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

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, Radar said:

How did Housley work out? Sure we can find exceptions but this team is young top to bottom and I hope we we get experience.

I just don't think it's wise to de facto exclude an entire group of candidates. 

[Curt]

7 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Interesting that Botterill said the decision to fire Housley was totally his and he contacted Pegula this morning to tell him.

That's not a good look for Pegula IMO; it suggests he wasn't aware he had a coaching problem.

And that jibes with his comments made recently at the NFL meetings in support of Housley. 

 

 

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

I disagree entirely.  It's a completely good look in that it implies that he is doing what he is supposed to be doing, writing checks and watching the game NOT running the hockey ops.

I’m with LGBL on this one.  It really shouldn’t be Pegula’s task to make decisions on hockey coaches.  He should be kept in the loop and  give his opinion, but he/they need to trust Botterill to do the job they hired him for.  If that’s what is happening, then that is a great look as far as I’m concerned.

[primeme]

4 hours ago, TrueBlueGED said:

To paraphrase Mike Babcock when he almost cried after Toronto won the lottery...you need players, man. Find me a coach who has had a long run of success and deep playoff runs without an all-star laden roster.

Lindy Ruff ........Twice

[klos1963]

16 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Interesting that Botterill said the decision to fire Housley was totally his and he contacted Pegula this morning to tell him.

That's not a good look for Pegula IMO; it suggests he wasn't aware he had a coaching problem.

And that jibes with his comments made recently at the NFL meetings in support of Housley. 

 

 

 

 

I don't see it that way. I think the Pegulas have been major disappointments since they took over the Sabres, but it's a stretch to think this suggests he was unaware of a coaching issue with the team.  Of course he would publicly support his coach, anything less would be a huge mistake in judgement.

[WildCard]

20 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Interesting that Botterill said the decision to fire Housley was totally his and he contacted Pegula this morning to tell him.

That's not a good look for Pegula IMO; it suggests he wasn't aware he had a coaching problem.

And that jibes with his comments made recently at the NFL meetings in support of Housley. 

 

That doesn't imply that. Pegula can be full aware things aren't going well, and still let his people he put in charge make decisions. This is exactly how it should be

[Scottysabres]

5 minutes ago, primeme said:

Lindy Ruff ........Twice

Although I put the laugh symbol up, at least Lindy's teams made the playoffs.

[Radar]

5 minutes ago, primeme said:

Lindy Ruff ........Twice

I am in the minority probably that would seriously consider Ruff. Don't think he was the problem when they let him go. First choice? Maybe not but to be considered ? Absolutely.

[steveoath]

3 minutes ago, WildCard said:

That doesn't imply that. Pegula can be full aware things aren't going well, and still let his people he put in charge make decisions. This is exactly how it should be

Precisely. Do we really want pegula going "full Melnyk"? 

[darksabre]

5 minutes ago, klos1963 said:

I don't see it that way. I think the Pegulas have been major disappointments since they took over the Sabres, but it's a stretch to think this suggests he was unaware of a coaching issue with the team.  Of course he would publicly support his coach, anything less would be a huge mistake in judgement.

Terry definitely knew Botts was considering firing Phil. It's why he made that dumb comment about Phil "growing as a coach". It was probably something Botterill said to him in a previous conversation on the subject. 

[Gatorman0519]

JBot is on thin ice Himself.  He fielded two embarrassingly bad teams.  Got fleeced by ST. Louis.  Left a wide open gap in our center depth.  His first coach was a disaster.  Not many GM’s survive this.  He needs to show serious improvement IN THE STANDINGS next year to continue.  

[WildCard]

Just now, Gatorman0519 said:

JBot is on thin ice Himself.  He fielded two embarrassingly bad teams.  Got fleeced by ST. Louis.  Left a wide open gap in our center depth.  His first coach was a disaster.  Not many GM’s survive this.  He needs to show serious improvement IN THE STANDINGS next year to continue.  

Unless we end up dead last again, he's not going anywhere

[apuszczalowski]

38 minutes ago, kas23 said:

Correct. If he didn’t contact Q’s agent a week ago, I’d say he’s incompetent. That is, if Q signs with Florida, it doesn’t mean we were late to the game, it means he didn’t want to sign here. 

Your assuming that Botts and the Sabres are/were interested in Quenville.....

[Weave]

38 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I just don't think it's wise to de facto exclude an entire group of candidates. 

It's not a de facto exclude.  This team lacks experience, especially experience with what it takes to win at this level.

[Gatorman0519]

10 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Unless we end up dead last again, he's not going anywhere

If we end up with something like 75 points again there is no way he survives imo.  TM was sent packing for the same thing. 

[dudacek]

30 minutes ago, Radar said:

I am in the minority probably that would seriously consider Ruff. Don't think he was the problem when they let him go. First choice? Maybe not but to be considered ? Absolutely.

Maybe he’ll come over as an assistant when they hire AV.

I don’t think they get Q and I think AV will slide in through a good team canada experience.

i  expect positive comments about Reinhart, Skinner and Montour out of Bratislava within a month.

[dudacek]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

If we end up with something like 75 points again there is no way he survives imo.  TM was sent packing for the same thing. 

TM was sent packing for an organization that failed to meet Pegula’s standards of communication, discipline, and structure.

And for using bad words.

[klos1963]

38 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Who was his goalie?  On his 2nd stint, how did he get more from less? we stunk. If this is a joke post, which it should be,  i apologize.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Broken Ankles said:

Both Trotz and Torts have jobs.

Torts might not if Columbus goes out again in round 1, which is likely. 

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

Torts might not if Columbus goes out again in round 1, which is likely. 

If Torts can win two rounds and the bLues can’t That gives us pick 19.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

That's my point:  The media department wouldn't have known.  And frankly when I've been at companies where they're letting people go, they try to keep the facade of normalcy right up until the hammer falls.

true.

[IKnowPhysics]

6 hours ago, darksabre said:

Well, there it is.

Clearly Botterill thinks the roster is better than the results. 

The team was 16-33-8 after the streak, which is an 82 game pace of 57 points.  That is an intentional level of tanking point total.  Just about any NHL roster that isn't intentionally or historically bad is better than those results.

Housley isn't the only party to blame.  The roster wasn't good, which is on management, but it was better than 16-33-8 with no signs of improvement, which is on the coach.

[klos1963]

Just now, Let's Go B-Lo said:

I'm sorry.  I thought anything that included this particular picture of Teds Nolan was automatically assumed to be satire.

No, I'm sorry. There are still people that think Tebow should be in the NFL so it's just so hard to know these days.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

4 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Press conferences would certainly become more entertaining.

no question

so would games against the rags

[calti]

7 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Per Sabres 

 

Housley breathes huge sigh of relief.I predict he leads a team to a stanley cup win within 3 yrs.

[ct fab]

I predict he doesn't get another NHL head coaching job. Why would he?