Don Granato Interim Coach for Sabres/Ellis and Girardi to the Bench. Steve Smith Fired

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Well I did mention Dahlin is a big part of it in a follow up post. 

The reason Ralph wasn't the true, central issue is the same reason Dahlin isn't - a historic pattern of poor decisions organizationally from the top down. 

It's why my posts have illustrated I'm in line with your "no joy" bit, here

It is all part of a pattern of dysfunction and firing Ralph might be the start of fixing it but I won't hold my breath. 

[apuszczalowski]

2 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Not thrilled at having an interim with the names available. We will see what happens at HC.

Might be waiting to see who else will be available at the end of the season?

My one wish would be that they call Babcock up and make him an offer, he announces he is leaving his position as coach of the university team he is coaching in Saskatchewan right now, and just as he is entering the doors to the arena for his press conference to announce his hiring, he walks in on the Sabres actual press conference to announce they hired someone else........

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, apuszczalowski said:

Might be waiting to see who else will be available at the end of the season?

My one wish would be that they call Babcock up and make him an offer, he announces he is leaving his position as coach of the university team he is coaching in Saskatchewan right now, and just as he is entering the doors to the arena for his press conference to announce his hiring, he walks in on the Sabres actual press conference to announce they hired someone else........

lol I see what you did there. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Was Girardi in the organization? 

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

It is all part of a pattern of dysfunction and firing Ralph might be the start of fixing it but I won't hold my breath. 

I'm hoping so. 

Like I said though they've gotten pretty good at firing pretty bad employees. I just want to see who the next coach is. 

I would have been much, much happier in this moment if a Boudreau announcement had accompanied. Not only in the micro, but also just to see the utter lack of experience organizationally addressed, in part. 

THAT would allow me to infer some positive. This is just TNT so far. It's not inherently indicative of any sort of positive mindset change, yet.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Was Girardi in the organization? 

I thought he was a development coach for us starting this year? He only retired in 2019. 

[Curt]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

Are him and Mair promoted to assistant coaches or will they retain their role as dev coach and move behind the bench to assist with games?

Mair is an assistant coach for Rochester.

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

I'm hoping so. 

Like I said though they've gotten pretty good at firing pretty bad employees. I just want to see who the next coach is. 

I would have been much, much happier in this moment if a Boudreau announcement had accompanied. Not only in the micro, but also just to see the utter lack of experience organizationally addressed, in part. 

THAT would allow me to infer some positive. This is just TNT so far. 

I think they are hiring Leaman and before ppl freak out, the guy has something like 15-20 years of coaching experience and at least 10 as a head coach. That doesn't mean it will translate to the NHL but he is certainly more qualified than Krueger was. 

[Randall Flagg]

There's a chance that they haven't even talked to BB, GG or CJ yet right? I think its possible they really made this decision last night, in which case they would probably not start reachig out until today if they were interested, and someone has to coach this team today, tomorrow, and through a quarantine 

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I think they are hiring Leaman and before ppl freak out, the guy has something like 15-20 years of coaching experience and at least 10 as a head coach. That doesn't mean it will translate to the NHL but he is certainly more qualified than Krueger was. 

I would definitely give this guy a chance, I would just think the Pegulas are ridiculous for going that route at this juncture. 

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I think they are hiring Leaman and before ppl freak out, the guy has something like 15-20 years of coaching experience and at least 10 as a head coach. That doesn't mean it will translate to the NHL but he is certainly more qualified than Krueger was. 

I don't want anyone that doesn't have a successful NHL experience leg to stand on when confronted by the pegulas 

[apuszczalowski]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Was Girardi in the organization? 

He was a development coach I believe? I don't think he was an assistant on the bench, but he did work for the Sabres organization

He also lives locally in a nice house on the Niagara Parkway on the other side of the river

[Thorner]

Even the Pegulas have guided this team to the playoffs during their tenure. I think they know a little something others in the organization don't, ok?

[Stoner]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think they are hiring Leaman and before ppl freak out, the guy has something like 15-20 years of coaching experience and at least 10 as a head coach. That doesn't mean it will translate to the NHL but he is certainly more qualified than Krueger was. 

Wrong. He's not more experienced than Ralph.

Terry coached youth hockey in Olean, too.

[Thwomp!]

54 minutes ago, Cascade Youth said:

Correct.  The one constant in the Pegulas' ownership of both teams is that they hate being embarrassed - that's usually what motivates them to act.  Doug Whaley press conference, the 6-0 pasting to the Capitals - it's all about whether the Pegulas are laughed at.

O'Reilly

[Thorner]

Just now, Thwomp! said:

O'Reilly

100000000000% You can be bad. You just can't be upset about it. 

Riso is a lifetime sabre for a reason now 

[Thwomp!]

Just now, Thorny said:

100000000000% You can be bad. You just can't be upset about it. 

Riso is a lifetime sabre for a reason now 

O'Reilly also embarrassed them.

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Wrong. He's not more experienced than Ralph.

Terry coached youth hockey in Olean, too.

You think college hockey is like youth hockey? And you think that Krueger has more NA hockey experience than Leaman?

[apuszczalowski]

1 minute ago, PASabreFan said:

Wrong. He's not more experienced than Ralph.

Terry coached youth hockey in Olean, too.

Ralph does have more NHL experience. I do wonder if having a coach with alot of college/minor hockey experience might be beneficial to help the younger players since alot of that hockey is developmental which could help over some of the more experienced NHL coaches who are more into systems and prefer veterans over youth

 

Personally I think it would be nice to get an established veteran coach with a track record of success, but those guys aren't usually just sitting around waiting for calls. The ones sitting around are guys that have been let go from their jobs for not being successful. Gallant might be the best choice because he been pretty successful, and was only let go in Vegas after a small slide in play.

[John Tucker]

Yay!  There's hope in Mudville!  We've removed Freddy Krueger and now have Granato and Matt Ellis left to deal with the carnage.  What could possibly go wrong?!?!?

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

There's a chance that they haven't even talked to BB, GG or CJ yet right? I think its possible they really made this decision last night, in which case they would probably not start reachig out until today if they were interested, and someone has to coach this team today, tomorrow, and through a quarantine 

I would definitely give this guy a chance, I would just think the Pegulas are ridiculous for going that route at this juncture. 

I am not disagreeing that going that route is questionable for sure. I would prefer one of the big 3 and Gallant is my top guy. 

[Stoner]

Leaking the college coach's name was brilliant. Look at the sheeple.

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Leaking the college coach's name was brilliant. Look at the sheeple.

As in now people will be happy when they hire someone with solid experience? 

I guess, but the presence of that experience on it's own is enough to be legitimately encouraged. 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

As in now people will be happy when they hire someone with solid experience? 

I guess, but the presence of that experience on it's own is enough to be legitimately encouraged. 

I won't be happy with Leaman but it seems stupid to hate him immediately. 

To quote Holmes “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.”

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I won't be happy with Leaman but it seems stupid to hate him immediately. 

To quote Holmes “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.”

But we do have data. We have a whole host of hires that make up a clearly identifiable trend. 

It's less a judgement on my part of Leaman, and more a judgement of what that hire means to ownership and the potential hire's specific fit at this time and place for this organization. 

[Zamboni]

Jeff being told last night ...

Edited March 17, 2021 by Zamboni