Don Granato as a HC

[Stoner]

Irony: if Granato is The One, it will have happened only because RaKru brought him here.

Yes, Ralph rode the ICBM into the asteroid so that Sabres hockey — life itself — could go on.

[Thorner]

16 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Irony: if Granato is The One, it will have happened only because RaKru brought him here.

Yes, Ralph rode the ICBM into the asteroid so that Sabres hockey — life itself — could go on.

Common in mythology stretching even to Star Wars and Harry Potter - the villain singles out and creates the their Equal, on the side of Good

Edited April 20, 2021 by Thorny

[darksabre]

48 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Irony: if Granato is The One, it will have happened only because RaKru brought him here.

Yes, Ralph rode the ICBM into the asteroid so that Sabres hockey — life itself — could go on.

Do we know that Granato was a Ralph hire?

[Thorner]

If Ralph did bring in Granato, Botterill brought Ralph. So Botterill is the man. 

But Rutherford recommended Ralph to Botterill, and Rutherford will be the one deciding to retain Granato..

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

Rutherford ain't coming. And we don't need him.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Irony: if Granato is The One, it will have happened only because RaKru brought him here.

Yes, Ralph rode the ICBM into the asteroid so that Sabres hockey — life itself — could go on.

I kind of have the feeling that when fleshing out his staff, Krueger, having been in Europe in the lead up to his hire, depended on others in the Sabres org for recommendations/input into some of his selections for coaching staff.  Granato, according to my theory, was the suggestion of the organization's Deep State operative (i.e., Kevyn Adams).  Granato was the "spy" that provided the dirt on Krueger that Adams took to the Pegulas when it was time to move on from Ralph.

This whole thing was done so well Pegula doesn't even realize there was a coup.

Edited April 20, 2021 by Doohickie

[Brawndo]

Granato and Bales were Botterill’s Doing. 
 

Steve Smith being retained was on Krueger. 

[Doohicksie]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Granato and Bales were Botterill’s Doing. 

Even JBott didn't recognize the threat from the Deep State.  The seeds were planted in his ear by Kevyn.

[Claude Balls]

I'm starting to warm to the idea of keeping Donnie Meatballs as HC. These 3 games against the Bruins could sway me one way or the other.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Claude Balls said:

These 3 games against the Bruins could sway me one way or the other.

[Brawndo]

26. Not sure what’s going to happen with the coaching situation in Buffalo, but the Sabres are improved under Don Granato. I always remember one lesson from compatriot Craig Simpson: Be careful how you judge what happens when a team is out of the playoffs. The pressure is off, things can be deceptive.

However, I strongly believe in attitude. The best outcome for the Sabres over the remainder of the season is that players see a benefit in better play/results. That’s why I’m a little concerned about Columbus. That’s a competitive, driven organization. It’s not fun when you finish below expectations. But you have to find a way to create optimism, and everyone looks miserable.
 

From 31 Thoughts 

[Stoner]

3 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

26. Not sure what’s going to happen with the coaching situation in Buffalo, but the Sabres are improved under Don Granato. I always remember one lesson from compatriot Craig Simpson: Be careful how you judge what happens when a team is out of the playoffs. The pressure is off, things can be deceptive.

However, I strongly believe in attitude. The best outcome for the Sabres over the remainder of the season is that players see a benefit in better play/results. That’s why I’m a little concerned about Columbus. That’s a competitive, driven organization. It’s not fun when you finish below expectations. But you have to find a way to create optimism, and everyone looks miserable.
 

From 31 Thoughts 

The first part is so obvious, but when you're a Sabres fan, it's any port in a storm.

[jsb]

On 4/20/2021 at 10:08 AM, PASabreFan said:

Irony: if Granato is The One, it will have happened only because RaKru brought him here.

Yes, Ralph rode the ICBM into the asteroid so that Sabres hockey — life itself — could go on.

No he didn't, he dug a hole in the asteroid and then fixed the switch and then blew the ICBM up to save Sabres hockey. Geez some guys just get the story wrong all the time. 😁

[PromoTheRobot]

I think the Sabres should take their time and interview as many candidates as possible, long enough for Granato to take the Seattle HC job.

[Norcal]

"Red Hot" Bs need cooling down. Good test for Don and the kids on Thursday.

Edited April 21, 2021 by Norcal

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, Norcal said:

"Red Hot" Bs need cooling down. Good test for Don and the kids on Thursday.

This Sabres team has bounced back against the Caps and Pens. If they can beat the Bruins a few times this series, will that be enough to give Meatballs the gig?

[pi2000]

Yesterday's Bruins game..

10 High Danger Chances For
18 High Danger Chances Against
 

...getting out chances nearly 2 to 1 in high danger chances is no recipe for success.

League average HDCF/60 at ES is around 10.   HDCA/60 at ES is also right around 10.

Giving up 18 high danger chances against is concerning.    If you want to be a playoff team, at some point you need to figure out how to play defense.    BUF just isn't there yet.

[PromoTheRobot]

5 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Yesterday's Bruins game..

10 High Danger Chances For
18 High Danger Chances Against
 

...getting out chances nearly 2 to 1 in high danger chances is no recipe for success.

League average HDCF/60 at ES is around 10.   HDCA/60 at ES is also right around 10.

Giving up 18 high danger chances against is concerning.    If you want to be a playoff team, at some point you need to figure out how to play defense.    BUF just isn't there yet.

I'm just curious what you were realistically expecting from the Sabres the rest of this season? 

[Norcal]

19 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

This Sabres team has bounced back against the Caps and Pens. If they can beat the Bruins a few times this series, will that be enough to give Meatballs the gig?

Enough for me to like Granato and what he's doing? Sure. To get the gig, not my call. 

If they split the remaining games with the Bs, Rangers, Isles and Penguins I would consider that pretty damn good.

Those teams need the games and will likely come to play so it would be great to see the kids hurt some feelings. 

[Taro T]

53 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

This Sabres team has bounced back against the Caps and Pens. If they can beat the Bruins a few times this series, will that be enough to give Meatballs the gig?

Enough in its own right, probably not.  But it's possible.  3 wins out of the remaining 5 would be an impressive feat.  Would also want to see at least a win against the Aisles.  Still would want to see an actual coaching search rather than a Ron Rolston-style "search."

But, pretty sure they need to win A game against the Bruins as a 1st step towards that.  😉

It also would be nice to see them on a winning streak longer than 2 games.  That's something they haven't done for either coach & have only done once for each.

[pi2000]

4 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I'm just curious what you were realistically expecting from the Sabres the rest of this season? 

I was hoping to see improvement in team defense.   Cut down on shots against and high danger chances.   

They're actually worse in both of those areas under Granato.  They just don't play good team defense.... watching them it looks like they play man-to-man in the d-zone, but they seem afraid to leave their guy to close in on the puck.  I want to see tighter gaps, more puck pressure, doubling and tripling up on guys and covering back instead of just being glued to a guy with your back to the puck. 

[PromoTheRobot]

6 hours ago, pi2000 said:

I was hoping to see improvement in team defense.   Cut down on shots against and high danger chances.   

They're actually worse in both of those areas under Granato.  They just don't play good team defense.... watching them it looks like they play man-to-man in the d-zone, but they seem afraid to leave their guy to close in on the puck.  I want to see tighter gaps, more puck pressure, doubling and tripling up on guys and covering back instead of just being glued to a guy with your back to the puck. 

I would disagree. Their defense is actually much improved because teams actually have to worry about the Sabres in transition now. Of course Granato is working with a roster of call ups and young players we wanted to get rid of should be taken into account.

 

It's just funny how the standards remain oddly high despite the circumstances. If Boudreau was brought in mid-season I'm sure there would be calls for patience with all kinds of excuses about what he has to work with.

Edited April 22, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[Doohicksie]

12 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

This Sabres team has bounced back against the Caps and Pens. If they can beat the Bruins a few times this series, will that be enough to give Meatballs the gig?

I was actually thinking the other way around:  how many losses to Boston will it take before Sabrespace gives up on DG?

[Carmel Corn]

Sorry I missed something....why are people calling him "Meatballs"??? He doesn't remind me of Bill Murray, so it must be something else...a little help appreciated.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Carmel Corn

[Doohicksie]

It just started.  I was calling him Donny Bagadonuts.  Just a name.  Meatballs seems to have staying power.