Ralph Krueger to meet the Media Wednesday June 5th 10am

[Thorner]

BREAKING: New coach says all the right things at introductory presser. More at 10. 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Thorny

[TrueBlueGED]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

BREAKING: New coach says all the right things at introductory presser. More at 10. 

Unless you're Pi...

[pi2000]

3 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Unless you're Pi...

I'd give him a B-

Seemed to ramble a bit at times and not enough talk about what needs to be fixed, where he thinks they can improve.   Maybe he doesn't know yet, which is not a good sign, but he just got here so I'll give him a break.    

I did like his demeanor and his passion comes across when he talks you can tell he thoroughly enjoys the game... which he should.    Nobody cares what you know unless they know how much you care.     And you can tell he really cares.     It's a start.

Edited June 5, 2019 by pi2000

[Georgia Blizzard]

The fear of analytics some of you have is puzzling.  Coaches and teams have been using analytics for decades, just in a different form.  That's what manually studying film, using stop watches etc. was back in the day it was the analytics.  The difference today, is the ability to factor in many many more variables and to do this EASILY because of technology. 

Properly used, modern day analytics mitigates paralysis, it actually creates clarity and allows for action and more importantly, correction.  You can't think of it as mountains of data, it might start out that way, but AI, computing horsepower and the right analytics turns it into actionable information.  Coaches that use these tools have a superior advantage over coaches that don't.

Having said that, it won't turn a bad coach into a good coach, but, if you have two good coaches, it will make the one that uses it great.

 

[pi2000]

5 minutes ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

The fear of analytics some of you have is puzzling.  Coaches and teams have been using analytics for decades, just in a different form.  That's what manually studying film, using stop watches etc. was back in the day it was the analytics.  The difference today, is the ability to factor in many many more variables and to do this EASILY because of technology. 

Properly used, modern day analytics mitigates paralysis, it actually creates clarity and allows for action and more importantly, correction.  You can't think of it as mountains of data, it might start out that way, but AI, computing horsepower and the right analytics turns it into actionable information.  Coaches that use these tools have a superior advantage over coaches that don't.

Having said that, it won't turn a bad coach into a good coach, but, if you have two good coaches, it will make the one that uses it great.

 

Disagree... but... whatever.

IMO what makes a good coach great is his ability to get a group of young spoiled millionaires to set aside their differences and all start pulling in the same direction.

[Thorner]

13 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

It's a start.

Edited June 5, 2019 by Thorny

[WildCard]

He's the head coach lol I bet half the people in that office don't give a ***** what he's saying right now

[Georgia Blizzard]

9 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Disagree... but... whatever.

IMO what makes a good coach great is his ability to get a group of young spoiled millionaires to set aside their differences and all start pulling in the same direction.

Great coaches can do both, get players to focus on common goal AND use analytics to help them get there.  The two are not mutually exclusive.  I think that's the point most of us are making.

It's like a race car driver having a faster car than his competitors.  The faster car doesn't make a bad racer a good racer and doesn't win the race on it's own, but, it gives the driver of that car an edge or a leg up on his competition.

 

 

 

[pi2000]

16 minutes ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

The fear of analytics some of you have is puzzling.  Coaches and teams have been using analytics for decades, just in a different form.  That's what manually studying film, using stop watches etc. was back in the day it was the analytics.  The difference today, is the ability to factor in many many more variables and to do this EASILY because of technology. 

Properly used, modern day analytics mitigates paralysis, it actually creates clarity and allows for action and more importantly, correction.  You can't think of it as mountains of data, it might start out that way, but AI, computing horsepower and the right analytics turns it into actionable information.  Coaches that use these tools have a superior advantage over coaches that don't.

Having said that, it won't turn a bad coach into a good coach, but, if you have two good coaches, it will make the one that uses it great.

 

Nobody said anything about fear.    I think if you get too wrapped up in it, it can become a distraction... taking your attention away from those things that make a winning hockey team.      For me, using analytics may provide some benefit to a team that already has it's ducks in a row.      A team like Buffalo needs to focus on other things.

[...]

1 minute ago, pi2000 said:

Nobody said anything about fear.    I think if you get too wrapped up in it, it can become a distraction... taking your attention away from those things that make a winning hockey team.      For me, using analytics may provide some benefit to a team that already has it's ducks in a row.      A team like Buffalo needs to focus on other things.

Like?

[pi2000]

Just now, Georgia Blizzard said:

Great coaches can do both, get players to focus on common goal AND use analytics to help them get there.  The two are not mutually exclusive.  I think that's the point most of us are making.

It's like a race car driver having a faster car than his competitors.  The faster car doesn't make a bad racer a good racer and doesn't win the race on it's own, but, it gives the driver of that car an edge or a leg up on his competition.

 

 

 

The Sabres focusing on analytics is like racing the Indy 500 in a 95 honda civic and being concerned about how to shave milliseconds off pit stops.

[Zamboni]

7 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Nobody said anything about fear.    I think if you get too wrapped up in it, it can become a distraction... taking your attention away from those things that make a winning hockey team.      For me, using analytics may provide some benefit to a team that already has it's ducks in a row.      A team like Buffalo needs to focus on other things.

Dude. Really.... wow.

 Do you have the ability to breathe and type in a message board at the same time? Answer. yes.

 Can a coaching staff have one foot in analytics and one foot in “other things that are important“?  Answer. Yes. 

[darksabre]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

The Sabres focusing on analytics is like racing the Indy 500 in a 95 honda civic and being concerned about how to shave milliseconds off pit stops.

If you missed the point any harder you'd fall off the earth and float into space.

[Georgia Blizzard]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

The Sabres focusing on analytics is like racing the Indy 500 in a 95 honda civic and being concerned about how to shave milliseconds off pit stops.

Bottom line, you can do these things in parallel.

I agree analytics are not the biggest area of need and not the first thing to correct, but, you MUST invest in the capability and you MUST be prepared to use it after you solve some of the more pressing needs.  And, in today's NHL, you can't win without it.

[That Aud Smell]

59 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Pi's right. NHL players know when to come off the ice. They are not called off by the coaches.

what about lindy's whistling?

[pi2000]

13 minutes ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

Bottom line, you can do these things in parallel.

I agree analytics are not the biggest area of need and not the first thing to correct, but, you MUST invest in the capability and you MUST be prepared to use it after you solve some of the more pressing needs.  And, in today's NHL, you can't win without it.

Exactly, and that's my concern.   The way RK rambled on about gps and tracking data, etc... instead of deflecting the question and saying something like "analytics are a tool that when used properly can provide a benefit, but when I look at our team, we have other more pressing issues we need to be focusing our attention on." 

Look, I like the guy and was genuinely impressed with his press conference.... but he didn't talk much X's and O's.   I just hope they realize he'll need some help in that department.   Honestly, he sounded more like a president of hockey ops, instead of a head coach... but maybe his style is exactly what this teams needs, and I complained about Housley lacking in leadership ability.     He should fill that leadership void, but does he know enough about modern systems, how to counter, time management, in-game adjustments, etc..?       

[WildCard]

Just now, pi2000 said:

Look, I like the guy and was genuinely impressed with his press conference.... but he didn't talk much X's and O's.   

Again though what do you want him to say? We want to get pucks in deep, we want a good forecheck, we want our defensemen to be active in the play...btw Botteril has already said all of those things in why he hired Krueger, and Krueger today said they want speed and a relentless forecheck

Pi honestly man you're just hating to hate the guy I think

[pi2000]

8 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Again though what do you want him to say? We want to get pucks in deep, we want a good forecheck, we want our defensemen to be active in the play...btw Botteril has already said all of those things in why he hired Krueger, and Krueger today said they want speed and a relentless forecheck

Pi honestly man you're just hating to hate the guy I think

So you don't have the least bit amount of concern that he has very little NHL head coaching experience and has been away from the game for the past 5 years?  

Where is this expectation you have coming from....   that we should all just fall in line and stand by everything the guy says?    

Again, I like the guy, I think the qualities he brings will be good for the group in the locker room.    But to say that I hate the guy just because I have concerns, is just... I don't know, forget it.

[WildCard]

1 minute ago, pi2000 said:

So you don't have the least bit amount of concern that he has very little NHL head coaching experience and has been away from the game for the past 5 years?  

Where is this expectation you have coming from....   that we should all just fall in line and stand by everything the guy says?    

Again, I like the guy, I think the qualities he brings will be good for the group in the locker room.    But to say that I hate the guy just because I have concerns, is just... I don't know, forget it.

I didn't say I don't have those concerns, I very much voiced them in the Coaching Search thread actually. I just think you're trying to pick apart a press conference when the material isn't there

[pi2000]

1 minute ago, WildCard said:

I didn't say I don't have those concerns, I very much voiced them in the Coaching Search thread actually. I just think you're trying to pick apart a press conference when the material isn't there

Then just say that... instead of putting words in my mouth that I hate the guy.

And you're right, I'm probably over analyzing what he said, but I thought it would spark an interesting debate as to where analytics type data fit into the master plan for the Sabres this coming season.     I, for one, don't think they should spend much if any resources on it, whereas others obviously disagree, which is fine.

[...]

What pressing needs are there that don't involve some form of analytics? 

[Zamboni]

All teams in all sports spend time and money on analytics. They all have for years. From pros, to college, to high school.

Our beloved Sabres are  no different.

Edited June 5, 2019 by Zamboni

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, ... said:

What pressing needs are there that don't involve some form of analytics? 

Royal Blue. 

[pi2000]

6 minutes ago, ... said:

What pressing needs are there that don't involve some form of analytics? 

Defensive zone play has plagued them for years.   They don't know how to defend as a 5 man unit.   They get careless with the puck, lose 50/50s, lack of puck support, and always seem to be on the wrong side of the puck in general.   A good coach can fix those things by practicing the right things.

Edited June 5, 2019 by pi2000

[...]

Just now, pi2000 said:

Defensive zone play has plagued them for years.   They don't know how to defend as a 5 man unit.  

You don't think some form of game data would help solve this issue?