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

[dudacek]

  On 4/10/2019 at 1:46 PM, shrader said:

Isn't Vigneault one of the guys that has a looser country club type feel to his locker room?  I feel like this team could use someone a bit tougher than that.

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That was never my impression. He’s got an air of authority to him.

[Stoner]

  On 4/10/2019 at 2:00 PM, nfreeman said:

Jeez.  The guy failed at his dream job and has been publicly humiliated.  He says something nice and appreciative on his way out -- is it necessary to take shots at him like this?

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Was it OK before he got fired? Whose hands are clean? Show of hands.

[shrader]

  On 4/10/2019 at 2:08 PM, dudacek said:

That was never my impression. He’s got an air of authority to him.

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So maybe it was just the transition those two teams (Rags/Canucks) had from Vigneault <--> Tortorella.  He was a vacation compared to Torts.

[Hoss]

  On 4/10/2019 at 2:16 PM, PASabreFan said:

Was it OK before he got fired? Whose hands are clean? Show of hands.

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It me, hands clean man.

[nfreeman]

  On 4/10/2019 at 2:16 PM, PASabreFan said:

Was it OK before he got fired?

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Are you seriously asking this?  You don't see a difference between criticizing a coach for his performance and criticizing a fired ex-coach for...whatever it was you were criticizing him for?

[Stoner]

  On 4/10/2019 at 2:54 PM, nfreeman said:

Are you seriously asking this?  You don't see a difference between criticizing a coach for his performance and criticizing a fired ex-coach for...whatever it was you were criticizing him for?

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It was the same criticism. He was boring, bland, uninspiring, too nice and his brain didn't work quite right, just like the tweet. Thanks for letting me know the standard. The next time you repeat any criticisms you had of Housley, I'll be sure to let you know to stop piling on the poor man.

[WildCard]

  On 4/10/2019 at 2:46 PM, Hoss said:

It me, hands clean man.

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[Brawndo]

Lots of Sabres Stuff in 31 Thoughts 

 

The Fourth Period’s Dennis Bernstein reported Wednesday morning Todd McLellan was closing in with Los Angeles. It certainly was trending that way prior to the Sabres’ leap into the process. He’s a western guy and the Kings, who had said they were going to consider a search, decided not to waste time. At the end of his time in both San Jose and Edmonton, McLellan did not see eye to eye with his GM. He’s got a positive history with Rob Blake, who played for him on the Sharks. There is a limit to where the Kings will go. They had Darryl Sutter in the $3.5-million range, and that was after he won two Stanley Cups. Up the road near wine country, Peter DeBoer was extended for what is believed to be in the $3.25-million range. The Kings are not afraid of term, but if the Sabres throw a bigger bag of cash at him, it would be a stunner if Los Angeles matched. He’d have to make a choice. Which roster would you rather have: Buffalo or Los Angeles? 

 

8. This may be irrelevant quickly, but if McLellan goes elsewhere, the assumption is the Kings’ next targets will include three others with ties to Blake: Tony Granato (played with him in Los Angeles); Bob Hartley (played for him in Colorado); and Patrick Roy (played with him in Colorado). Outside possibility: Doug Weight. In the past, they’ve eyed offensively minded coaches. 

 

9. Buffalo GM Jason Botterill did confirm interest in McLellan: “Certainly, he’s a person of interest. He’s on our list.” 

 

The coach will be in Buffalo for the Frozen Four. Son Tyson plays for the University of Denver. 

 

10. Much of this predates Botterill, but this will be the Sabres’ fifth coach since Lindy Ruff was fired in February 2013. What is he looking for? 

 

 

“We’re open to anything,” Botterill replied. “You’re certainly looking for someone who has command of the room… that presence in the room. We have skill. We need to continue to develop that within our organization, bring some more in. We want to play a fast, uptempo style. We want to get our defencemen up in the play…. But it’s, as much as we want to play that offensive game, it’s having a little more structure defensively. That’s a big area where we can have improvement there.” 

 

He added the internal debate is not about experience.

 

“We’re looking at someone who has that communicative ability, has that accountability, has that presence. That’s why we’re going to be looking at all different options.”

 

It is believed they have a list of about three they plan on interviewing. It is also believed they want to keep assistant coach Steve Smith.

 

11. Botterill on the percentage chance that Jeff Skinner is a Sabre next year: “I sure hope it’s a high percentage.” 

 

He added that it is a mutually beneficial relationship.

 

 

12. Word is that a number of teams have closely scouted Rasmus Ristolainensince the deadline. He had a rough year. But he’s a right-handed shot approaching age 25. If Botterill wants to consider moving him, there will be interest. There is a feeling that, outside of the fiery Jack Eichel, a lot of his young players are too relaxed or passive. It’s not the worst idea to see how that evolves. 

 

“If we can bring some established NHLers to help out (our young players), we’ll certainly look at it,” Botterill said. 

 

Marek asked if he’ll move more firsts like he did for Brandon Montour. 

 

“Where the first one’s going to be (seventh), its always going to be difficult to move that one…. You’re probably holding on to that one.”

[nfreeman]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:04 PM, PASabreFan said:

It was the same criticism. He was boring, bland, uninspiring, too nice and his brain didn't work quite right, just like the tweet. Thanks for letting me know the standard. The next time you repeat any criticisms you had of Housley, I'll be sure to let you know to stop piling on the poor man. 

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This seems fine, as long as I or anyone else chooses, as you did, the wrong thing to criticize him for and the wrong time to do so.

[WildCard]

  Quote

It is believed they have a list of about three they plan on interviewing. It is also believed they want to keep assistant coach Steve Smith.

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Interesting. You could tell in his presser that Botteril wanted to keep Smith too. He made a few comments about how well he did

  Quote

 There is a feeling that, outside of the fiery Jack Eichel, a lot of his young players are too relaxed or passive. It’s not the worst idea to see how that evolves.

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Now this is more interesting. So much for the Eichel haters (hand up, definitely one of those that questioned his effort a ton)

[LTS]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:21 PM, WildCard said:

 

 

Interesting. You could tell in his presser that Botteril wanted to keep Smith too. He made a few comments about how well he did

 

 

Now this is more interesting. So much for the Eichel haters (hand up, definitely one of those that questioned his effort a ton)

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Eichel can be fiery but not be tough enough on himself too.  Eichel still seems to carry an air of entitlement when he's on the ice.  His insistence to stick handle into a group of players. His insistence to throw pucks into places without looking.  His insistence to glide back to the bench for a change.  His insistence to look at the referees when he believes there should be a penalty (or any of the seeming 500 million times he's tossed from the face-off).

I still think he can be one of the best players in the game.  He has at least another level.  He needs someone to get him there, if it won't be himself.  Fiery.. sure, but perhaps in the wrong way at the wrong time.

[darksabre]

Clearly Botterill wants to hire Ted Nolan.

[IKnowPhysics]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:49 PM, darksabre said:

Clearly Botterill wants to hire Ted Nolan.

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[WildCard]

I hate Ted Nolan a little more every time that picture is posted

[darksabre]

Thanks for knocking down that alley-oop @LTS

[LTS]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:53 PM, WildCard said:

I hate Ted Nolan a little more every time that picture is posted

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I love Ted Nolan.  Just not as a coach. 

[nucci]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:55 PM, LTS said:

I love Ted Nolan.  Just not as a coach. 

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Not that there's anything wrong with that

[rakish]

Somewhere on this site, a couple weeks ago, someone said 'All coaches are hated by every player'. So I've been listening. Twice in the past week someone has talked about how much they love Ted. First it was Moulson's wife talking about how Matt felt, then it was Barnaby on WGR yesterday.

[Doohicksie]

  On 4/10/2019 at 2:00 PM, nfreeman said:

Jeez.  The guy failed at his dream job and has been publicly humiliated.  He says something nice and appreciative on his way out -- is it necessary to take shots at him like this?

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(Pssst.  I don't think he reads SabreSpace.)

[Doohicksie]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:15 PM, Brawndo said:

11. Botterill on the percentage chance that Jeff Skinner is a Sabre next year: “I sure hope it’s a high percentage.” 

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That's probably the least assured response I've heard from JBot on the subject.

[Doohicksie]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:21 PM, WildCard said:

Interesting. You could tell in his presser that Botteril wanted to keep Smith too. He made a few comments about how well he did

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So does Steve Smith get an interview?

[IKnowPhysics]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:15 PM, Brawndo said:

 

11. Botterill on the percentage chance that Jeff Skinner is a Sabre next year: “I sure hope it’s a high percentage.” 

 

He added that it is a mutually beneficial relationship.

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Excuse me what the *****.

 

After hiring a coach, this is currently the team's biggest item on the to-do list, and probably has been since October.  Not signing Skinner is a massive blow to our playoff chances in the next three years.

[Doohicksie]

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:39 PM, LTS said:

I still think he can be one of the best players in the game.  He has at least another level.  He needs someone to get him there, if it won't be himself.  Fiery.. sure, but perhaps in the wrong way at the wrong time.

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Call me crazy, but I think Olofsson might be that guy.  Small sample size and all that, but when he played on Eichel's line he seemed to always play through the entire play and not relax until the whistle blew.  There seems to me to be more of a sense on Olofsson's part that he *belongs* on Jack's line than other players who get dragged along for the ride.  Skinner is better on Jack's line than with other centers, but I think Jack might be better with Olofsson on his wing than with other wings, if that makes sense.  Maybe Olofsson makes a more concerted effort to coordinate with Jack and doesn't freelance like Skinner does.

  On 4/10/2019 at 4:53 PM, WildCard said:

I hate Ted Nolan a little more every time that picture is posted

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And that just cracks me up.

[Brawndo]

  On 4/10/2019 at 5:27 PM, Doohickie said:

That's probably the least assured response I've heard from JBot on the subject.

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  On 4/10/2019 at 5:34 PM, IKnowPhysics said:

Excuse me what the *****.

 

After hiring a coach, this is currently the team's biggest item on the to-do list, and probably has been since October.  Not signing Skinner is a massive blow to our playoff chances in the next three years.

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It appears that this was an interview for the 31 Thoughts Podcast, I want to hear the surrounding conversation prior to passing final judgment, but on the surface it does not sound good. 

[Derrico]

I don’t see any issue with what botts said.  If it’s guartenteed he would be signed already.  If he’s close to signing botts would still say a similar type thing.  This isn’t really newsworthy imo.

Edited April 10, 2019 by Derrico