Looking at the team staff directory, my guess is that no one outside of this list knew anything about the firing:

Kim & Terry

General Manager Jason Botterill

Assistant General Manager/Rochester Americans General Manager Randy Sexton

Assistant General Manager Steve Greeley

Vice President of Hockey Administration Mark Jakubowski

EVP & General Counsel, PSE Gregg Brandon

VP of Legal Affairs David S. Zygaj

EVP & General Counsel, PSE Gregg Brandon

Human Resources Manager David McNall

No one on the media relations side would have any inkling about the firing.

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by Doohickie

[Billznut]

1 hour ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I think he was staying anyway.

Why hasn’t he signed then?  I don’t think it’s automatic he stays at all. Obviously they haven’t come close to an agreement or it would have been done already. I’d say 50-50 at best he comes back. 

[Cheektorado]

I have no "Hollywood Story" notions for Ruff BUT if they can't find an established coach to fill the job I would take Lindy to help right this ship.

[Zamboni]

8 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

On most teams, that would represent a total revamping.  For the Sabres lately, that's a minor roster tweak.

Meh ... I don’t think it does, but agree to disagree. It’s semantics and word usage I guess. 

[LGR4GM]

It's done. 

[Scottysabres]

So, who's the next patsy up to the plate?

[Eleven]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

It's done. 

No *****.  For the millionth time since 2013.

Just now, Scottysabres said:

So, who's the next patsy up to the plate?

That's just about right, unfortunately.

[Curt]

23 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Please, no.His body of work is telling.  Not until he had an all-star team was he successful.

Quennville previously made the playoffs and won playoff rounds with Colorado and St. Louis.  What’s your definition of success?

Edited April 7, 2019 by Curtisp5286

[Doohicksie]

2 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Meh ... I don’t think it does, but agree to disagree. It’s semantics and word usage I guess. 

We've been turning over nearly half the roster every year lately.

[Zamboni]

Just now, Doohickie said:

We've been turning over nearly half the roster every year lately.

Yes! And THAT to me is “total revamping” not 3-5 players. Which is something 29 teams do yearly.

Again, agree to disagree. 

[SwampD]

Bring back Lindy.

 

...if for no other reason than to get Eleven to stop ***** crying.

Edited April 7, 2019 by SwampD

[Doohicksie]

4 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Yes! And THAT to me is “total revamping” not 3-5 players. Which is something 29 teams do yearly.

Again, agree to disagree. 

I think we're arguing the same side of the point.  I said 3-5 players was a "minor tweak."  The post I quoted called it revamping.

[Hoss]

I wonder if the bidding war for Coach Q also has an impact on the bidding for Artemi Panarin.

[SabresBillsFan]

Housley should have realized that he had issues with team defense and created a system that the players could buy in to so that they could compete every night and at least have a chance to win every game. Look at the Islanders. They lost Tavares and because of the system coach Totts put in the players bought in and have made the playoffs. Nobody thought they would be better especially when you lose a player of Tavares caliber. I’m tired of hearing Phil only had a few quality nhl players. Give me a break. All these players besides the rookies have been around for awhile. Good coaches can adjust to what they have to work with. This coaching staff sucked and failed to get the most out of the players. They needed a coach that is tough on his players. To me he seemed soft.

[Scottysabres]

6 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Bring back Lindy.

 

...if for no other reason than the get Eleven stop ***** crying.

I laughed, then..........I actually considered it.

I do wonder who it will be.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

What took so long?

[Cheektorado]

2 minutes ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

What took so long?

Fax machine got jammed.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

48 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

See yeah Phil.  Sorry it didn’t work out.  You’ll get a real roster on your next team.  Just ask Gerard Gallant.

Not sure it would make a lot of difference with Housley.

[Indabuff]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Per Sabres 

 

 

[TrueBlueGED]

34 minutes ago, Billznut said:

Why hasn’t he signed then?  I don’t think it’s automatic he stays at all. Obviously they haven’t come close to an agreement or it would have been done already. I’d say 50-50 at best he comes back. 

A lot of players don't sign new contracts in February and still stay in the same place. This isn't unusual. I don't think it's automatic he stays, but I'm not using the calendar to cause panic for myself either. We're an attractive spot for him to be. 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, darksabre said:

I feel like the last 4 seasons have been an exercise in extremes. We went from Bylsma who was absolutely choking this team to death with a play to not lose system, to Housley who somehow opened up every single hole in this team so much that all they could do was lose. 

Maybe we can get something in the middle this time. 

 

I'm glad you're back. Well-rested and killing it.

 

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

The wheels were coming off in December, FFS.  If Botterill thought Housley was the reason why, he should have acted sooner.

Botterill didn't want to fire Housley. .500 hockey for a month, after a 10-gam winning streak with a mediocre team doesn't get you fired either.

It was the utter collapse in February. By then, Botterill was better off playing out the string and considering his options.

***

I doubt Q comes here. But if he did, I expect a big rebound next year.

Not overly excited about him though because retread cup winners rarely recapture what made them great.

More excited about a guy with a resume like Q had when he took over the Hawks.

[TrueBlueGED]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

I'm glad you're back. Well-rested and killing it.

 

Botterill didn't want to fire Housley. .500 hockey for a month, after a 10-gam winning streak with a mediocre team doesn't get you fired either.

It was the utter collapse in February. By then, Botterill was better off playing out the string and considering his options.

***

I doubt Q comes here. But if he did, I expect a big rebound next year.

Not overly excited about him though because retread cup winners rarely recapture what made them great.

More excited about a guy with a resume like Q had when he took over the Hawks.

I definitely understand this, and I'd usually be in the same spot. One of the big reasons I'm not is because winning in Chicago isn't the totality of his resume. He was a winner long before Chicago residents remembered they had a hockey team, even if he didn't have a Cup at that point. 

[Torpedo Forecheck]

He had no chance of recovering and coaching this team again. The players obviously didn't have his back and it showed....unless you're going to bring in all new players it wouldn't work.?

[jad1]

32 minutes ago, SabresBillsFan said:

Housley should have realized that he had issues with team defense and created a system that the players could buy in to so that they could compete every night and at least have a chance to win every game. Look at the Islanders. They lost Tavares and because of the system coach Totts put in the players bought in and have made the playoffs. Nobody thought they would be better especially when you lose a player of Tavares caliber. I’m tired of hearing Phil only had a few quality nhl players. Give me a break. All these players besides the rookies have been around for awhile. Good coaches can adjust to what they have to work with. This coaching staff sucked and failed to get the most out of the players. They needed a coach that is tough on his players. To me he seemed soft.

I agree.  The defense top six is made up of 3 first rounders (all drafted in the top 10), and 3 second rounders (Scandella, McCabe, and Montour). It's hard to imagine Botterill acquiring better talent than is on the ice right now.

For example, Botterill paid a big price for Montour, and the defense actually got worse after the aquisition.

The defense has a lot of bad habits in their own zone and maybe the team needs a dinosaur like Ruff or Trotz for a few seasons to drill fundamentals into the defensemen's heads.

 

[dudacek]

Just now, TrueBlueGED said:

I definitely understand this, and I'd usually be in the same spot. One of the big reasons I'm not is because winning in Chicago isn't the totality of his resume. He was a winner long before Chicago residents remembered they had a hockey team, even if he didn't have a Cup at that point. 

Oh, he’s a good coach and seems exactly the type to fix what ailed this team this year.