Ralph Krueger needs to go - like yesterday.

[Billznut]

20 minutes ago, MODO Hockey said:

This is absolut insanity. 

HOW CAN THIS IDIOT STILL BE COACH ... LIKE WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!

hate is a strong word, but frankly i HATE RALPH. K!

 

***** YOU RALPH, ***** YOU

The owners aren’t much better 

[Sabre1974]

43 minutes ago, steveoath said:

Is he gone yet?

Hopefully after Sunday. 

[Stads]

If a Sabres' player somehow gets a breakaway, does Krueger coach them to wait for a defenseman to join the play so they can get a point shot with traffic in front?

[Cal Naughton Jr]

Dead last in the league. ***** you Ralph. Stick to soccer 

[Torpedo Forecheck]

1 hour ago, Stads said:

If a Sabres' player somehow gets a breakaway, does Krueger coach them to wait for a defenseman to join the play so they can get a point shot with traffic in front?

Stay above the puck even when you have the puck....

[Cal Naughton Jr]

1 hour ago, Stads said:

If a Sabres' player somehow gets a breakaway, does Krueger coach them to wait for a defenseman to join the play so they can get a point shot with traffic in front?

If you’re on a breakaway then just dump the puck in and make a change

[nfreeman]

6 hours ago, MODO Hockey said:

This is absolut insanity. 

HOW CAN THIS IDIOT STILL BE COACH ... LIKE WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!

hate is a strong word, but frankly i HATE RALPH. K!

 

***** YOU RALPH, ***** YOU

OK.  Let's take it down a notch please.  He's incompetent but still seems like a good person.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

Does it bother you guys to see and hear our players in interviews right now? They look like they’re towing the party line using coach speak terms like “Connection”, “you beat structure with structure”, etc. They also look like they’re not sure they believe what they’re saying.

I would further add that in my experience that being connected 5-5 in all 3 zones and having a team structure( a proper one- not everyone above the puck even when you have it) just makes you competitive (it's required). It’s pretty hard to out connect or out structure the opponent. This philosophy ignores transition, turnovers, creating chaos by pressure and gaining the initiative, and capitalizing on broken plays (of which much of the game involves). 

Even teams like the Islanders who are connected and thought of as very structured; capitalize and win games by the above tactics. Our players have such bad passive habits right now I bet other teams are laughing at the incompetence. Building your structure of a team should start with the habits and skills possessed by your players. This was not the approach, it was the reverse. Ralph has severely damaged many of our players, and he will damage others like Cozens given time. He must go immediately.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Torpedo Forecheck

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

Does it bother you guys to see and hear our players in interviews right now? They look like they’re towing the party line using coach speak terms like “Connection”, “you beat structure with structure”, etc. They also look like they’re not sure they believe what they’re saying.

I would further add that in my experience that being connected 5-5 in all 3 zones and having a team structure just makes you competitive (it's required). It’s pretty hard to out connect or out structure the opponent. This philosophy ignores transition, turnovers, creating chaos by pressure and gaining the initiative, and capitalizing on broken plays (of which much of the game involves). 

Even teams like the Islanders who are connected and thought of as very structured; capitalize and win games by the above tactics. Our players have such bad passive habits right now I bet other teams are laughing at the incompetence. Building your structure of a team should start with the habits and skills possessed by your players. This was not the approach, it was the reverse. Ralph has severely damaged many of our players, and he will damage others like Cozens given time. He must go immediately.

I don't think they do believe what they are saying which is why they play the way they do. At some point, someone needs to just rebel and I think that is what Skinner started to do. He started to play outside of the system and Krueger dropped the hammer. 

[Torpedo Forecheck]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think they do believe what they are saying which is why they play the way they do. At some point, someone needs to just rebel and I think that is what Skinner started to do. He started to play outside of the system and Krueger dropped the hammer. 

When things go the way they have(poorly);players start asking themselves questions about getting out it. One of them is usually, does the coach have a track record of improving the club and he knows what to do? We know the answer, then it gets down to dwindling hope that there is a first time for everything.

[DarthEbriate]

22 minutes ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

Ralph has severely damaged many of our players, and he will damage others like Cozens given time. He must go immediately.

Absolutely. Cozens was recently coached by Team Canada's staff... all those lessons will fade. Bryson still looks good, presumably a lot from Chris Taylor... but that won't hold forever. We'll have to horribly overpay (Skinner style) to keep Hall, or Ullmark. Or McCabe once he's healthy.

And GM Sheevyn can't do anything because the coach doesn't report to him. That was his failure in his coup... he didn't get power over his fellow Sith Lord RaKru. Which is the Master and which is the Apprentice?

Trick question! We put them both on Council, but did not give them the rank of Master!

[LabattBlue]

Ralph needs to go, but if it is not in conjunction with Adams being demoted back to the hockey academy, and a PoHO being hired to start from scratch, it would just be another exercise in futility.   😞

[Eleven]

Kevyn, what is taking so long?

[Weave]

11 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Kevyn, what is taking so long?

Apparently Kevyn and Terry need help.

[Randall Flagg]

Part of me worries that the "good" available coaches will think about our situation and the revolving door of coaches. I've heard people say that it's definitely a turnoff. 

Part of me also wonders if guys like Boudreau, Gallant, Julien etc. agree with the Sabres fanbase every time a coach gets fired, and don't get bothered by this. "Well, obviously this guy needed to be fired, look at the results, look at this, look at that, he was incompetent!" Like, I would like a coach that thinks he can fix things, that thinks he can do better than Phil freakin Housley or Ralph freakin Krueger 

Pegulas have shown (in the NFL) that they'll stick with a coach if it's obvious that he's good and the team is going in the right direction. Every time someone gets fired, it's because they can feel the same backsliding we all feel.

[Randall Flagg]

At the same time, I'm not actually interested in a coaching change except in the context of a much larger overhaul. 

Firing Krueger, adding another mediocre veteran 2C and some more 4th line PKers, and trading for another bottom 4 D and a middling goalie UFA signing to hit the ground running again doesn't really do it for me.

I want a front office like Toronto got from the start (not saying the same guys, but a similar structure), one of these coaching names, and some serious effort to be put into not only addressing holes, but having sensible fallback options if those picks don't work out (what was the 2C plan if Mitts wasn't ready in 2018? It was Berglund Sobotka. What was the 2C plan if Johansson sucked? It was Sobotka and Mitts. What is the 2C plan if Staal didn't work out? So far, just continuing to shoehorn Staal. What was the G plan if Hutton didn't work out in 2018? Why is Hutton-Ullmark ok to start 3 consecutive seasons in a row with?)

Bare minimum goalie move: Signing a guy like Raanta. 
Bare minimum move at C, presuming we keep Eichel: Danault-tier 2C acquisition, and another addition of a player of the caliber of Copp or another obviously-good 3C, in addition to hoping that Cozens might take a step, hanging onto Lazar and I guess you have to keep Eakin around. So if Copp-guy goes down, Eakin or Cozens can play. If Danault goes down, you still have Eichel - Copp - Cozens (sheltered) - Lazar. If Eichel goes down, Danault - Copp - Cozens/Eakin - Lazar. 
Bare minimum defense: A balanced defense corps that takes into account the fact that our supposed veterans Miller and Montour look like they're worse at hockey than at least one guy we had sitting on the taxi squad for the first month. (Borgen)
Bare minimum overall acquisitions: Real leadership presence for Jack and the kids to learn something from 

It needs to be the slate of moves that would make a guy like Weave or Swamp or PA say "holy *****. yeah, okay. we got it done." 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Randall Flagg

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, nfreeman said:

OK.  Let's take it down a notch please.  He's incompetent but still seems like a good person.

I disagree.  I don't think he's a good person at all.  I think he's a lying faker, and I'm not being facetious.  The dude is a con man of the highest order.  He appears likeable but that's just part of the con.

[Randall Flagg]

Copy pasted from Zip15 on hfboards:
2007-08: Takes over for Glen Hanlon after the Caps start 6-14-1 (looks pretty darn close to our record). They go 37-17-7 for 81 pts in 61 games the rest of the way.
2008-09: 108 pts
2009-10: 121 pts
2010-11: 107 pts
2011-12: 25 pts in 22 games with Caps before his firing.
2011-12 (cont'd.): Hired almost immediately by the Ducks, where he goes 27-23-8 for 62 pts in 58 games. The Ducks were 7-13-4 (18 pts in 24 games) under Randy Carlyle that season - again, record looks familiar.
2012-13: 66 pts in 48 games during lockout-shortened season, which was the 3rd best mark that year.
2013-14: 116 pts
2014-15: 109 pts
2015-16: 103 pts - He's then fired by the Ducks (after never averaging less than 100 pts/season)
2016-17: 106 pts - First season with the Wild. Minnesota had 87 pts the season before.
2017-18: 101 pts
2018-19: 83 pts
2019-20: 61 pts in 57 games

 

Edit: this last part is my reaction to seeing this laid out 

I would hire Bruce today and give him the rest of this season with our guys. He can learn about which ones fight, which ones just needed proper guidance, which ones are probably too far gone. He can show Jack a reason to have hope. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Randall Flagg

[Thorner]

12 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Copy pasted from Zip15 on hfboards:
2007-08: Takes over for Glen Hanlon after the Caps start 6-14-1 (looks pretty darn close to our record). They go 37-17-7 for 81 pts in 61 games the rest of the way.
2008-09: 108 pts
2009-10: 121 pts
2010-11: 107 pts
2011-12: 25 pts in 22 games with Caps before his firing.
2011-12 (cont'd.): Hired almost immediately by the Ducks, where he goes 27-23-8 for 62 pts in 58 games. The Ducks were 7-13-4 (18 pts in 24 games) under Randy Carlyle that season - again, record looks familiar.
2012-13: 66 pts in 48 games during lockout-shortened season, which was the 3rd best mark that year.
2013-14: 116 pts
2014-15: 109 pts
2015-16: 103 pts - He's then fired by the Ducks (after never averaging less than 100 pts/season)
2016-17: 106 pts - First season with the Wild. Minnesota had 87 pts the season before.
2017-18: 101 pts
2018-19: 83 pts
2019-20: 61 pts in 57 games

 

Edit: this last part is my reaction to seeing this laid out 

I would hire Bruce today and give him the rest of this season with our guys. He can learn about which ones fight, which ones just needed proper guidance, which ones are probably too far gone. He can show Jack a reason to have hope. 

Agree - I keep saying it's better to make the move as soon as possible re: the coach - if not it's going to be another year where "had to learn the system" finds its way among excuses, next season.

Nothing wrong with attempting to build something to finish this season. The team keeps retreating back to what it "knows it is" after all this losing, it's a case where I suspect they'd tangibly benefit from a sustained course change even if we only have 30 games or so. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Thorny

[Doohicksie]

Think of it as a 30-game training camp.

[nfreeman]

45 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I disagree.  I don't think he's a good person at all.  I think he's a lying faker, and I'm not being facetious.  The dude is a con man of the highest order.  He appears likeable but that's just part of the con.

Any facts to support this?  Any statements from people who know him?  Anything at all?  Or are you just PO'd about all the losing and lashing out? 

I've never heard a single bad word about him from anyone who knows him.  Just the opposite, in fact.

This is a person we're talking about here.  The default should be that he's a good guy unless it's demonstrated otherwise. 

 

44 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Copy pasted from Zip15 on hfboards:
2007-08: Takes over for Glen Hanlon after the Caps start 6-14-1 (looks pretty darn close to our record). They go 37-17-7 for 81 pts in 61 games the rest of the way.
2008-09: 108 pts
2009-10: 121 pts
2010-11: 107 pts
2011-12: 25 pts in 22 games with Caps before his firing.
2011-12 (cont'd.): Hired almost immediately by the Ducks, where he goes 27-23-8 for 62 pts in 58 games. The Ducks were 7-13-4 (18 pts in 24 games) under Randy Carlyle that season - again, record looks familiar.
2012-13: 66 pts in 48 games during lockout-shortened season, which was the 3rd best mark that year.
2013-14: 116 pts
2014-15: 109 pts
2015-16: 103 pts - He's then fired by the Ducks (after never averaging less than 100 pts/season)
2016-17: 106 pts - First season with the Wild. Minnesota had 87 pts the season before.
2017-18: 101 pts
2018-19: 83 pts
2019-20: 61 pts in 57 games

 

Edit: this last part is my reaction to seeing this laid out 

I would hire Bruce today and give him the rest of this season with our guys. He can learn about which ones fight, which ones just needed proper guidance, which ones are probably too far gone. He can show Jack a reason to have hope. 

I too would like Boudreau to be hired ASAP -- but it has to be done by a new GM/POHO.  As you and others have said, we need a real, experienced hockey guy with a successful track record making these decisions.  It can't just be TP and KA.

[sodbuster]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think they do believe what they are saying which is why they play the way they do. At some point, someone needs to just rebel and I think that is what Skinner started to do. He started to play outside of the system and Krueger dropped the hammer. 

As Jeff sat in the press box high above the ice, two gatorade-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Ralph Krueger.

[Kruppstahl]

Just had a moment to check in with the hockey world now.  First thing I did was see if Ralph was fired.

I am expecting him to be fired any moment now, and I don't think he will survive this 3 game series with the Islanders.

Especially now that the team has quit on him and is just mailing it in.

Eichel's performance last night was disgusting.

If he survives this stretch, we need to start a thread asking about the management hierarchy of the team.

I think Ralph has all the power over there, even over Terry.

So the firing may be delayed.  We'll find out.

 

 

[Cal Naughton Jr]

It just dawned on me. Maybe Terry doesn’t know that you’re allowed to fire your head coach during a season

[Gatorman0519]

3 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Just had a moment to check in with the hockey world now.  First thing I did was see if Ralph was fired.

I am expecting him to be fired any moment now, and I don't think he will survive this 3 game series with the Islanders.

Especially now that the team has quit on him and is just mailing it in.

Eichel's performance last night was disgusting.

If he survives this stretch, we need to start a thread asking about the management hierarchy of the team.

I think Ralph has all the power over there, even over Terry.

So the firing may be delayed.  We'll find out.

 

 

It’s inconceivable he’s not gone.  Calgary and Montreal sent clear messages to better coaches than him that losing and mediocrity is not acceptable.  There is no team underperforming more than the Sabres the past two years under his guidance.  

Edited March 5, 2021 by Gatorman0519